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Moana。broke the mold with its portrayal of Polynesian culture on the big screen.。

In New Zealand, this celebration of heritage is having a real impact, where a translated version of the movie is helping make the Māori language appealing to young people, according to a report in 。 The New York Times。The New York Times  。

. 。

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。 Once the predominant language in New Zealand, the Māori language (te reo) was gradually pushed out as English speakers settled in the country, according to
。Te Ara 。

Te Ara。

.。Speaking te reo was officially discouraged by the late 19th century, eventually leading to the language's decline, and the fear te reo would die out in the mid-20th century. By the 1970s, Māori reasserted their identity and pushed for the language to be taught in schools.
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There are currently 148,000 people who can speak the Māori language — 3.7 per cent of the country's population, according to New Zealand's Ministry of Social Development. A popular movie like 。 Moana。Moana
。 could be the key to making the language appealing again to young people in the country.
。Taika Waititi, New Zealand director of blockbuster films like。

Thor: Ragnorok
。

, approached Disney to translate the film — with his sister Tweedie producing the translated version.。

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Moana reo Māori。

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went on to screen for free at 30 cinemas around the country, selling out.。

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"Language is the expression of a culture and a race of people," Haami Piripi, the former head of the country's Maori Language Commission told the news outlet.
。

"To retain your language is an emblem of survival through history. If you’ve still got your language now, you have the key to your culture."。Featured Video For You
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。TopicsFilm。