The Wednesday global premiere will be accompanied by “Moana 2 Reo Māori,” a special release Thursday in theaters in New Zealand, featuring voiceovers in the indigenous Polynesian language. “Moana 2” and “Moana 2 Reo Māori” reunite Moana — having just received an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors — with Maui three years later for a new seafaring adventure. In 1972, Māori people worked together to deliver the Māori language petition to the New Zealand Parliament. The petition, which garnered more than 30,000 signatures, urged the government to offer the Māori language in schools, and implement courses teaching Māori culture and history in schools with larger Māori populations. “Our work aims to honor the legacy of those who fought tirelessly for the survival of our language,” Waititi said.

---

Persons: “, “ Moana, Māori, ”, Māori ”, Moana —, Tweedie Waititi, ” Waititi, Waititi, you’ve, Chelsea Winstanley, Mia Henry, Teirney, “ Coco Organizations: Disney, New, Pacific, UNESCO, New Zealand Parliament, Matewa Media, reo, Walt Disney Animation Studios Locations: New Zealand, “, Maui, It’s, Haka, Aotearoa