November 21, 2016
Arts Culture & Entertainment
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11
Disney’s Moana highlights Polynesian culture
Moana, a new film from Walt Disney
Animation Studios, sails into theaters on
Wednesday, November 23. The animated
adventure follows a spirited teenager who
sets out on a daring mission to prove
herself a master wayfinder and fulfill the
unfinished quest of her ancestors. The film
highlights the voice talent of newcomer
Auli’i Cravalho, a native of Hawai‘i, as the
film’s title character. Cravalho is joined by
actor Dwayne Johnson, who has Samoan
roots, as the voice of demigod Maui — a
charismatic character inspired by the
varied tales and legends about him
throughout the Pacific — who assists
Moana on her quest.
The film opens with Moana’s Gramma
Tala, the mother of Chief Tui and Moana’s
greatest confidante, sharing the tale of Te
Fiti, the mother island, with toddlers on
the island, including young Moana.
Gramma Tala’s story culminates with
details about Maui, demigod of the wind
and sea, who steals the heart of Te Fiti,
unleashing a terrible darkness that
threatens the life and habitat of islanders
throughout the region.
As young Moana grows up, a very special
presence in her life — the Ocean — is
introduced. She is drawn to the ocean, but
voyaging beyond the safety of the reef that
lies just beyond their shores is forbidden
by Chief Tui, Moana’s father. After
realizing the livelihood of the island is
threatened by a terrible darkness,
however, Moana breaks her father’s rules,
setting sail on an epic trip to save her
people and find the answers she’s been
searching for her whole life.
Moana eventually finds the mighty
demigod Maui, a charismatic character as
well as a larger-than-life trickster and
shapeshifter. Maui, who is on his own
journey of self-discovery, reluctantly
guides Moana in her quest to become a
wayfinder and save her people on an
action-packed
voyage
where
they
encounter monsters and impossible odds
while sailing across the open ocean.
Oceania
The story told in the film is inspired in
OCEAN EXPLORATION. Moana, a new film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, follows spirited teenager Moana as she ventures beyond the safety of the reef that
lies just beyond their island’s shores after realizing their livelihood is threatened by a terrible darkness. Breaking the rules of her father, Chief Tui, she sets sail on an epic
adventure to save her people and find the answers she’s been searching for her whole life. The film opens November 23 in theaters nationwide. Pictured is Moana (right)
talking to Gramma Tala (left) on the beach. (Image courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios)
part by oral histories of the people and our heroine, Moana, is at the heart of the little, I used to dance around the house
singing at the top of my lungs. In my mind,
cultures of Oceania. For centuries, the rebirth of wayfinding.”
In researching the project, the film- that was performing and I loved the feeling
greatest navigators in the world
masterfully travelled the vast Pacific, makers journeyed to the islands of the of it. But I never imagined being in a
discovering the many islands of Oceania. Pacific to see the places and meet the Disney movie, being Moana — repre-
But then, around 3,000 years ago, their people in person. “We wanted to, as much senting my culture in that way.”
Fortunately, the film’s Hawai‘i casting
voyages stopped for a millennium — and as possible, avoid the ‘touristy’ things, to
though there are theories, no one knows go deeper,” said director Ron Clements. director remembered an unrelated
“We wanted to meet people who grew up on audition Cravalho did as part of an a
exactly why.
“Navigation — wayfinding — is such a islands; we wanted to listen and learn cappella group, which had been submitted
big part of Pacific culture,” said director what makes these Pacific Island cultures for a talent showcase for a charity. Feeling
John Musker. “Ancient Polynesians found so remarkable.” They spent time within the local teen would be perfect for the
their way across the seas, wayfinding local communities, meeting and sharing Disney role, she tracked her and her
island-to-island without the use of modern stories and meals with elders and chiefs mother down and invited Cravalho to
instruments, using their knowledge of and their families, as well as teachers, audition. “Her audition was fantastic —
nature, the stars, the waves, and the craftspeople, farmers, fishermen, and she was such a raw talent,” said producer
Shurer. “Auli’i was among a small number
navigators.
currents.”
One meeting stood out, Clements of girls we brought back for a second round
There are many theories, but no one is
certain about what may have led to the recalled. “An elder on the island of Mo’orea of auditions. Then we flew her and her
1,000-year gap in exploration before it asked of us something so simple and so mom over to audition at our studios in
resumed 2,000 years ago, leading to the revealing: ‘For years, we have been Burbank.”
