THE MYSTERIOUS WAYS OF LIFE: THE STORY OF MOANA AND MAUI AS A CASE STUDY
By Ubong Ikon
INTRODUCTION
People are beginning to understand that life is mysterious, and that it is always better to trail the path of doing good. The story of Moana and Maui, is a clear philosophical indication, that life is indeed mysterious. The road to living a good and appreciable life is narrow, compared to the broadway to the path of total destruction.
Moana, is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated musical adventure film, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.
The film tells the story of Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who was chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess. When blight strikes her island, Moana sets to sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, in the hope of returning the heart of Te Fiti and saving her people.
THE STORY
Once upon the time, on the Polynesian island of Motunui, the inhabitants worship the goddess, Te Fiti, who brought life to the ocean, using a pounamu stone as her heart and the source of her power. Maui, the shape-shifting demigod and master of sailing, steals the heart to give humanity the power of creation. However, Te Fiti disintegrates, and Maui was attacked by Te Kā, a volcanic demon, losing both his magical giant fishhook and the heart to the depths.
A millennium later, Moana, daughter of Motunui's chief Tui, was chosen by the ocean to return the heart to Te Fiti. However, Tui arrives and takes Moana away, causing her to lose the heart. Tui and Moana's mother Sina tried keeping her away from the ocean, preparing her for ascension as the island's chief. Years later, blight strikes the island, rotting the coconuts and dwindling the number of fishes caught. Moana suggested that she was going beyond the island's reef to find more fish, but Tui forbids it. Moana tries conquering the reef but she was overpowered by the tides and shipwrecked back on Motunui.
Moana's grandmother Tala showed her a secret cave, where a number of ships are hidden, revealing to Moana that their people used to be voyagers. Tala explains that they stopped when Maui stole Te Fiti's heart and that Te Kā's darkness is poisoning the island, but it could be cured if Moana could finds Maui and makes him restore the heart of Te Fiti, which she gave to Moana. Tala fell ill shortly after and died.
Moana sets to sail on a camakau found in the cavern. She was caught in a typhoon and shipwrecked on an island where she finds the stranded Maui, who traps her and stole the camakau, but Moana catches up to him with help from the ocean. She demanded that Maui returned the heart but he refused. Maui was accompanied by a sentient "Mini-Maui" tattoo, acting as his conscience.
They were attacked by Kakamora — coconut-armored pirates — who seeks the heart, but Moana and Maui outwit them. Moana realized that Maui was no longer a hero, and convinced him to redeem himself by returning the heart. Maui first needed to obtain his magical fishhook, which was located in Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters, and was in the possession of Tamatoa, a giant, greedy coconut crab. Maui retrieved his fishhook while Moana distracted Tamatoa, but Maui discovered that he could not control his shape-shifting and loses self-confidence, quickly became overpowered by Tamatoa. Moana's quick thinking allowed them to escape with the hook. Maui revealed that his first tattoo was earned when his mortal parents rejected him. After reassurance from Moana, Maui taught her the art of sailing and regained control of his powers.
The two arrived at Te Fiti's island, only to be attacked by Te Kā, who badly damaged Maui's fishhook. Fearful he would lose his hook, and therefore his power, Maui angrily abandoned Moana, who tearfully asks the ocean to find someone else to restore the heart. The ocean obliged and took the heart from Moana. Tala's spirit appeared, inspiring Moana to find her true calling. She retrieved the heart and sailed back to confront Te Kā. Maui returned, having had a change of heart, and buys Moana time to reach Te Fiti by fighting Te Kā, destroying his fishhook in the process. Moana discovered Te Fiti was missing, and realized that Te Kā was Te Fiti without her heart. Moana told the ocean to clear a path, allowing her to restore Te Fiti's heart, transforming her back to normal. Te Fiti then healed the ocean and islands of the blight. Maui apologized to Te Fiti, who restored his fishhook and fell into a deep sleep.
Moana bids farewell to Maui, returned home where she re-united with her parents. She took up her role as chief and way-finder, leading her people on a voyage.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion therefore, it is indeed true that life is mysterious. It was very easy for Mui to have stolen the heart of Te Fiti, but returning it back was not such an easy task. This story is a clear example of how life is, and supposed to be. It is easy to commit any kind of sin, which may be in the form of killing, stealing, lying or even sexual immorality, but it takes such a hard work, strong courage and determination to deviate from it.
From this wonderful story of Moana, narrated above, it is crystal clear that there are obviously two ways to life, to which we can either chose to live a good and appreciable life, or follow the broadway to the path of total destruction. Choose wisely!
Thank you all.