As an avid Disney fan, it would be an understatement to say that I was anxiously awaiting the reveal of Moana, Disney's latest princess. The movie was released in theaters on November 23rd, and it far exceeded my expectations. In fact, I feel as if Moana is perhaps my new favorite Disney princess.
As well as being a humble, daring, and vehement heroine, Moana breaks many barriers as Disney’s new leading lady. Not only does she embark on a journey for the sake of her own people, she is incredibly passionate about her culture. A common trope in a lot of Disney films include the heroines rebelling against their roots and where they came from, but instead, Moana has a deep love for her island and people, and seeks to save it by finding the demigod Maui and restoring the heart of Te Fiti.
Furthermore, the movie includes zero love interests for the female protagonist (a definite breath of relief when Maui only served as a big brother figure!). Although this was seen in the 2012 Disney princess film “Brave,” it is refreshing to see it happen again.
However, what touched me the most about the film, was the representation of Polynesian culture. I can’t put into words how breathtakingly beautiful it was to see the Pacific Islands represented in a Disney film. With the tribal tattoos, Polynesian dancing, and wonderfully crafted animation of the island and sea, the entire film was incredibly heartwarming.
Truthfully, I probably cried about 5 times from how much “Moana” moved me. After watching it, I read reviews from people of Polynesian heritage themselves, saying how dignifying it was to see their culture represented on the screen.
Specifically, I found the scene where Moana reveals her people’s past to be one of the most powerful. It featured the song “We Know The Way,” including verses in Samoan and Tokelauan, in which it is illustrated that Moana’s people were once wayfinders who voyaged the Pacific Ocean with outstanding navigational skills. The scene was such a moving representation of the diverse Polynesian culture, with Moana crying out "We were voyagers! We were voyagers!"
As a woman of color myself, to see a dark haired, sun kissed Polynesian girl with a thicker build as a powerful heroine was extremely fulfilling. It gives me a great deal of hope for the little girls of color who now get to grow up with Moana as their Disney heroine.
The way I see it, Disney truly succeeded with “Moana.” But what I consider most important is whether or not they decide to continue with this trend. More specifically, I hope that Disney continues to represent the cultures of people of color as well as they did with “Moana.” Because although the movie was amazing, it still is not enough in terms of representation for the brand. I hope that Disney continues to explore other non-European cultures, because the rest of the world has a myriad of folklore and myths to offer as well.
As a Mexican-American, I hope my culture is represented soon enough, because heaven knows my 7-year-old self would have been very grateful to have seen a princess who looks like her on the big screen. Our language, our people, and our history is so incredibly rich, the world deserves to see the beauty of it, especially in such dark and tense times.
Regardless of what comes next, Moana is a stunning animated film that I hope will serve as a precedent for future Disney movie — where people of color and their cultures are represented adequately and beautifully.
