Moana is the daughter of a tribal chief on a remote island. Her village never ventures beyond the reef because of the inherent danger of the ocean. However, the island is dying, and the only solution requires venturing across the sea.
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In Moana, Maui is known as a legend who owns a massively huge fish hook allowing him to shape-shift into different animals like lions and llama's, and stole the heart of Te Fiti, causing the ocean to suffer. Moana later convinces Maui to help her restore the heart of Te Fiti.
Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana is depicted as the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti.
The death of Moana's grandmother is very sad especially for viewers who have recently lost a grandparent or don't understand death. There is another very emotional scene where her spirit visits Moana in the form of a manta ray.
If you're short on time, here's a quick answer to your question: Moana is considered both Polynesian and Hawaiian in different respects. She was created by Disney as an amalgamation of various Polynesian cultures and mythologies, but is set specifically on the Hawaiian island of Motunui.