Dwayne Johnson honours grandfather's legacy, Polynesian roots at 'Moana' launch in Hawaii
Los Angeles, June 18
Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson, who is also famously known as The Rock, launched the tour for his upcoming movie "Moana" in Hawaii alongside original Moana voice actor Auliʻi Cravalho and new live-action star Catherine Laga'aia, celebrating the film's enduring legacy and deep Polynesian roots.
Johnson shared a video featuring Cravalho and Laga'aia speaking to his fans from the Moana World Tour.
He captioned the clip on Instagram: "Kicking off our Moana World Tour, here in Hawaii with the OG Moana @auliicravalho and our NEW G Moana @catherinelagaaia Beautiful aloha spirit and mana in the air. You can definitely feel it."
"Very cool way to kick off our world tour! Can't wait for you to see our movie and experience our Polynesian culture!! CHEEEHOOO!! ~ Maui MOANA. Only in theaters JULY 10th."
Dwayne first introduced Auliʻi Cravalho, whom he tagged as the "OG Moana".
Auliʻi Cravalho said that she has been grateful to play this character for over a decade, and our Moana and the Moana universe has also grown.
She added: "I'm so grateful that you all are here. Without you, there would be no Moana. And Catherine, I now get a sister. I'm an only child in real life, and I've always wanted someone to know what it feels like to have a legacy character. You know, we're so young, and yet, the waves of impact that Moana leaves is just rippling worldwide."
Johnson then introduced Laga'aia.
Laga'aia said: "I think this legacy extends so much further than Moana. Kind of like Tiana said, we're celebrating who we are, where we come from, and how important it is that we are here, and we stay here. Getting to celebrate that in this moment, and we continue to celebrate that with the legacy that we're building with Moana."
Talking about the cultural impact of Moana, Johnson spoke about the aloha spirit, the importance of representation, and how Maui was inspired by his late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia.
"I just want to say, as you guys know, you know, we love movies, and we love not only making movies, but enjoying movies, and watching movies, and experiencing movies. Well, you guys watched a movie last night, right? What'd you think? So that was so gratifying for us, to know that you guys watched a movie, and you loved it."
"And what we're all experiencing here is culture. Everything that's done, danced, sang, all comes from the heart, and we have a word here in our Polynesian culture. The moment you step off the plane, like the aloha spirit hits you, everything is going to be okay. Like all the stuff you were worrying about, you maybe worry about a little less."
Calling the moment a special celebration of heritage, family, and storytelling, the actor said he can't wait for audiences to experience the film and the richness of Polynesian culture.
The star added: "The character of Maui was inspired by my grandfather, the great high chief Peter Maivia, who, we lived here in Hawaii, and he passed away here in Hawaii. He's buried here in Hawaii at Diamond Head, and his charisma, his charm, his voice, his toughness, his hair, beautiful hair by the way, just like Maui. Thank you for clapping. The bald guy's clapping.
"That was my grandfather. What an honor it is for me to embody his spirit. We're going to end this with something that Maui has. He says many times, and it's chihu. So I'm going to say chihu. My partners here are going to say Cheehoo...."
"...Cheehoo is part of our culture, but the key with saying Cheehoo is you got to say it from here."
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who grew up watching Bollywood and now Hollywood, this representation matters so much! The way Auliʻi Cravalho spoke about handing over the legacy to Catherine Laga'aia is so touching. In India too, we see passing the torch in our film families. But what really got me was Johnson saying "Cheehoo" must come from the heart - such beautiful emotion! 😊
While I appreciate the cultural celebration, I wish Hollywood would also give more opportunities to actors from smaller Polynesian communities rather than just casting the biggest stars. That said, Dwayne's connection to his grandfather is genuinely moving. The aloha spirit concept is beautiful - we could use that in today's world!
This made me tear up a little! 🥹 The way Dwayne Johnson talks about his grandfather being buried at Diamond Head, and how his charisma and hair inspired Maui... It's like how we Indians tell stories about our ancestors at family gatherings. Culture is what connects us all, whether it's Polynesian or Indian. Rooting for this film! 🌊
I respect Dwayne Johnson for using his platform to shine a light on Polynesian culture. In India, we often complain about cultural appropriation, but this feels like genuine celebration and respect. The way he explains aloha spirit - "everything is going to be okay" - that's exactly what our gurus teach. Can't wait to see Moana! 🎬
S Sneha F The way Auli We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.