As Moana goes on a journey to answer the call of her ancestors, her story is lowkey relatable to that of many young people navigating their adult era.
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Spoilers for Moana 2 below.
The last time we met Moana, the young Polynesian heroine saved her island from an ecological disaster and reminded viewers of the importance of our connection with nature. But now that she’s older, Moana finds herself taking on even bigger responsibilities, and it so happens that the weight of her people’s survival falls on her shoulders again. In Moana 2, we find the young Wayfinder on a search for different communities outside of her island. This search leads her to answer a call from her ancestors as she embarks on a new journey to reconnect the ocean or else her people will be forgotten from history.
TBH, that’s a lot to deal with for a young woman (though she is joined once more by the demigod Maui and a new set of companions), yet, her story is not unlike what many young people go through when they get of age and enter their adulting era (minus the ocean mysticism, of course). As you get older, it’s expected that you have to take on more responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean it’s the easiest transition to deal with.
The briskly paced and visually stunning sequel reminds us of the pressures young people face when it comes to the responsibilities the world (whether unfairly or not) puts on them, but also, that, despite how tough the road can get, it is possible to get through it. Here are some of the life lessons we took from the sequel.
THERE’S ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY TO GET TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO
We often find ourselves thinking that the only way to do something is to follow a set path. Yet, life is not always a straight road. There will be twists and turns, but you’ll still find yourself where you need to be at the end of the journey. That’s a lesson Moana learned on her mission to find the island that connects the ocean.
An encounter with Matangi and her succeeding number Get Lost (one of the best in the movie) shows Moana that sometimes, you need to get lost to find your way. So, don’t be so rigid in your adulting era. Explore and give yourself the grace to “get lost” and take detours off the beaten path.
DON’T DO EVERYTHING BY YOURSELF
While you are the main character of your story, that doesn’t mean it’s supposed to be a one-man job. Yes, young adulthood is stressful, but who says you need to do all that alone? As Moana embarks on her quest, she is joined by a new crew: Loto, Kele, and Moni. At first, Moana has to carry her team since they constantly argue and can’t work together. But eventually, they found their synergy and did what they needed to do as a team. Adulting often means taking on more responsibilities, but it’s not your burden to carry alone. Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself. There will always be people who will gladly lend you a hand.
IT’S OK TO FEEL YOUR FEELS
Something they don’t teach you in school is just how overwhelming being in your adulting era can be. It’s pressure on top of stress on top of responsibilities. And while most of us will not have to deal with the burden of having to save the future of our community, young adulthood can still feel like a spiral at times. But guess what? There’s no need to hide all that frustration inside of you.
During a pivotal scene in the final act, Maui comes to comfort Moana, who admits that the challenges of the quest have been taking a toll on her. But after a rousing song and dance number, Moana finds her groove, and so does the rest of her team. If Moana can feel her feels, so can you, because you can only healthily process how you’re feeling when you acknowledge what you’re going through.
YOU CHART YOUR OWN PATH
Anyone can tell you how scary it is not knowing where your path leads as a young adult. With so many unknowns and questions out there, it can be almost paralyzing to take your next steps in this new chapter, and it isn’t helped by having dozens of voices in your ear telling you what to do. But regardless of what the people around you say, this journey is yours and only yours to take.
While Moana’s adventure was technically a continuation of what her ancestors tried to do before, she found her own way to do it. As a Wayfinder, Moana trusted herself to find her way to where she needed to go, even if there was no established path for her to follow. Young adulthood can really try it sometimes, but, at the end of the day, you chart your own path. This is your life, after all.
YOU’LL MEET ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE
For most of her life, Moana has only known the people of her island. But in the sequel, her perspective is widened as she meets people from all walks of life, some of whom she learned to trust after initial misunderstandings. Her adventure opened Moana to different viewpoints, and in a similar vein, young adulthood will also expose you to a wider world with different individuals, ideas, and opinions. This new chapter is about meeting new people and having new experiences, and instead of running away from that, this is your opportunity to learn and grow from others, much in the same way Moana did.
Photos courtesy of Disney.
Moana 2 is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
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