An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master way-finder. Together they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds. Along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she always sought: her own identity.Moana / Film synopsis

In Moana, Maui is known as a legend who owns a massively huge fish hook allowing him to shape-shift into different animals like lions and llama's, and stole the heart of Te Fiti, causing the ocean to suffer. Moana later convinces Maui to help her restore the heart of Te Fiti.

The story of Moana is also heavily influenced by Polynesian culture and folklore, further digging into where the movie is set. Moana draws inspiration from elements of various cultures throughout Oceania, but there are a few indicators that place Moana in a specific geographic location and point in time.

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes Moana, an epic adventure about a spirited teen who sets sail on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors' unfinished quest.

Moana tells the life story of the village chief's daughter, Moana, who struggles to save and protect the village and her family from the thief named Maui. Moana was born in the island village of Motunui, and she is the daughter of Chief Tui and Sina, who grew up with love.

ocean, sea It is a beautiful Hawaiian given name meaning "ocean, sea, or expanse of water." The name has been a firm favorite among Polynesian communities for years, gaining global popularity with the release of Disney's epic animated film in 2016.

grandfather High Chief Peter Maivia of Samoa In response to a side-by-side photo of his Moana character and grandfather posted on Twitter Johnson wrote "A lil Disney gem of a secret my character Maui was partly inspired by my late grandfather High Chief Peter Maivia of Samoa." The Rock's Moana character Maui and his grandfather Peter Maivia…

The fictional movie takes place 3,000 years ago in the islands of Polynesia, an area that includes Hawaii, Tonga and Tahiti. The star is 16-year-old Moana, voiced by Hawaiian actress Auli'i Cravalho, who goes on an ocean voyage with Maui, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Moana is a daughter of the chief of her tribe. Coming from a long line of navigators she sets off for a fabled island with the demigod Maui. Along the voyage they battle all which the ocean hides, while learning what the power of persistence and faith can accomplish.

Cravalho described Moana as being brave, beautiful, kind and strong, explaining she could list adjectives "all day".

Trickster god Meaning:Trickster god. Maui is a boy's name of Hawaiian and Maori origin. This name belongs to a trickster god in Polynesian mythology, and was also given to one of the Hawaiian islands. The 2016 Disney film Moana brought the name Maui into popular culture with Dwayne Johnson's playful portrayal of the god.

Notice the koru (spiral) symbol intimated in the sand that Moana stands on - a portal perhaps - representing new life, growth, adventure and return. This scene is ripe with symbolism and metaphor - the call to adventure, Moana as the chosen one, the start of a personal journey to paradise, an…