Every God & Demigod In The Moana Movies

Gods and demigods are important to the story of Moana, and this continues into Moana 2. The 2024 sequel to the 2016 Disney movie returns to the hero of Motunui three years after her journey across the ocean and sees her adventures continue as she voyages across the Pacific. This ancient watery world is ruled by various deities and their underlings, plagued by monsters and hidden realms for Moana to explore. While Disney has taken creative liberties and made various additions, many of the gods and demigods mentioned in Moana and Moana 2 find their roots in Polynesian myths, history, and culture (via Culture Trip).

The first Moana movie sees the hero Moana set out from her home to find the demigod Maui and take him across the ocean to restore the heart of Te Fiti. This demigod and the island god whom he stole from are the most noteworthy deities of this film, along with the general spirit of the Ocean, which would be considered a god as well. Now, Moana 2 takes this further, exploring other gods and spirits, both good and bad, whose temperaments impact the people of the Pacific Ocean’s various islands—so who are they all, where do they come from, and what do they do?

6 Maui

The Demigod Of The Wind & Sea

Perhaps the most noteworthy deity of Moana and Moana 2 is Maui, the demigod of the wind and sea. The 2016 movie outlines how Maui desired to grant mortals the opportunity to create life itself, so he stole the Heart of Te Fiti and was banished to a deserted island for a thousand years. Of course, this is far from the beginning of Maui’s story. It’s ultimately revealed that he had been born to mortals but that his family had thrown him away to the ocean, where he was claimed by the gods of the sea and turned into a shapeshifting demigod thanks to his magical fishhook.

Maui is a real demigod of Polynesian cosmogony. He is known to be a heroic trickster responsible for creating many natural features of the land and sea (similar to how Maui described his exploits in the song “You’re Welcome”). Though his adventures with Moana are the invention of Disney, Maui’s personality in Moana aligns well with how he is often depicted in Polynesian stories. Maui’s origin story is similar also since the most common tale of his birth and ascention to demigod status revolves around his being tossed into the ocean by his mother following a premature birth.

5 The Ocean

The Spirit Of The Sea

Though never officially called a god in Moana, it’s clear that the Ocean has a mind of its own in this story. Throughout Moana’s journey, the water had its own way of communicating with the hero of Motunui, and it specifically selected her after she helped a baby sea turtle find its way across the beach. Not only does the Ocean apparently hand-pick heroes, but it also has a sense of humor of its own. It’s playful and energetic, even demonstrating sassiness at points throughout Moana. The Ocean never speaks a word, but this mysterious deity is still a character in its own right.

There are several ocean gods in Polynesian mythology, recognized by different individual cultures. Tangaroa is the Maori god of the ocean, which is responsible for protecting sea life. This is more or less the role of the Hawaiian Kanaloa and the Samoan Tagaloa. Tahitian mythology recognizes Ta’aroa as the god of the ocean, as well as the creator of all things. Moana seems to have combined all these deities for its version of the Ocean god, though creating a clear differentiation between the god of the Ocean and the creator in Moana, Te Fiti. Regardless, it’s clear these two deities work in tandem in Moana.

4 Te Fiti

The Mother Island

Te Fiti is the mother island in Moana—the very first to emerge from the sea and the source of life across the whole ocean. It’s explained in the first movie that the Heart of Te Fiti is what allows this god to create life, and it implies that someone else could take this green stone and gain the power of creation themselves. This is precisely what Maui tried to do in Moana, hoping to gain the favor of the mortals, regardless of the cost. Of course, it’s ultimately revealed that removing Te Fiti’s heart results in a plague on the ocean, which slowly creeps its way from island to island, sapping the world of life. Not only does Te Fiti create life, but she maintains it.

Like the ocean, Te Fiti is Disney’s version of several Polynesian gods. She is a sort of Mother Nature figure who created everything and governs new life and growth. This is similar to the Maori deity Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, who is partners with the god of the sky, Ranginui. It’s believed that the island of Te Fiti is based on those of Tahiti, which includes a variety of barrier islands surrounding a mass of land that looks like a sleeping woman. Once Maui stole the Heart of Te Fiti in Moana, this god and the island she made up went through a significant change, but this is entirely unique to Disney’s story.

3 Te Ka

A Demon Of Earth & Fire

Te Ka and Te Fiti are technically the same god. However, the former is the version of this deity without the Heart of Te Fiti, and her role and appearance are significantly different. Until Moana‘s final big twist, it was believed that Te Ka was a lava monster who wanted to claim the Heart from Maui following his big theft. Te Ka and Maui immediately faced off, but the lava deity was too much for the demigod to handle. At the end of the 2016 movie, Moana attempted to use water against Te Ka, and this was fairly effective. However, the true answer to beating this lava monster came down to Moana’s own compassion and wisdom.

Like the other gods of Moana, Te Ka seems to be based on a variety of real-world deities. The most notable would be the goddess Pele, who is the deity of volcanoes and fire and the creator of earth and islands. Moana puts an interesting twist on this legend, creating two identities for this goddess—one for creation and one for destruction. Additionally, Te Ka and Moana’s showdown in Moana represents a battle between fire and water, which is a constant feature of many Polynesian legends. Some cultures still believe that this battle of the elements is ongoing, as island volcanoes erupt and the flowing lava is cooled by the sea.

2 Matangi

A New Antagonistic God

Matangi is a new antagonistic force in Moana 2. The trailer sees this character emerge in a flurry of bats and threaten Moana and Maui, but little else is known regarding her character. Matangi clearly has magical influence, and it appears in the Moana 2 trailer that she has the ability to create tornados. This implies that she is a god or perhaps a demigod like Maui. Though Matangi has a human form, it also seems that she has the ability to disappear or transform. Perhaps, like Maui, this Moana 2 character is a shapeshifter with gifts granted by the other gods of the franchise.

There is no god called Matangi in Polynesian mythology. However, the name seems to relate to the Maori word for breeze or wind. This makes sense, considering Matangi’s ability to create tornados and turn them into a flurry of bats. This detail is also intriguing since Maui himself is considered the demigod of the wind and sea in Moana—perhaps Moana 2 will reveal that this deity-duo shares a unique connection. Matangi won’t be working alone in Moana 2 since she is considered a secondary antagonist. The primary villain of the Disney sequel will be another deity called Nalo, who also likely shares a connection with Matangi.

1 Nalo

A God Of Storms & Chaos

Nalo is the primary villain of Moana 2 and the greatest threat that the hero of Motunui will likely ever face. He is a storm god, full of envy and rage. Nalo keeps a mysterious island called Motufetu shrouded in glowing, menacing storm clouds, with water spouts and tornados stretching down to the sea and earth. Nalo’s rage seems to be responsible for keeping the various people of the Pacific separated. To break Nalo’s curse, Moana must travel to the island of Motufetu and set foot on its shore—something that will surely be no easy task (even with the help of Maui and a new crew of friends).

Nalo is likely based on the Maori god Tāwhirimātea, the wrathful deity who controls the weather. Ironically, Tāwhirimātea is the son of the Earth Mother and Sky Father, which could mean that Nalo will share a connection with Moana‘s Te Fiti. Though not inherently bad, Tāwhirimātea’s hot temper would result in terrible storms, including high winds, devastating thunder, and unending rain. Some Maori legends indicate that Tāwhirimātea is in a constant state of battle with the god of the people, Tūmatauenga, which could also explain the curse mentioned in the trailer for Moana 2.

Source: Culture Trip

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  Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.