An extract from Witi Ihimaera’s new book Navigating the Stars: Māori creation myths. This is an abridged passage of a deeply empathetic section analysing the life story of Hine-nui-te-pō, who crushed Māui to death with her vulva. At the end of the book, Ihimaera argues that Hine-nui-te-pō should be instated to her “rightful place among … Read more
With the debut of Disney’s Moana in the Hawaiian language, Simon Perris looks at at pan-Pacific representations of Maui, and the atua wahine Disney conveniently ignored. I’m guessing Hawaiian Disney superfans are pretty excited about the ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi version of Moana, hot on the heels of last year’s reo Māori version. Moana and the demigod … Read more
Disney’s Moana has been a smash hit in New Zealand. Children everywhere want to dress up as characters from the movie. So how do you let your child dress up as Maui without appropriating Pasifika culture? It’s easy – Emmaline Matagi, an indigenous Fijian born in Fiji, tells you how. These holidays, Disney’s Moana graced the big screens … Read more
Community worker Ngaiterangi Smallman argues that the Moana movie is an opportunity Pacific communities should be grasping with both hands. First published on September 28, 2016. Two years ago I visited a Kohanga Reo (Māori-language preschool) in Tāmaki (Auckland) and enjoyed time with the mokopuna and teachers. The whanau had decorated the walls with cut … Read more
In September Disney once again came under fire for cultural appropriation, this time for the release of their Maui costume for kids. Madeleine Chapman explains why the costume might not be so bad. First published September 20, 2016. Update: Shortly after the publication of this article, Disney announced it was withdrawing the Maui costume from … Read more
Disney have once again come under fire for cultural appropriation, this time for the release of their Maui costume for kids. Madeleine Chapman explains why it might not be so bad. Mulan is my favourite movie. Not my favourite Disney movie or even my favourite children’s movie. Mulan is my favourite movie, period. I’ve seen … Read more
A tribute to the great illustrator Peter Gossage by whanau member and author Paula Morris. Peter Gossage died last weekend. He was not quite 70 years old, but he’d been ill for a long time. I last saw him in late May, at my cousin Tilly’s tangi up at Omaha marae; he was frail, wrapped in … Read more