Gods and demigods are important to the history of moanaand this continues on moana 2. The 2024 sequel to the 2016 Disney film returns to Motunui’s heroine three years after her journey across the ocean and sees her adventures continue as she travels across the Pacific. This ancient water world is ruled by various deities and their minions, filled with monsters and hidden kingdoms for Moana to explore. While Disney has taken creative liberties and made several additions, many of the gods and demigods mentioned in moana and moana 2 find their roots in Polynesian myths, history and culture (via Cultural Trip).
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The first moana In the film, the heroine Moana leaves her home to find the demigod Maui and take him across the ocean to restore the heart of Te Fiti. This demigod and the god of the island he stole from are the most prominent deities in this film, along with the general spirit of the Ocean, who would also be considered a god. Now, moana 2 takes this further, exploring other gods and spirits, both good and evil, whose temperaments impact the people of the various islands of the Pacific Ocean. So who are they all, where do they come from and what do they do?
6 Maui
The demigod of wind and sea
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Perhaps the most notable deity of moana and moana 2 It is Maui, the demigod of the wind and the sea. The 2016 film describes how Maui wished to grant mortals the opportunity to create life itself, so he stole the Heart of Te Fiti and was banished to a desert island for a thousand years. Of course, this is far from the beginning of Maui’s history. It is eventually revealed that he had been born to mortals, but that his family had thrown him into the ocean, where he was claimed by the sea gods and turned into a shape-shifting demigod thanks to his magical hook.
Maui is a true demigod of Polynesian cosmogony. He is known for being a heroic trickster responsible for creating many natural features of land and sea (similar to how Maui described his exploits in the song “You’re Welcome”). Although his adventures with Moana are Disney’s invention, Maui’s personality in moana aligns well with how he is often depicted in Polynesian stories. Maui’s origin story is similar as well, as the most common story of his birth and ascension to demigod status revolves around his mother throwing him into the ocean after a premature birth.
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5 The ocean
The spirit of the sea
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Although he was never officially called god in moanaIt is clear that the ocean has a mind of its own in this story. Throughout Moana’s journey, the water had its own way of communicating with the Motunui hero, specifically selecting it after he helped a baby sea turtle find its way across the beach. The Ocean apparently not only chooses heroes carefully, but also has its own sense of humor. He is playful and energetic, even showing sass at some points. moana. The Ocean never utters a word, but this mysterious deity remains a character in his own right.
Moana seems to have combined all of these deities for her version of the ocean god…
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There are several ocean gods in Polynesian mythology, recognized by different individual cultures. Tangaroa is the Maori god of the ocean, responsible for protecting marine life. This is more or less the role of the Hawaiian Kanaloa and the Samoan Tagaloa. Tahitian mythology recognizes Ta’aroa as the god of the ocean, as well as the creator of all things. moana seems to have combined all of these deities for his version of the Ocean god, although creating a clear differentiation between the Ocean god and the creator in moanaTe Fiti. Regardless, it is clear that these two deities work together in moana.
4 Te Fiti
The mother island
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Te Fiti is the mother island in moana—the first to emerge from the sea and source of life in the entire ocean. In the first film it is explained that the Heart of Te Fiti is what allows this god to create life, and implies that someone else could take this green stone and obtain the power of creation. This is precisely what Maui tried to do in moanahoping to gain the favor of mortals, no matter the cost. Of course, it is eventually revealed that removing Te Fiti’s heart results in a plague in the ocean, which slowly makes its way from island to island, undermining the world of life. Te Fiti not only creates life, but maintains it.
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Like the ocean, Te Fiti is Disney’s version of several Polynesian gods. She is a kind of Mother Nature figure who created everything and governs new life and growth. This is similar to the Māori deity Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, who is a partner of the sky god, Ranginui. The island of Te Fiti is believed to be based on those of Tahiti, which includes a variety of barrier islands surrounding a land mass that looks like a sleeping woman. Maui once stole the Heart of Te Fiti in moanaThis god and the island she formed went through significant change, but this is completely unique to Disney history.
3 Te Ka
A demon of earth and fire
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Te Ka and Te Fiti are technically the same god. However, the first is the version of this deity without the Heart of Te Fiti, and its role and appearance are significantly different. Until moanaIn the big twist ending, Te Ka was believed to be a lava monster who wanted to claim the Heart of Maui after its grand theft. Te Ka and Maui immediately clashed, but the lava deity was too much for the demigod to handle. At the end of the 2016 film, Moana attempted to use water against Te Ka, and this was quite effective. However, the real answer to defeating this lava monster came down to Moana’s compassion and wisdom.
The real answer to defeating this lava monster came down to Moana’s compassion and wisdom.
Like the other gods of moanaTe Ka appears to be based on a variety of real-world deities. The most notable would be the goddess Pele, who is the deity of volcanoes and fire and the creator of the earth and islands. moana puts an interesting twist on this legend, creating two identities for this goddess: one for creation and one for destruction. Furthermore, Te Ka and Moana’s confrontation in moana It represents a battle between fire and water, which is a constant feature of many Polynesian legends. Some cultures still believe that this battle of the elements continues, as the islands’ volcanoes erupt and the sea cools the flowing lava.
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2 matangi
A new antagonistic God
Matangi is a new antagonistic force in moana 2. The trailer sees this character emerge in a flurry of bats and threaten Moana and Maui, but little else is known about his character. Matangi clearly has magical influence, and appears in the moana 2 trailer that has the ability to create tornadoes. This implies that she is a god or perhaps a demigod like Maui. Although Matangi has human form, he also appears to have the ability to disappear or transform. Perhaps, like Maui, this moana 2 The character is a shapeshifter with gifts granted by the other gods in the franchise.
moana 2
opens in theaters on November 27, 2024.
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There is no god named Matangi in Polynesian mythology. However, the name appears to be related to the Maori word meaning breeze or wind. This makes sense, considering Matangi’s ability to create tornadoes and turn them into a flurry of bats. This detail is also intriguing since Maui himself is considered the demigod of wind and sea in moana-maybe moana 2 will reveal that this duo of deities share a unique connection. Matangi will not work alone in moana 2 since she is considered a secondary antagonist. The main villain of the Disney sequel will be another deity named Nalo, who likely also shares a connection with Matangi.
1 Nalo
A god of storms and chaos
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Nalo is the main villain of moana 2 and the biggest threat the hero of Motunui is likely to face. He is a storm god, full of envy and rage. Nalo maintains a mysterious island called Motufetu shrouded in bright, menacing storm clouds, with waterspouts and tornadoes stretching to sea and land. Nalo’s anger appears to be responsible for keeping the various peoples of the Pacific apart. To break Nalo’s curse, Moana must travel to the island of Motufetu and set foot on its shores, something that surely won’t be an easy task (even with the help of Maui and a new group of friends).
Nalo is likely based on the Māori god Tāwhirimātea, the wrathful deity who controls the weather. Ironically, Tāwhirimātea is the son of Mother Earth and Father Sky, which could mean that Nalo will share a connection with moanaIt’s Te Fiti. Although not inherently evil, Tāwhirimātea’s bad temper would cause terrible storms, including strong winds, devastating thunder, and endless rain. Some Māori legends indicate that Tāwhirimātea is in a constant state of battle with the town’s god, Tūmatauenga, which could also explain the curse mentioned in the trailer for moana 2.
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Fountain: Cultural Trip
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Moaña (2026) - moana 2
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues Moana’s journey as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
Moaña (2026) 
moana 2