Te reo Moana kicks off Māori Language Week in style

In a fitting start to Māori Language Week, the te reo version of Disney's Moana premiered last night.

The animated blockbuster has been re-voiced in the Māori language and will be released in Kiwi cinemas next week. More than 30 cinemas are screening the film free of charge.
It will also be featured on Air New Zealand flights from November.

Pacific dancers welcomed movie-goers to the premiere at Sylvia Park last night.

The original script for Moana was written by Taika Waititi and released in the US in 2016. He, along with his whāngai sister, Tweedie Waititi, of Matewā Media, worked with Disney to dub the movie in te reo. Kiwi cast and crew went to Los Angeles to record the voiceovers.

Jaedyn Randell, 16, from Tokoroa, was cast as the voice behind the young Polynesian princess.

"I learned a lot," she said. "I don't [speak fluent Māori] but I attended kōhanga reo, I've been in bilingual classes and take Māori at high school so the language is something I'm familiar with."

Randell said the film would be a good tool for those practising their reo, and she couldn't wait to see the effect it had.

"I'm very proud to be a part of such a beautiful kaupapa and I'm hoping that this will support the revitalisation of our language."

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell said: "This is a movie that was widely enjoyed by whānau and this version will build on that popularity whilst promoting te reo."