Maui's Tattoos In Moana Explained

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Moana 2.

Maui is one of the most important and beloved characters in the Moana franchise and his tattoos make him even more distinct. Voiced by Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, Maui first debuted in the 2015 Moana movie and has a memorable introduction with the popular song “You’re Welcome.” He becomes an invaluable ally to Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) as they journey across the ocean to return the heart of Te Fiti in a daring quest that is intertwined with Maui’s backstory and powers.

While Maui’s Moana 2 role is not as extensive as the original movie, Johnson returns to voice the character, who is still integral during Moana’s latest and even bolder quest to find Motufetu. Johnson is also reprising the role for Disney’s live-action Moana remake, where he dons a bodysuit to make his physique look more similar to the animated depiction of his character. Whether in animation or live-action, Maui’s tattoos are an important part of his identity and in how he continues to develop and learn from his past.

How Maui Got His Tattoos

His Life Began With Tragedy

Maui was originally a normal human child. Tragically, his parents did not want him, so they threw their infant child into the ocean. Instead of dying a premature and horrific death by drowning in the ocean, Maui was saved by the gods of Moana, who likely saw his potential and all the good that he would later do. After this, Maui is no longer just a mere mortal, as the gods made him a demigod, granting him immortality and the magical fishhook that enables him to shapeshift.

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The World Of Moana Explained

The world of Disney’s Moana movies is incredibly vibrant, with events and characters inspired by real-life Polynesian culture, history, and mythology.

Maui’s tattoos are part of his transformation into a demigod, which is reminiscent of the new tattoos Moana gets on her arm during Moana 2‘s ending. Moana gets her tattoos after raising up the island of Motufetu, which reconnects people from all across the ocean, including her own people from the island of Motunui. In the same vein, Maui gets a new tattoo every time he achieves something notable. Given his many deeds over the course of his immortal life, he has no shortage of tattoos.

What Maui’s Tattoos Represent

The Tattoos Visually Represent His Achievements & Conscience

Each of Maui’s tattoos serves as a visual representation of the various acts and accomplishments he has done as a demigod. This includes creating breezes, burying an eel’s guts to create coconut trees, pulling up islands from the ocean depths, and even lassoing the sun closer to Earth, which ensures that each day lasts longer than it otherwise would have. Maui has helped shape and improve life for all of humanity, with each of these deeds encapsulated and immortalized by the tattoos on his skin.

Maui also has a tattoo that is a mini version of himself, who moves at various points during Moana and Moana 2. Mini Maui represents the demigod’s conscience, as this tattoo often helps curb Maui’s more selfish impulses and encourages him to instead do what is right, such as helping Moana. From a narrative standpoint, it allows Maui to have a kind of inner dialogue with himself that may have been otherwise challenging to communicate in the animated movies.

What Maui’s Biggest Tattoos Mean

They Tell Some Of The Most Significant Chapters In His Story

Some of Maui’s biggest tattoos feature the sun, a baby version of Maui, and an island. The sun tattoo is a representation and reminder of when he lassoed the sun to extend the days for all living creatures. The baby Maui tattoo is a sobering, but important reminder of Maui’s origins when he was abandoned by his parents after they tossed him into the ocean. It is vital for Maui to remember that he was not always a powerful demigod and was once a helpless baby. It speaks to some deep-seated insecurities that he still has despite all his bravado.

The island tattoo depicts Maui pulling up islands from the bottom of the ocean for the benefit of humans to explore and live on them. As seen in the tattoo, Maui used his magical fishhook to pull up the islands, but Moana is able to pull up the island of Motufetu by simply touching it in Moana 2. As the Moana franchise continues, Maui and Moana are likely to have more tattoos to come, as they will need to perform more impressive feats now that the villainous and powerful god Nalo is looking for revenge.

Moana

The Moana franchise began with the 2016 animated film, which became a major success for Disney. The story follows Moana Waialiki, the daughter of a Polynesian chief, as she embarks on an oceanic journey to save her people with the help of the demigod Maui. The film is celebrated for its vibrant animation, engaging characters, and its deep respect for Polynesian culture. The franchise has since expanded with an upcoming sequel and a live-action adaptation in the works, making it one of Disney’s prominent modern franchises.

Created by

John Musker , Ron Clements , Jared Bush