"We Know the Way" is a power ballad from the Disney animated feature Moana. It was the first song written and composed for the film by Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foa’i, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. It serves as a celebration of voyaging, and the pride that comes with South Pacific natives being the world's first great navigators.
Summary
In the film, Moana discovers the fleet of Proa ships her ancestors used to settle her island. The scene for the song is a flashback of her ancestor's voyage. The song is used again at the ending of the film when Moana's tribe takes to the sea once again to find a new home.
Lyrics
Tatou o tagata folau vala'auina
Le atua o le sami tele e o mai
Ua la ava'e le lu'itau e lelei
Tapenapena
Aue, aue
Nuku i mua
Te manulele e tataki e
Aue, aue
Te fenua te malie
Nae ko hakilia kaiga e
We read the wind and the sky when the sun is high
We sail the length of the seas on the ocean breeze
At night, we name every star
We know where we are
We know who we are, who we are
Aue, aue
We set a course to find
A brand new Island everywhere we roam
Aue, aue
We keep our Island in our mind
And when it's time to find home
We know the way
Aue, aue
We are explorers reading every sign
We tell the stories of our elders in a never-ending chain
Aue, aue
Te fenua, te malie
Nae ko hakilia
We know the way.
We are voyagers summoned by the mighty gods,
Of this mighty ocean to come,
We take up the good challenge,
Get ready.
Aue, aue
There is land up ahead,
A bird in flight to take us there,
Oh! oh!
This beautiful land,
The place I was looking for, we will make our home.
We read the wind and the sky
When the sun is high
We sail the length of sea
On the ocean breeze
At night we name every star
We know where we are
We know who we are, who we are
Away! Away!
We set a course to find
A brand new island everywhere we roam,
Away! Away!
We keep our island in our mind
And when it's time to find home,
We know the way.
Away! Away!
We are explorers reading every sign
We tell the stories of our elders
In a never-ending chain,
Oh! Oh!
This beautiful land,
The place I was looking for,
We know the way.
Aue, aue
We set a course to find
A brand new island everywhere we roam
Aue, aue
We keep our island in our mind
And when it's time to find home
We know the way
Aue, aue,
We are explorers reading every sign
We tell the stories of our elders in a never-ending chain
Aue, aue,
Te fenua, te mālie
Nā heko hakilia
We know the way.
Oh! Oh!
We set a course to find
A brand new island everywhere we roam,
Oh! Oh!
We keep our island in our mind
And when it’s time to find home,
We know the way.
Oh! Oh!
We are explorers reading every sign
We tell the stories of our elders
In the never ending chain,
Oh! Oh!
This beautiful land,
The place I was looking for,
We know the way.
Trivia
- The song was first revealed at the 2015 D23 Expo and was performed, live, by Opetaia and his band. It can also be heard during the teaser trailer of the movie.
- In earlier versions of the movie, "We Know the Way" was played during the opening of the movie, which showcased Moana's birth. It was eventually moved to a later portion of the film.
- The song begins in Samoan and the chorus is in Tokelauan. After the first chorus, the song uses English lyrics. The English languages are changed in international translations, but most dubs of Moana keep the Polynesian lyrics unaltered.
Videos