“Auli’i demonstrated a certain fearless-
discoveries of Tahiti, Hawai‘i, and swallowed by your culture,’ he said. ‘This
Aotearoa (New Zealand). The rebirth — one time, can you be swallowed by ours?’” ness in her auditions and callbacks,” said
Deeply inspired by their time in the director Musker. “She has a playful,
and the possible explanations behind it —
sparked the imaginations of the Pacific Islands, filmmakers assembled a mischievous wit. She can project vulnera-
filmmakers. Said Musker, “In our story, group of advisors they named the Oceanic bility, she doesn’t seem intimidated at all
Story Trust (OST). OST included anthro- by the challenges ahead, and her
pologists, educators, linguists, expert tat- Polynesian background has helped shape
tooists, choreographers, haka specialists, her connection to family, hard work, and
master navigators, and cultural advisors music. These are all qualities she shares
one of the leading outlets of the so-called
who collaborated with Disney’s creative with Moana.”
alt-right, a movement often associated
“Moana is a vibrant, tenacious 16-year-
team.
with far-right efforts to preserve “white
“The trust has deeply influenced the old growing up on an island where
identity” and oppose multiculturalism.
look and feel of this film,” said producer voyaging is forbidden,” added director
Michael Lieberman with the Anti-Defa-
Osnat Shurer. “The film would not be what Clements. “But Moana has been drawn to
mation League said there have been
the ocean since she can remember and is
it is today without their guidance.”
“unprecedented efforts” to address hate
desperate to find out what’s beyond the
Auli’i Cravalho
crimes in recent years, from outreach to
While hundreds of talented people from confines of her island.”
law enforcement, community meetings,
Moana opens the day before Thanks-
across the Pacific Islands were eager to try
and an emphasis on cooperation among
out for the lead voice role, Cravalho had giving, November 23, in theaters nation-
federal agencies.
her sights set firmly on her sophomore wide. To learn more, visit <www.facebook.
Any increases, including the ones seen
year of high school. “I didn’t think I would com/disneymoana>. To buy tickets, visit
in anti-Muslim crimes, could be due in part
have a chance,” she said. “When I was <www.fandango.com>.
to more reporting by victims as well as
better reporting and tracking by law
enforcement agencies. The number of law
enforcement agencies sending data on
hate crimes to the FBI decreased by about
three percent in 2015.
An AP investigation earlier this year
found 17 percent of local law enforcement
agencies had not submitted a single hate
crime report during the past six years as
part of the FBI’s tracking program,
prompting concerns that an undercount
was masking the true scope of hate and
bias crimes in the U.S.
“Gaps in participation and incomplete
reporting demonstrate materially that
this work must continue, and we will be
pressing the Trump Justice Department
and U.S. attorneys so this important work
will be ongoing,” Lieberman said.
Visit <www.asianreporter.com> and click on the
Associated Press writers Deepti Hajela in
“Online
Paper (PDF)” link to download our last two issues.
New York City and Jay Reeves in Birming-
ham, Alabama contributed to this report.
FBI: Hate crimes against Muslims
up by 67 percent in 2015
Continued from page 8
election.
At the same time, a videotaped assault
in Chicago showed black men beating a
white man as onlookers screamed, “You
voted Trump!”
Trump had said he hadn’t heard reports
that some of his supporters might be
harassing minorities.
“I am so saddened to hear that,” Trump
said during an interview with CBS’s “60
Minutes.” ‘‘And I say, stop it. If it, if it
helps, I will say this and I will say right to
the cameras: Stop it.”
According to the FBI report, the
majority of hate crimes were motivated by
bias against race or ethnicity. Of the 4,216
victims of a hate crime motivated by race
or ethnicity, 52 percent were black, 18.7
percent were white, and 9.3 percent were
Hispanic or Latino. Crimes against Jews
increased about nine percent, while bias
incidents involving sexual orientation
were up 3.5 percent.
Civil-rights groups have expressed
concern that a Trump administration
could radically reshape the U.S.
Department of Justice, particularly when
it comes to policing, but also in terms of the
priority placed on hate crimes. Those
concerns were compounded after Trump
named as his chief White House strategist
Steve Bannon, who came to his campaign
from Breitbart News. Under Bannon’s
leadership, the Breitbart website became
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