On Wednesday, November 27th, the highly anticipated Moana 2 came to theaters. Because the original Moana did so well, everyone thought the sequel would do well too. However, the release of Moana 2 brings more light to the overall plot line that the first movie left off on. 

When Moana was originally released, Hawaii’s rich culture and history were seen in a way it had never been before. An article written at NCB News by Arturo Conde mentions one person in particular, Auli’i Cravahlo, the voice actress of Moana in the original and sequel, who is of native Hawaiian descent. To Cravahlo, “Playing Moana has been the opportunity of a lifetime – voicing a character who isn’t afraid to grab a demi-god by the ear and take him on a journey across the sea is fun.” In the movie, Moana uses an ancient navigation technique of way-finding and relies on stars, wind, waves, and other clues from the world around her to find a path. Way-finding doesn’t always have to be literal, it can also be seen as a philosophy. It can be seen as a way to find one’s true self in the world and in Moana 2, Moana goes on an initial journey of self-discovery which later turns into a much bigger adventure that puts her leadership to the test. All across Polynesia, Moana can be seen as a hero and a leader. Cravahlo said that her character showcased way-finding and navigation of the stars, which is a true piece of Indigenous knowledge. Looking back on the beloved character, Cravahlo said Moana’s bold action can redefine how girls and women can identify as heroes in pop culture. “I think Moana has truly allowed the words ‘Hero’ and ‘Princess’  to become interchangeable. It’s amazing to see the waves of her impact, not just for young women of Pacific Island descent, but for countless people across the world.” 

In another article written in the LA Times by Ashley Lee, it explains the cultural significance of the catchphrase “Chee Hoo.” In Samoan culture, the phrase “Chee Hoo” is a fa’aumu or an expression of emotion that holds great significance throughout many Pacific Island communities. In Moana 2, Maui, who is one of the main protagonists, sings Moana a song called “Can I get a Chee Hoo”. The reason this song is so important to this movie is because it explains that Moana is deserving of fighting Nalo, the god of storms, who is the main antagonist. Before the song plays, Moana and her friends crash land on an island and Moana feels she is the reason she and her friends are in danger. Emily Bear, who is one of the directors who helped come up with the music in Moana 2, said in an interview, “Everything we were doing was either too cheesy or abstract, or it sounded like a s— motivational speech that we were copying from YouTube…How do we make this cool and not cringey, and still authentic to his character and friendship to Moana?” She later says “When I’m at my lowest and I feel like nothing anyone will say to me will make me feel better, I don’t need a motivational speech, I need a dose of reality…Maui essentially tells Moana ‘Stop doubting yourself, because the enemy you’re up against doesn’t doubt you. He wouldn’t waste his time if they didn’t think you were capable of beating him.” Overall, the song “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?” is a powerful song that is supposed to uplift someone without sugar-coating anything.

In one last article written at The Hollywood Reporter by Pamela Mcclintock, she talks about the success of Moana 2. While we were heading into Thanksgiving, Moana 2 was tracking to open to a large $125 million to $135 million, however, the magic-infused family film received a total of $225 million during the five-day weekend. Back in 2016, when the original came out, Moana’s journey to becoming a franchise was unusual. The first movie was solid but it wasn’t a spectacular performer according to Disney and the sequel was originally supposed to be developed into a Disney+ original series. This was the case until the 2016 film turned into a cultural phenomenon among kids and became the most streamed movie on all platforms in 2023. Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman said, “Moana 2 has far surpassed our high expectations this weekend and is a testament to the phenomenon that Moana became.” He also said “We’re fortunate to have an incredibly talented and hard-working creative team at Disney Animation who brought this new adventure to life, alongside our wonderful stars Auli’i and Dwayne and great music. This is a moment to celebrate and we’re thankful to all moviegoers and fans who’ve helped make this a record breaking debut.”