Moana is a Polynesian island.
Moana means `` ocean '' in most Polynesian languages . Moana ( [ moʊˈɑːnə ] ) is a 2016 American computer-animated musical fantasy-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . The film tells the story of Moana , the strong-willed daughter of the chief of a Polynesian tribe , who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess .