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Ojeda, Jennilyn Ann L.
Reading in Philippine History
October 26, 2022
MOANA MOVIE REVIEW
A Disney film called Moana, I knew that this is another incredible film but it’s different from other films
that Disney created. It wasn’t about the traditional type of princess who eats an apple, kisses a frog
or knocks on sleep. Upon watching the trailer I thought that this was about the history and culture of
the Philippines but upon searching online, I found out that my claim is wrong. Moana is an
astonishing film that was related to the culture, tradition, heritage, and history of Polynesians Island
such as Hawaii.
The story starts on how everything begins with great animation and stunning background music. It’s
the story of the inhabitants of the Polynesian island of Motunui worshipping the goddess Te Fiti, who
gave life to the ocean and to the world by using a stone as her heart and source of power. Maui, the
shape-shifting demigod and sailing master, steals the heart to grant humanity the power of creation.
Te Fiti, however, disintegrates, and Maui is attacked by Te Ka, a fire and demon, that causes his
magical giant fish hook and the heart and casts them into the depths. Moana, the main character of
the story and the child of Chief Tiu of Motunui was impressed by the stories that her grandma tells
during that time. Later on, she goes to the shore when water starts to call her, she is the chosen one
of the ocean to return the heart of Ti Fiti. However, she wasn’t allowed to go outside the reef water
because her father believes that they are safe there and she is expected to be the next Chief of
Motunui. Since then, Moana tried to do what she wanted (to go beyond the reef) but later on, when
they went to the top of the mountain where the chieftains stood. Moana followed what his father
wanted for her to serve for their people as the chieftain. Until when she became a teenager and her
adventure started there. She met a variety of characters including the ancestors, Tamatao (giant
seashell), demigod, goddess, fire demon, and people who had different personalities. Moana is not
just showing the variety of the characters that she encountered through her adventure but also the
heritage and history of Polyneians island.
The movie shows the culture and tradition of the people of Polynesian Island through singing and
dancing. Showing their livelihood such as farming, creating clothes, fishing, weaving, eating domestic
plants and animals, etc. I noticed that Polynesian culture has similarities with the Austronesian
people and is also reflective to Filipinos. In which serves a knowledge on us that there are many
distinct cultures that are reflective of what other places have.
Similarities of Polynesian culture and Austronesian culture, as well as, the reflective of what Filipinos
have:
● Tattooing
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- I claim that the Tattooing culture of Polynesian is also present in the culture of Austronesian people.
Furthermore this culture was present in Visayans during the 15-16th century. The claim is supported
by the following evidences:
● Ocean Sailing Technologies- Boat
- I claim that inventing a boat or sailing is one of the shared cultures of Polynesian and
Austronesian. Also, reflective of the Filipinos as a main transportation before.
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● Domestic Plants and Animals
- I claimed that there are shared domestic plants and animals such as bananas and pigs in
Polynesian and Austronesian that are reflective of what Filipinos have.
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RESOURCES:
Barangay Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society (William Henry Scott) (z-lib.org).pdf
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