Call it Courage

Mafatu runs through the dark jungle to the plateau and the drums grow ever louder. Looking into the clearing of the sacred place, he sees fires and hears chanting. Black figures leap in the firelight holding spears and clubs. While Mafatu watches, he hears a nearby shout and sees four men running toward him. Mafatu sprints back to his camp, pursued by the cannibals, and launches his waiting canoe. The men swim after him for a while, and Mafatu hits one with a paddle when he gets close. The men soon turn back toward shore but continue their pursuit in canoes. Mafatu handles his canoe skillfully and prays to Maui that the wind continues in his favor. As the sun rises, Mafatu can see six black canoes pursuing him. The wind remains favorable throughout the day, and when night falls, Mafatu uses the constellation of Maui’s fishhook to guide him toward home.

By the next morning, his pursuers are gone, and Mafatu shifts his focus to making progress towards home. However, the current is against him, and he wonders if Moana could be preventing his return, or possibly Maui, warning him that he isn’t ready to go home.