Aotearoa’s Film Industry Comes Together for Historic Reo Māori Premiere

The film industry in Aotearoa has come together to create a momentous occasion with the simultaneous premiere of Moana 2 and its reo Māori version, Moana 2: Te Kāhika. The event was attended by the cast, crew, and notable figures from iwi Māori, who shared their vision for inspiring rangatahi to dream big.

The Cast’s Collective Vision

Jaedyn Randell said she hoped the film showed tamariki Māori “how cool they are, how cool te reo Māori is, [and] how cool being Māori is.” She encouraged young girls especially to chase their dreams. “No dream is too big. No dream is too crazy. If you work hard enough… you’ll realise what you’re capable of.”

Temuera Morrison urged rangatahi to “get on our waka” and pursue their aspirations. “Paddle our waka towards those goals, those desires, those careers… Moana’s doing it. She’s breaking the boundaries, being tenacious, being bold. That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Telling Their Own Stories

Music co-director and music translator Pere Wihongi (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Wai) said that the release of the reo Māori version should be seen as a standard, not a special achievement. “This is the bare minimum of what needs to happen when people are including our stories, when people are including our language.”

Moana 2: Te Kāhika’s Cast and Crew

The cast and crew shared a collective vision to inspire the next generation to dream big, embrace their reo, and see limitless possibilities for their futures. The film’s premiere was attended by prominent figures from iwi Māori, who acknowledged the importance of representing te reo in mainstream media.

Jaedyn Randell: “We want [tamariki] to whakamāori the world. If it’s not in Māori, then translate it. If it’s not in Māori, reimagine it.”

Tweedie Waititi: Moana 2 and its reo Māori counterpart aim to break boundaries by incorporating te reo into everyday life for young people.

The Future of Reo Māori

Music co-director Pere Wihongi hoped that rangatahi watching the film felt empowered to tell their own stories. “Our job isn’t to say, here, this is the standard, now get there. It’s almost like this is actually your floor.”

Moana 2: Te Kāhika and Moana 2 reo Māori Open Nationally

The films open nationally in Aotearoa cinemas from November 28.

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