Moana (I) (2016)

Rachel House: Gramma Tala

Photos 

Quotes 

• [after Moana attempts to sail a boat for the first time and crashes it] 

  Moana : Are you gonna tell Dad?

  Gramma Tala : I'm his mom. I don't have to tell him anything.

• [first lines] 

  Gramma Tala : In the beginning there was only ocean until the Mother Island emerged. Te Fiti. Her heart held the greatest power ever known. It could create life itself. And Te Fiti shared it with the world. But in time, some began to seek Te Fiti's heart. They believed if they could possess it, the great power of creation would be theirs. And one day, the most daring of them all voyaged across the vast ocean to take it. He was a demi-god of the wind and sea. He was a warrior. A trickster. A shapeshifter who could change form with the power of his magical fishhook. And his name was Maui.

  [Maui takes the Heart of Te Fiti, causing the island to crumble as he runs away] 

  Gramma Tala : But without her heart, Te Fiti began to crumble, giving birth to a terrible darkness.

  [Maui jumps off a cliff and shapeshifts into a hawk, flying back to his boat] 

  Gramma Tala : Maui tried to escape but was confronted by another who sought the Heart. Te Ka! A demon of earth and fire. Maui was struck from the sky, never to be seen again. And his magical fishhook and the Heart of Te Fiti were lost to the sea. Where, even now, a thousand years later, Te Ka and the demons of the deep still hunt for the Heart. Hiding in a darkness that will continue to spread, chasing away our fish, draining the life from island after island until every one of us is devoured by the bloodthirsty jaws of inescapable death!

  [one child screams in fear while another faints as Moana claps] 

  Gramma Tala : But one day, the Heart will be found by someone who will journey beyond our reef, find Maui, deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Fiti's Heart and save us all.

• Moana : If there's something you want to tell me, just tell me! Is there something you want to tell me?

  [Gramma Tala looks back at Moana, smirking] 

  Gramma Tala : Is there something you want to hear?

• Gramma Tala : [to Moana]  Whatever just happened... blame it on the pig.

• Gramma Tala : When I die, I'm going to come back as one of these.

  [Manta Rays are dancing around her as she dances with the water] 

  Gramma Tala : Or I chose the wrong tattoo!

  [a manta ray tattoo is on her back] 

  Moana : Why are you acting *weird*?

  Gramma Tala : I'm the village crazy lady. That's my job.

• Gramma Tala : There is nowhere you could go that I won't be with you.

• Moana : I tried Gramma... I-I couldn't do it.

  Gramma Tala : It's not your fault. I never should have put so much on your shoulders. If you are ready to go home... I will be with you.

  [as Moana prepares to row back home, she stops] 

  Gramma Tala : Why do you hesitate?

  Moana : I don't know.

• Moana : [Moana has just discovered that she was descended from voyagers; she runs out of the cave, screaming excitedly]  We were voyagers! We were voyagers! We were voyagers!

  [sits down besides Tala; calmly] 

  Moana : Why did we stop.

  Gramma Tala : *Maui.* When Maui stole from the mother island, darkness fell, Te Ka awoke, Monsters lurked, fishing boats stopped coming back. To protect our people, the ancient chiefs buried our past to be forgotten. Years have past and we have forgotten who we are. And now, the darkness has spread, taking our fish, draining life from island... after island!

  [Tala points a place on the island where there is a large patch of dead vegetation; Moana gasps] 

  Moana : [realizing]  *Our* island!

  Gramma Tala : [optimistically]  But one day, someone will leave our island, journey across the ocean, find Maui...

  [Tala opens her abalone locket and placing a jade green stone in Moana's hand; the Heart of Te Fiti] 

  Gramma Tala : ...And restore the Heart of Te Fiti! I was there that day... the Ocean had chosen you.

  [Before their eyes, the ocean becomes animated and stretches over to look at the two women as music plays in the background] 

• Gramma Tala : [singing]  I like to dance with the water. The undertow on the waves. The water is mischievous.

  [Splashes Moana] 

  Gramma Tala : Ha! I like how it misbehaves!