Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 6, 1 June 2018 — Hawaiian language 'Moana' premieres June 10 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian language 'Moana' premieres June 10

By Ka Wai OlaStaff Disney's first Polynesian princess will speak 'ōlelo Hawai'i when a Hawaiian language version of "Moana" premieres on World Oceans Day. Auli'i Cravalho, who was

a freshman at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama when she was cast as the titular character, will reprise the lead role as Moana. Wai'anae's Nieole Scherzinger also returns to voice Sina. University of Hawai'i Mānoa student Christopher Kaipulaumakaniolono "Kaipu" Baker steps into the role of Maui. "I can't wait for everyone to experience this beloved movie in 'ōlelo Hawai'i, giving us all the opportunity to watch something that we already know and love in a language that is so special to us," said Scherzinger in a UH release in April. The University of Hawai'i's Academy for

Creative Media System announced plans for an 'ōlelo Hawai'i version of "Moana" in November. The redubbed hlm will be used as a Hawaiian language educational tool, but creating it with professionals from Disney Animahon has already provided valuable experience to those involved. The University of Hawai'i's updates on the project included Baker's perspective on the experience: "Just the level of technology and the professionalism that everybody had throughout the project made it feel that we were making a very strong and concerted effort to really put forth the best project for our people."

Baker also pointed out that education will help Native Hawaiians f advance: "Be what our ancestors were, whieh was really smart, literate, amazing scholars in their own right, and we ean apply that to virtually

every field and every walk of life so I think the University of Hawai'i is a really critical base to achiev- , ing that." The project pulled together five UH programs and was recorded at

Disney's animated "Moana" ■ became a successful blockbuster hit. ■ lmage: Walt Disney Animation Studios

World Oceans Day Celebration > June 10, 4 to 9 p.m. Celebrate World Oceans Day, Papahānaumokuākea and Hōkūle'a's Mahalo Hawai'i sail at Ko Olina Resort. "Moana" in 'ōlelo Hawai'i debuts at sunset on the heaeh. Free. www.KoOlina.com/events.

Re-recording "Moana" in the Hawaiian language brought together faculty and staff from UH-West O'ahu, UH-Mōnoa and Honolulu Community College. - Photo: Courtesy University of Hawai'i

Kaipu Baker is the voice of Maui in the 'ōlelo Hawai'i version of "Moana." ■ Photo: Courtesy University ofHawai'i

Honolulu Community College's Music and Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) program, where students and alumni worked on the audio engineering. UH highlighted some of the project's key players: • Chris Lee, founder and director of Academy for Creative Media (ACM) System, served as executive producer. • Rick Dempsey, SVP Creative, for Disney Character Voices International (DCVI), provided oversight for the project for Disney along with DCVI Executive Director Bryan Monroe. • Heather Haunani Giugni, a Native Hawaiian filmmaker and cultural specialist for UH West 0'ahu's 'Ulu'ulu, Hawai'i's Moving Image Archive, and Sharla Hanaoka, director of creative media at UH West O'ahu, produced and supervised UH West O'ahu ACM students. • UH West O'ahu ethnomusicologist Aaron Salā

Auli'i Cravalho voices | the title character in both tfie original and 'ōlelo Hawai'i versions of Disney's animatedfilm "Moana." - Photo: Courtesy University ofHawai'i

(pictured) served as musical director. • UH Mānoa Director of the Institute of Hawaiian Language Research Puakea Nogelmeier (pictured) and his team translated the original script from English to Hawaiian. • UH Mānoa Theatre and Dance Kumu Tammy Haili'opua Baker (pictured) oversaw casting and directed the dialogue. • Honolulu CC MELE recording faculty member Jon Ross supervised the student recording engineers. • UH Mānoa ACM graduate Kaliko Mai'i was associate producer. In a statement when the 'ōlelo Hawai'i version was announced, Cravalho said, "I am so deeply proud of my Hawaiian roots. To perform the role of Moana, acting and singing in the Hawaiian language, is so deeply humbling and exciting." Other voices include Kelikokauaikekai Hoe as Ali'i Tui, Kalehuapuake'ula Kawa'a as Puna Tala and Kamakakehau Fernandez as Tamatoa. Another two dozen ōlelo Hawai'i actors and singers were also cast in the re-recording. Disney's animated feature has already been translated into Māori and Tahitian. The "Moana" re-recording is the first time a Disney film is being translated into Hawaiian. "We are so thrilled that we have the opportunity to make a Hawaiian version of the film, especially with the incredible Auli'i," said "Moana" producer Osnat Shurer. "To now make a Hawaiian language version, after recently collaborating on Tahitian and Te Reo Māori language versions, goes beyond any dreams we had for the film's impact within eommunities that deeply inspired the movie." The premiere will be part of Ko Olina Resort's second annual World Oceans Day event on June 10, a collaboration with Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, UH, NOAA, the Polynesian Voyaging Society and other community partners. The event also features oeean education and sustainability activities and live entertainment. The film will also be screened on June 23 at Bishop Museum, as part of Ua Ao Kaiwi'ula: Celebrating 'Ōlelo Hawai'i, Wayfinding and Culture. ■