The sea called Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) to save her people in Disney’s 2016 animated filmMoana, an Oscar-nominated hitbased on Polynesian myths. After the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) stole the heart of Te Fiti, a curse began spreading throughout the land, and it finally reached Moana and her people, leading her to seek out Maui to restore Te Fiti’s heart and undo the curse. The movie was a huge success for Disney, racking up millions and millions of streams. Thus, itwas followed by a sequel,Moana 2, in 2024.
Even children’s movies can be surprisingly profound, andMoanais no exception. The film has plenty to say about family, purpose and more, whether in dialogue or through song. And while plenty of characters, including Maui and Moana’s family, have great words of wisdom, some of the film’s best lines come from Moana herself.These are the best quotes inMoana, ranked by their memorability and how important for the overall story they are.
10"There is nowhere you could go that I won’t be with you."
Gramma Tala
Moana shares some final moments with her Gramma Tala (Rachel House) as she lies on her deathbed. Moana doesn’t want to leave Gramma Tala’s side, but the dying woman wisely points out that her spirit will remain with Moana wherever she goes, which gives Moana the motivation she needs to set sail. When she ventures out into the water, her grandmother appears to her as a bioluminescent stingray to help guide her and later appears whenever Moana needs her most.
It’s a sweet moment between grandmother and granddaughter.Gramma Tala’s death is a turning point for Moana—it pushes her to do what she feels she needs to to save her people. Tala reminds Moana that her presence will always be with her, no matter where she goes. It’s not only a comforting thought, but it’s something that’s shown to be true when Gramma Tala appears to Moana later in the movie.Gramma Tala’s death is heartbreaking, a painful reminder of the inevitability of it all.
9"The ocean doesn’t help you; you help yourself!"
While out on the ocean, Moana andthe cocky demigod Mauiare attacked by pirates who also want the heart of Te Fiti. As the two are put in danger, Moana calls upon the ocean to help them, just as it had helped her before—but nothing happens. Maui springs into action, giving Moana orders regarding setting sail, but it becomes obvious she doesn’t actually know how. Maui tells her that if the ocean doesn’t help her, she has to help herself.
It is exactly what Moana needs to hear at that moment—she can’t afford to wait for the ocean to give her what she needs, so she has to take matters into her own hands and save herself. Although the ocean had been helpful before, it didn’t always answer her call, forcing her to learn certain lessons and find her solutions. Maui sets a great example for her as he takes action.
8"I am not a princess. I’m the daughter of the chief."
As Moana and Maui set sail together, she expresses her desire to learn wayfinding, and in response, Maui sarcastically calls her “princess.” She corrects him and says she’s “the daughter of the chief,” which he insists is the same thing. He then calls attention to her dress and animal companion, saying, “If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess,” and insists she will never be a real wayfinder.
It’s a funny moment between them, and it’s wonderfully in character—Maui is disrespectful and dismissive of Moana, especially her desire to become a wayfinder. For her part, she’s headstrong and refuses to tolerate his attitude and defends herself. It’s largelyan argument over semantics and what constitutes a princess, but it’s also a tongue-in-cheek nod tothe idea of the classic Disney princess, who does, in fact, wear dresses and have animal sidekicks.
7"He’s hard on you because…because he was you."
From the time she was a child, Moana was always told not to go out in the ocean beyond the reef. When the curse begins to affect the community’s food supply, she feels it’s their only hope. When her father gets angry over her suggestion, her mother, Sina (Nicole Scherzinger), speaks with her privately, and while Moana believes her father is hard on her because he doesn’t understand her, Sina explains it’s really because they’re more similar than she thinks.
Sina knows better than anyone how similar Moana and her father are, having spent so much time with both of them. She understands that Moana’s father is trying to protect her, not punish her and that he knows firsthand how dangerous the ocean can be. Sina’s comment that he was Moana once is a reminder of the ways parents see themselves in their children and how they sometimes strive to stop history from repeating itself.Dads are a crucial part of Disney’s myth, andMoanafeatures a wonderful take on the complexities of father-daughter dynamics.
6"I have no idea why the ocean chose me. But my island is dying, so I am here."
With the trip off to a rough start, Maui starts to berate Moana over her lack of experience. As their journey progresses, she notices the tattoos covering his back and asks what they mean, a line of questioning he’s bothered by. Maui snaps at her to stop asking. Moana gets frustrated and mentions his previous criticisms of her, and she acknowledges that he’s right, but she’s willing to do anything for her people.
Moana doesn’t need someone else to tell her she doesn’t know what she’s doing—she’s already painfully aware of it. It’s a feeling many are familiar with:we don’t need to be made aware of our flaws because we already know. It’s also a great insight into Moana’s character. The most important thing to her is saving her people, no matter what it takes and what she has to go through to succeed.
5"It’s called wayfinding, princess. It’s not just sails and knots; it’s seeing where you’re going in your mind. Knowing where you are by knowing where you’ve been."
When Moana and Maui first set out together and begin sailing across the open ocean to find Te Fiti, Maui teaches Maona about wayfinding, a type of navigation. As he climbs up the boat’s sail and looks across the horizon, he tells her wayfinding is not “not just sails and knots” but also involves “seeing where you’re going in your mind” and “knowing where you are by knowing where you’ve been.”
Maui explains to Moana that there’s more to wayfinding than it seems. And while what he tells her has a very good practical application when it comes to literally finding your way, Maui’s advice also works on another level—it can also apply to one’s present circumstances in life. We can move forward by looking to the future and visualizing where we want to be, and our past can inform our future.
4"Sometimes, who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, is just not meant to be."
After Moana suggests going beyond the reef to save her people from the curse, her father gets angry, while her mother, Sina, tries to help her see things his way. Sina shares exactly why Moana’s father is so worried about her venturing out into the water, and she has an important piece of advice for Moana about who she wants to be and who she wants to accomplish—she tells her that sometimes, it’s “just not meant to be.”
Moana is motivated by a desire to help her people, but she’s limited in what she can do by their customs and beliefs. It’s an important lesson—sometimes,we’re limited by things beyond our control, and it prevents us from becoming who we want to be or doing what we want to do. It’s important to accept that when necessary or, as Moana does, keep pushing forward and find another way.
3"Sometimes, our strengths lie beneath the surface…far beneath, in some cases."
While making her way through the village, Moana stops to speak with an older man while her pet chicken, Heihei (Alan Tudyk), pecks at and eats a rock. The man points out HeiHei’s intelligence, or lack thereof, noting “he seems to lack the basic intelligence required for pretty much everything” and suggests they cook him instead. Moana argues that in some cases, a person’s—or animal’s—strengths “lie beneath the surface,” sometimes “far beneath.”
Moana’s exchange with the man is a nice momentshowing her efforts to be diplomatic—she listens to her people’s concerns while still defending HeiHei. It’s a funny moment, but there’s also more to it. Her quote suggests thatone shouldn’t judge others based on superficial factors. Indeed, sometimes, someone’s greatest strengths may not be obvious and are lurking under the surface, waiting for the right moment to be used, noticed and appreciated.
2"The call isn’t out there at all; it’s inside me."
Just as Moana is about to put her oar in the water, she hesitates, leading to a visit from Gramma Tala’s spirit, who, through song, reminds her of her strengths and who she really is. Gramma Tala’s song is the encouragement the young adventurer needs, and as Moana joins her in singing, she’s visited by more ancestors. She then dives into the ocean to retrieve the heart of Te Fiti so she can finish her quest.
Throughout the film, Moana insists the ocean is calling her. After sharing a moment with Gramma Tala and regaining her confidence, she realizes she wasn’t called by the sea after all, but the motivation was always within her. Sharing a great moment with the spirit of her ancestors,Moana remembers who she is and why she set sail to begin with. It also marks a turning point forher classic hero’s journey, allowing her to go into the third act with renewed energy.
1"They have stolen the heart from inside you. But this does not define you. This is not who you are. You know who you are…who you truly are."
When Maui and Moana finally succeed in finding Te Fiti, they are met with an angry being made of rock and lava. Moana parts the ocean to get to her, and Te Fiti rushes towards her, as Moana walks calmly to her, completely fearless. Moana begins to sing, telling Te Fiti, “This does not define you. This is not who you are,” and the two share a tender moment before Moana returns her heart.
Moana shows compassion for the goddess, recognizing how damaged and enraged Te Fiti has become without her heart. Thus, Moana uses this understanding to calm Te Fiti to both restore her heart and right some of the wrongs done to her. Moana also recognizes thatTe Fiti is not defined by the loss of her heart or who she became afterward; an important lesson to remember—no one is defined by the things that caused them pain and how they reacted.
NEXT:10 Movies To Watch If You Love ‘Moana’
