‘Moana 2’s “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” Has Deep Cultural Significance

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As someone who grew up immersed in the vibrant Pacific Islander culture and traditions, I can wholeheartedly say that Moana 2 is not just another Disney sequel – it’s a beautiful celebration of our heritage. The inclusion of the phrase “Chee Hoo!” as a central theme in one of its catchiest songs, “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?”, resonates deeply with me and many others in our community.

Prepare to have kids worldwide shouting “chee hoo!” upon viewing Moana 2. One of the sequel’s most catchy tunes, sung by the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson)), isn’t just Disney’s next anticipated tune that will stick in your head – it’s also a culturally relevant battle cry with a deeper significance than one might initially perceive.

In a recent chat with the LA Times, some of the film’s creators discussed the significance, influence, and importance of incorporating Maui’s frequently used phrase into a new tune. The term “Chee hoo” is widely recognized in Pacific Islander culture, and transforming it into a kind of guiding philosophy, similar to “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King, for Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), required careful consideration from the movie’s songwriters, Opetaia Foa‘i, Mark Mancina, Abigail Barlow, and Emily Bear.

Combining Cultural Significance and Fun To Create “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?”

Mancina, who has contributed to projects like “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?”, “Hakuna Matata”, and the music from the original Moana movie with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Foa’i, stated that they aimed to ensure their work was neither overly absurd nor lacking in fun.

“Everything we were creating either seemed too cheesy or overly abstract, or it sounded like a poorly imitated motivational speech from YouTube videos. We wanted to maintain a cool vibe, avoid awkwardness, and stay true to this character and his bond with Moana.

Through this tune, Bear conveyed that Maui was essentially saying to Moana, “Don’t keep questioning your abilities, for the adversary you face doesn’t harbor doubts about you. He wouldn’t bother attempting to thwart you if they didn’t believe you had the power to overcome him.

Additionally, Bear shared, “When I’m at my lowest and I feel like no words can lift me up, I don’t need a motivational talk, I need a dose of raw truth.” And what’s more authentic than a fa’aumu— an emotional outpouring deeply valued in Samoan culture and across many Pacific Island communities?

According to Grant Muagututi’a, a Samoan linguist and dialect coach involved in the film, the most frequent modern application of this gesture is to express support during unique events such as performances, sports games, weddings, or funerals. The way it’s depicted in the movie mirrors its real-life usage. Essentially, it symbolizes an emotional display of one’s feelings, much like your heart speaking.

A significant number of contributors to the movie hail from Samoan or Pacific Islander backgrounds. The project’s authenticity was crucial for everyone involved, especially for two out of its three directors, David Derrick Jr. and Dana Ledoux Miller, who are themselves of Samoan ancestry. Derrick, Miller, and their co-director Jason Hand collaborated with the Oceanic Cultural Trust, a team of 13 specialists, to maintain accuracy in the film’s historical, linguistic, and cultural portrayals.

Miller emphasized that he approached this project with great importance and had numerous discussions about it, primarily to ensure it would bring joy and be used positively. Recognizing its significance to many, he wanted to avoid any potential misuse. Being part of this collaboration was thrilling, as they were able to maintain a thoughtful approach throughout the process and create something delightful. He expressed a sense of pride in the attention given to every detail during this project.

As a movie buff, I must clarify that just because it’s traditionally a male dance doesn’t mean they didn’t modernize aspects of it. For instance, in the enchanting film Moana, she performs a fire-knife dance during a song, which is usually a male dance called a siva afi. As animation reference choreographer Tiana Nonosina Liufau pointed out, “It’s typically a performance reserved for men.” However, the animators meticulously studied and replicated her movements from real life in the movie.

She put it into words like this: “I truly felt incredibly powerful while performing the action,” she shared. “Considering Moana in her current state, who might be feeling low, and given that such actions aren’t often depicted among women, I believe she ends up feeling very empowered after singing the song.

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2024-11-27 21:04