'Moana' Will Be Translated for a Tahitian Language Version
By Nick Schager, Yahoo Movies
When Moana sails into theaters next month, it’ll shine a spotlight on the breathtaking lands and vibrant culture of the South Pacific. And now, in a first for a major motion picture, natives of that region will be able to see the film in their own language.
Related: New ‘Moana’ Clip: Dwayne Johnson Croons a Lin-Manuel Miranda Tune
As reported by EW.com, Disney is casting voice actors to help translate Moana into the Tahitian language. Announced at a press conference in Papeete, Tahiti, by producer Osnat Shurer and story consultant Hinano Murphy (whom EW describes as “founder/director of the Te Pu Atiti’a Center and a key individual leading the translation with Disney”), the move continues Disney’s efforts to make Moana both culturally accurate and respectful. As Murphy said about the project:
“Native languages, like Tahitian, are being lost; it is important to find new ways to excite the communities, elders, young adults, and children here [in Tahiti] about our language. Hopefully, this will also inspire other Polynesian islanders to find innovative ways to teach their languages. We hope this version will be used as a teaching tool for many decades into the future.”
Related: She’s No Princess: How ‘Moana’ Continues the Evolution of Disney’s Animated Heroines
Earlier this year, Disney had Finding Nemo and Star Wars: The Force Awakens translated into Navajo. Clearly, the studio is making an effort to ensure that no fan is left out in the cold when it comes to enjoying their blockbusters. And their efforts suggest that, hopefully, this trend will only increase in the coming years.
Moana, featuring the voices of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, newcomer Auli’I Cravalho, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Jemaine Clement, and Alan Tudyk, debuts in theaters on Nov. 23.
‘Moana’: Watch a trailer:
