In New Zealand, ‘Moana’ is translated into Māori and it sold out in 30 minutes
“Moana” introduced the world to the story of a Polynesian princess and for many and new culture and mythologies surrounding that culture.
For the Maori, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, hearing a movie in their language, which contains references to their cultures, is not something the normally takes place.
But at the end of New Zealand’s annual Maori language week, “Moana” was screened for free at 30 theaters around New Zealand in the Maori language, or “te reo Māori, according to the New York Times. It took about 30 minutes for all the tickets to be sold out for a movie that did not have any English subtitles.
Taika Waititi, a New Zealand writer and director who worked on “Moana” expressed a an interest in creating a Māori language version of the film.
Below is what it sounds like in “te reo Māori.
