'Moana' passes test of cultural authenticity

Polynesian Moana and her erstwhile companion, the demigod Maui.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanksgiving hangover. Thinking of taking the family to a movie? Here's an offering you should consider.

By Louis Chan
REPRINTED FROM ASAM NEWS

MY TWO 20-something children called Moana, which opened this Thanksgiving weekend, one of the best Disney movies ever.

That’s high praise from two kids who’s collection of animated Disney and Pixar movies is quite extensive. (can you still call two 20-somethings kids? Hell, yes, especially if they’re yours)

The Media Action Network of Asian Americans joined in that praise applauding Disney studios for hiring Pacific Islanders at multiple levels and reflecting accurately the values and culture of Pacific Islanders.

“Moana is the gold standard for how movies should be made,” says MANAA board member Rakshak Sahni. “If you are making a film about Pacific Islanders, it is a given that you should hire Pacific Islanders both in front of and behind the camera. Yet in the past and present we have seen studios creating stories about Asians and Pacific Islanders, but hiring White writers and White actors to perform or voice the roles.”

Moana tells the story of a girl drawn to the ocean and who defies her father, the chief of the island village, when she goes beyond the reef to save her people.

According to the Disney Examiner, an independent online magazine devoted to Disney, directors John Musker and Ron Clements met up with prominent cultural advisors in the region and immersed themselves in the culture during visits to Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, and New Zealand.

“The ocean is viewed as a living, breathing, powerful entity,” said Musker about what he learned. “There is immense respect and admiration for the ocean in this part of the world. We heard many times from the people we met during our trips to the Pacific Islands that the ocean doesn’t separate the islands, it connects them. Voyaging is real source of pride for the Pacific Islanders, a part of their identity. They were, and continue to be, some of the greatest explorers of all time. This wayfinding sense is not only quite sophisticated, it is miraculous.”

Members of MANAA had a chance to see an advanced screening of the movie. Some came away in tears.

“When many Pacific Islanders spoke up during a Q&A with ‘Moana’ producer Osnat Shurer, they were in tears,” said MANAA Vice President Miriam Nakamura-Quan. “They felt that Disney had somehow managed to combine three different cultures and values into one and present it accurately and authentically to a wider audience.”

According to MANAA co-founder Guy Aoki, there wasn’t a White person in the entire movie.

“Disney had confidence in their story that they didn’t have to compromise — as many filmmakers do — feeling they needed a White character for the audience to identify with,” he said. “We’re confident that children of all ages and backgrounds will identify with Moana.

Besides the lead voice roles of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and newcomer Auli’i Cravalho, the commitment of Disney to cultural sensitivity is impressive with all the Pacific Islander talent used in the movie.

Extra Hint: Watch the credits all the way to the end for an extra surprise scene.

Auli’i Cravalho as Moana

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Maui

Nicole Scherzinger as Sina

Rachel House as Gramma Tala

Temuera Morrison as Chief Tui

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TGIF FEATURE: The Rock sings "You're Welcome" in "Moana"

Auliʻi Cravalho is the voice for the animated Moana.

DWAYNE, "THE ROCK" JOHNSON, a former professional wrestler and football player, is more than a muscle-bound, action movie star.

In the upcoming animated movie, Moana, he displays his singing talent. He sings "You're Welcome," a brand new song written for the movie by Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame.

RELATED: First trailer for Moana

For centuries, the greatest sailors in the world masterfully navigated the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, 3,000 years ago, their voyages stopped for a millennium – and no one knows exactly why. 

Moana is a sweeping, animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety and security of her island on a daring journey to save her people. Inexplicably drawn to the ocean, Moana (voice of Auliʻi Cravalho) convinces the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Johnson) to join her mission, and he reluctantly helps her become a way finder like her ancestors who sailed before her. 

Together, they voyage across the open ocean on an action-packed adventure, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills her quest and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. 

In casting of the voices, Disney sought Pacific Islanders to play the main roles. The selection of Johnson, who is Samoan/American, was a no-brainer. He is the highest-paid movie star in Hollywood.

In open auditions, Disney found Cavalho, who is Hawaiian/American.

Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23.

Vice President nominee Mike Pence goes after Mulan

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence vs. Mulan, one is real, the other is a cartoon

REPUBLICAN Vice President nominee Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, is scheduled to speak today (July 20), at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Let's listen carefully and see if he attacks Mulan.

Prior to becoming Indiana's governor, Pence was a talk-show host. BuzzFeed News uncovered an op-ed talking about the 1999 animated feature film based on the Chinese poem "Ballad of Mulan," dating back to the 6th century C.E. He called the Disney film a "mischievous liberal" attempt to influence the debate on women serving in the military.

RELATED: GOP wants to highlight diversity, but ...

Buzzfeed unearthed a post by Pence during his radio days, apparently composed just after he'd taken his family to a screening of the film. Pence theorized that Mulan taught youngsters exactly the wrong idea about women and their combat capabilities:

For those who have not yet been victimized by the McDonald's-induced hysteria over this film, Mulan is a fictional account of a delicate girl of the same name who surreptitiously takes her father's place in the Chinese army in one of their ancient wars against the Huns. 

Despite her delicate features and voice, Disney expects us to believe that Mulan's ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts. Obviously, this is Walt Disney's attempt to add childhood expectation to the cultural debate over the role of women in the military."

Disney’s 1998 release of Mulan retells the legend that takes place during the Han Dynasty when Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, pretends to be a man in order to take her father’s place in general conscription during the Hun invasion when women were strictly forbidden from fighting in conflicts. It is not certain if Mulan is based on a real historical figure.

RELATED: First Asian/American speaker at the GOP convention.

Mulan, he writes, gives us proof that women should not serve in the military. Fraternizing between the sexes, he says, is inevitable. Pence seems to have forgotten that Mulan disguised herself as a man to get into the military. When the feature was released, it was hailed as a breakthrough by Asian/American parents because up until then, all the Disney princesses had been white.

I can't believe I'm writing about a cartoon figure when the man who would be a "heartbeat" away from the presidency has other - more serious - issues to address. On the other hand, I also find it even harder to believe that Pence would consider a cartoon to be a threat to American society.

When not attacking cartoon figures, Pence also has strong views on the role of women in our society. 

He also spoke against Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. but has since stepped back and now supports the proposed ban.

Pence also boosted the law that allowed businesses to refuse service to individuals if it went against their religious beliefs.

The debate over Mulan may not hold a candle to the host of issues facing our country, but it does say a lot about the man who would be vice president.

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.