“ WITH ALL DUE RESPECTS TO Dr. Ka'ili and Dr. MÄhina...Moana is a fictional flick for entertainment, not a documentary for educational purposes.
Let's not get heated up with emotional reactions about a "movie" based on a part of our Polynesian religious, artistic, mythical, and oral history over a pure entertainment flick called "Moana".
1. The Moana movie is not a documentary film, which is required to trace historical, archaeological, and scientific facts as to backup their theme.
2. The Disney Movie is pure entertainment, made for children, and adolescents. It is made-believe stuff for enjoyment. And what's wrong if Disney makes money on it, at least people are employed, and some Polynesians are paid a fair wage as actors actresses and musicians.
3. Artistically it is a fictional story, which the producers, directors, and screenwriters, take liberty in creating a form of literature.
4. Goddess Hina of Love and Romance had no place in a fictional story of Maui, demigod of winds and seas.
5. Besides, the Maui myth is told in many different versions in Polynesia. We should not be disappointed if they don't tell it in the version we wish.
6. And it is a myth from our ancient past, which was formed by the old Polynesian religion replaced by Christianity. Christian missionaries did more damage to our cultures than the Disney Moana will ever do.
7. I saw the film on opening night, and my grandchildren loved it. The film was made to entertain them...not as an educational tool, nor as a religious Sunday School lesson. ”