“Disney created a “princess” that could be representative of many different island people. Though they pulled inspiration from a variety of specific cultures, it is not just a Hawaiian story, a Samoan story or a Maori story. It is a Polynesian story that many people can insert themselves into. Moana is all of us.”

“In most social settings I was the Hawaiian girl with the hard-to-pronounce last name, a fish in the water, played volleyball, had thick legs, and loved poi and Spam. But at home with my family I was the haole kid with fair skin and freckles who didn’t speak pidgin…”