No One Goes Beyond the Reef
We all know that Moana's father, Tui, hated the idea of anyone leaving Motunui. But was it really because of the rough seas? This is the story of Moana's destiny & her family's curse.
Prologue: Matai Vasa
"Great Maui!" The chief smirked, "You have returned victorious it seems."
"Chief. That slimy eel, Tuna, shouldn't bother your women any longer. In fact, his guts seem to be growing trees." He lowered a massive basket the size of a canoe off his shoulders. "Ta-da! I call them coconuts! You're welcome."
"Ah. Yes. Thank you, great Maui." Maui pretended not to notice that the smile didn't quite reach the chief's eyes. "Tonight, we feast to your victory!"
The shadows twisted to the beat of the drums as the dancers twirled in front of the fire. Maui watched from the place of honor in front of the chief's fale, enjoying the literal fruits of his labor as he drank the sweet coconut water. Suddenly, under the drumbeats he could hear whispering. He smiled at the women serving platters of fish & clapped for the dancers before standing. With surprising stealth, he backed into the shadows and around to the back of the fale.
"So he killed an eel. I told you, we didn't need his help! We could have handled that creature just fine without the demigod." The word was spat out with so much disgust that Maui flinched.
"Beware your tone, Aata, we should be grateful." That was the voice of Chief Matai.
"Grateful. Pah! The creature is dead. But all the coconuts in the world won't bring back the people it has killed. I'll be grateful to that demigod when he brings us a way to restore all the life lost."
Maui's eyes widened. He thought for a moment, just a moment, before swinging his fishhook and transforming into a giant hawk. With a screech he launched himself into the sky, unaware of the chief & his son watching from just inside the fale.
At first the people of Motunui were unaware that anything had changed. Life continued, voyaging was considered a rite of passage for the younger generations, and no one mourned the loss of Maui. Matai Vasa passed the role of chief on to Aata, who passed it to his son after him. However, shortly after the third stone was placed on the mountain's peak, the shadows of darkness could be seen on the horizon. Deep-water fish grew scarce and monsters plentiful. Wayfinders failed to return, only the occasional battered canoe drifted to shore with the flotsam. Fearful of what they had done, the counsel banned voyaging, confining their people to the reef of Motunui.
Aata was on his deathbed when he learned the truth. The fronds of the fale roof grew impossibly bright and suddenly he was not alone.
"Who are you?" His voice was hoarse and his throat dry.
"You know me well enough." The answering voice sounded more like a breeze through the trees than words.
"Rangi!?" Aata's eyes widened, but no matter how he tried he could not see the god's entire form. Who could see the whole sky at one time?
"You do not deserve to die at peace, Aata Vasa. You have cursed my child, adopted though he may be. So shall I curse your children, and your children's children."
"What do you - " Air seemed to clog his throat, choking the words before they could come out.
"Maui heard you. You ASKED for the ability to restore life. To create life. And he strove to make you happy, as he always has. His foolishness caused his exile, but you will not go unpunished."
The room darkened, darker than the sea with no moon. Aata's eyes strained, but he could see nothing.
"Know this, Aata Vasa of Motunui. Te Kā and the demons of the deep hunt for the heart, hiding in the darkness that is spreading as we speak, chasing away the fish, draining the life from island after island. This is your doing. Know that you have doomed your people to death with your deception of Maui. However, the heart will be found. Tangaroa will chose someone to journey beyond your reef, find Maui, deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Fiti's heart and save the world. So there is some hope." The god of the sky's voice deepened as though it were thunder, "However Maui's punishment is to last a thousand years. So for one thousand years, Tangaroa's champions will fail. Such a pity that each and every one will be descended from you. You cursed my son, so shall you be cursed."
The fale returned and Aata cried out in anguish. His son, the current chief, rushed in to his side. Aata tried to speak, to warn him of Rangi's curse, but he choked on air. Laughter could be heard outside the fale before the cloth was pushed aside. Aata's grand-daughter, Epa, rushed in.
"Kukukane, look! I found the most beautiful stone by the shore!" She held up a shining green stone, covered in delicate carvings, and seeming to glow in the sunshine. An offering to the gods, indeed.
Present Day: Tui vs. Tala
"-and then she climbed up on a canoe and actually suggested we fish beyond the reef. The look in her eyes..." Tui shuddered. "What am I going to do with her, Mother?" He continued to pace while his mother sat cross-legged with a smile.
"Let her go. She has a destiny. She feels the call. As you did. As your father did."
"And where did THAT get us, Mother? Father NEVER returned from his fool quest. And Ihaka..." Tui grimaced & mumbled. "I should have that failure added to my pe'a so I never forget what I did."
"It was his choice. It was your quest. The Ocean chose YOU. And now it has chosen Moana."
"I WILL NOT LOSE HER TO THE SEA!" Tui yelled & then flinched. "I can't let her sacrifice herself for a legend that will never come true. Surely you must see that this is a fool's errand? No one can reach Maui, IF he even exists."
"You believed as strongly as I do that Maui is out there. To this day, you still see his fishhook in the sky, do you not?" She peered at him but Tui refused to meet her eyes. "The Ocean has chosen Moana. Whether you like it or not, it is her destiny to sail across the sea, find Maui, and deliver him to Te Fiti. Only then will her heart be restored & our island saved."
"We will survive, as we always have, without the help of a demigod."
Tala's eyes grew hard. "Mind your tone, Tui."
The chief scoffed & turned to leave. "Moana will stay within the reef if I have to burn every boat on Montunui. I will not lose another loved one to the sea."
Tala watched as her son disappeared into the village before making up her mind. She stood & turned to follow Moana. She had seen the girl sprinting past the fale during Tui's rant. As she reached the beach, she was unsurprised to find wreckage surrounding her soaked granddaughter.
"Whatever just happened... Blame it on the pig."