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awkwardblacknerd:

I still think Moana deserved an Oscar for this part

To me, the moral of Moana is that only women can help other women heal from male violence. 

The movie starts with the idea that the male god who wronged Te Fiti must be the one to heal her. This seems to make a certain sort of intuitive sense in that I think we all believe that if you do something wrong you should try to make it right. But how does he try to right it? Through more violence. Of course that failed. 

It was only when another woman, Moana, saw past the “demon of earth and fire” that the traumatized Te Fiti had become (what a good metaphor for trauma, right?) and met her with love instead of violence that she was able to heal. Note that they do the forehead press before Moana restores the heart, while Te Fiti is still Te Kā. Moana doesn’t wait for her beautiful island goddess to appear in all her green splendor before greeting and treating her as someone deserving of love.

Moana is only able to restore the heart because Te Kā reveals her vulnerability and allows Moana to touch her there. Maui and his male violence could only ever have resulted in more ruin.

Also important that it was the GIRL who returned the heart to Te Fiti. She wasn’t a woman. She was a GIRL. The innocence and strength of GIRLS before the world turns them hard and steals their hearts is a power in its own right.

If this is a metaphor for abuse and healing, it’s the woman who gets back in touch with her own youthful power, her potential, her hope, who finds peace and recovery. If we imagine this as Te Ka’s story, it is remembering her youthful strength that returns her heart and lets her become herself again.

I have cried every time I see this scene of the movie (I have a 5 year old sister, I’ve seen Moana dozens of times lol) and I was never really able to articulate why it just gets to me so much and this is exactly why.

another scene that I find super powerful is moanas dad being very against her going to the ocean and really aggressive and authoritive but when her mom catches her leaving she stops dead in her tracks…..then her mom helps her pack her stuff and hugs her goodbye. that scene fucked me up.

This is a theme repeated throughout the entire movie – the strength of women overcoming the violence and fear of men who try to hold them back.

It was Moana’s male ancestors who decided to stop exploring/voyaging, out of fear.

Moana’s father tried to cross the reef, and failed, and lost his best friend – and refused to try again, out of fear.  And refused to let anyone else, including his daughter try – out of fear – even though the island was dying.  To the point of becoming violent towards his own daughter (verbal/non-physical/non-direct violence is just as scary as physical violence.)

Maui refused to try to restore the heart – out of fear.

It is the ocean – female throughout the myths of history – who chooses Moana, presents the heart to her, and helps her.

It is Moana’s grandmother, Gramma Tala, who helps her discover who she is, her people’s past, and gives her the courage to meet her destiny.

It is Moana’s mother, Sina, who helps Moana set out on her journey.

It is Moana who gives Maui the courage and help to not only recover his hook but also to face Te Kā.

It is Gramma Tala, in spirit form, who encourages Moana and helps her regain her strength when she’s lost all of her hope.

And it is Moana who helps Te Kā remember who she is.

This movie is a celebration of women’s strength and resilience and love and healing, and dammit, I’m crying again.