If you’ve seen Moana, then you know that the songs are not just performed in English. That’s thanks to Opetaia Foa‘i. He’s on a quest to share real Pacific Island culture with the world. Opetaia wrote music for Moana, Moana 2 and now the live-action Moana, out in theaters Friday.
“It’s very important to me to write using Pacific Island languages in a Polynesian movie,” he tells Cricket Media’s Spider magazine. “I think the listener appreciates that it adds authenticity to the film.”
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Opetaia was born on an island nation in the Pacific Ocean called Samoa. “Growing up in a very poor environment, I was lucky if I got three meals a week,” Opetaia remembers. His family worked hard. But music made them happy. He says, “I saw the whole village celebrating by singing and dancing until the early hours.”
Opetaia wants to honor his people. He knows music is the way. “It was never a matter ofchoice,” says Opetaia. “Music ideas come naturally to me as a way to tell stories.”
Opetaia started a band. The band is named Te Vaka. Te Vaka means “The Canoe.” Opetaia writes songs and sings in four different languages. Te Vaka tours the world. They’ve even performed at the Olympics twice. Opetaia says that there’s “a lot of laughter and love between the group.”
Opetaia’s children are in his band. “It’s awesome,” he says. “The music that my children are creating warms my heart. It’s obvious that they love and are proud of their cultural traditions.”
Te Vaka sings, chants, and drums for all three Moana soundtracks. Opetaia shares that for the live-action Moana, “We have just completed a very exciting recording week with my group Te Vaka. I’m very proud. Introducing Pacific culture to the world and giving inspiration to millions is a huge win.”
Catherine Laga’aia as Moana in Disney’s live-action MOANA. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2026 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. DISNEYWhen you listen to songs in different languages, you may not understand every single word. But the feelings still come through loud and clear.
This article was originally written by Delores Lee and Hayley Kim and published in Spider July/August 2026. Explore Cricket Media’s full line of award-winning magazines for curious kids.
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