atlaculture

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Cultural Anatomy: Sokka’s Book 2 Robes

In Season 2, Sokka and Katara’s clothes begin to drastically diverge from each other in appearance and cultural origin.

Looking at their outfits side by side, Sokka looks ready for summer while Katara is more autumn-appropriate. Weird.

Despite the lack of sleeves and slits, I feel that Sokka’s top is based off a happi (Japanese festival coat) due to wear the hem stops, thin sash, and relaxed fit. Plus, Suki is the first person to point out Sokka’s shirt is sleeveless, so maybe he modified a happi she gave him?

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Cultural Anatomy: Sokka’s Choker

From what I’ve researched, chokers were traditionally worn by some Native American tribes rather than by the Inuit, who traditionally preferred looser fitting necklaces. But Sokka’s particular choker is identical to traditional Alaskan Inuit bracelets, which are made from walrus or whale ivory.

Which means that Sokka might just be wearing a bracelet as a choker. And I can’t think of anything more perfectly Sokka than using an item for something beyond its intended purpose. I can totally imagine how the whole thing started:

Mother Kya: “One day, when Katara gets married, I’ll give her this necklace that Gran-Gran gave to me.”

Lil Sokka: “No fair! Why don’t I get anything?”

Hakoda: “Sokka, this necklace is for girls only.”

Lil Sokka: “Fine, I’ll just make my own necklace.” *ties his bracelet around his neck and immediately starts choking*

Gran-Gran: *sighs* I’ll get more string…

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Avatar New Years: Part 1, Southern Water Tribe

The New Year got me thinking…

In Avatar, it seems that most people in their world are familiar with the Chinese calendar; In “The Library”, Sokka is able to figure out which day the solar eclipse falls on using the planetarium, which has dials that depict the Chinese zodiac. However, I’m sure that each nation likely has their own calendar system and their own New Years’ traditions. Here’s some myths and traditions that might be interesting to incorporate into your Avatar stories:

Southern Water Tribe

The Southern Water Tribe’s New Year would probably correspond to Quviasukvik or “The Time of Joy”, a New Year’s festival celebrated by Inuit, Yupik, Aleut, Chukchi and Iñupiat people. The Quviasukvik festival starts on December 24 and ends on January 7. This festival celebrates the coming of the new year, the sea goddess Sedna, and the transferring of spirits for good luck in the new year.

To keep this post from getting too long, I’ll provide an example of some pre-Christian contact Quviasukvik traditions from Baffin Island in 1864; if you’d like to read a more thorough documentation and analysis of the festival’s many regional variations, I’ll post the links to my sources near the bottom of this post.

Quviasukvik Traditions from Baffin Island (1864)

The community gathers into a large building where the angakoq [shaman] prays on behalf of the people for prosperity through the subsequent year. Following the prayers, a large feast is had. This is the first day of Quviasukvik.

The next day, everyone goes outside and forms a large circle; in the center, a vessel of water is placed and each member of the circle brings a piece of meat. Each person eats his or her meat in silence, thinking of Sedna, and wishing for good things. Then, one by one, everyone in the circle takes a cup, scoops up some of the water, and drinks it. Before each person passes the cup to another, he or she states the time and the place of his or her birth. During this process, everyone in the circle continues to think of Sedna, the sea goddess.

Some time later, various presents are thrown at one another, with the belief that Sedna will grant good fortune in proportion to the generosity of the gifts. Around January 1st, two men (one of them dressed as a woman) go to every house in the village and blow out each household’s torch. The lights are afterwards rekindled from a fresh fire. This act represents the new light of a new year.

https://arctickingdom.com/quviasukvik-the-inuit-winter-festival-and-christmas/

https://journals.openedition.org/jsa/2772?lang=en

And, of course, any Inuit, Yupik, Aleut, Chukchi and Iñupiat posters are free to correct any cultural mistakes in my post or add any interesting Quviasukvik traditions that they grew up with.

I must say, I’m pretty delighted by how well Quviasukvik traditions gel with what we’ve been presented of the Southern Water Tribe. Communal meat eating and praying to a water goddess? Perfection.

Since the Northern Water Tribe has more Mongolian and East Asian influence, I’ll make a separate post regarding what New Years’ traditions I think they might have. The impression I got of the two Water Tribes is that they had some very distinct cultural differences that led them to living on opposites ends of the globe.

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Cultural Architecture: NWT Totem Poles - The Specifics Pt. 1

Among most of the totem poles we see throughout the Northern Water Tribe (NWT), four representations appear consistently throughout.

Ocean & Moon

The top section of the pole has wing-like extensions jutting out, with a circle design on the actual totem. I believe that the extensions are actually stylized ocean waves and the circle represents the moon. In short, I believe the top totem represents the moon spirit and ocean spirit; by extension, the top totem also represents waterbending. Given that the NWT's society is especially dependent on bending, it makes sense that this symbolism would be represented at the very top of their totem poles.

Polar Bear

The second totem, with its wide-set face and round ears, is clearly meant to represent a polar bear. As I mentioned in a previous post: In Inuit religion, Nanook (Polar Bears) are considered to be the masters of all bears. Inuit hunters worshiped the Nanook as they believed it was the bear who determined if the hunt would be successful or not. Respect was given to Nanook by the hunter hanging the bear’s hide in a special section of his igloo, where it would stay for several days. Legend says that if a dead polar bear was treated properly by the hunter, its spirit would share the good news with other bears who would allow themselves to be hunted. Bears would stay away from hunters who failed to pay respect.

Through the second totem, we see more of the Water Tribe's Inuit influence. We also get more hints of how important hunting and respect for nature is to the culture of the NWT.

In the next post, I'll cover the significance of the koi and wolf heads, as well as the occasionally featured whale totem.

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#avatar #atla #avatar the last airbender #water tribe #cultural architecture

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Cultural Architecture: NWT Totem Poles - An Overview

In the Northern Water Tribe (NWT), totem poles are commonplace throughout the capitol city. According to Indigenous Foundations:

Totem poles are monuments created by First Nations [and Alaska Natives] of the Pacific Northwest to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events... A totem pole typically features symbolic and stylized human, animal, and supernatural forms.

And the totem poles of the NWT are no different. The poles in the NWT are composed of different "segments" that likely represent animals and natural phenomenon of spiritual significance in their culture (totems).

The biggest difference between real-life totem poles and the ones depicted in ATLA are the materials used. Traditionally, real-life totem poles are carved from red cedar wood. Meanwhile, the totem poles depicted in ATLA appear to be carved/bent from ice. This makes perfect sense when considering the different resources available in the arctic versus the subarctic.

Along with bone chokers, totem poles are a type of Native American/Alaska Native/First Nation art that is well-known to most non-indigenous people, so it's not surprising that they were incorporated into the worldbuilding of the NWT.

In Part 2, I'll be covering the possible meaning/symbolism behind each of the totem pole's segments.

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Cultural Weapons: Fire Nation Swords Pt. 1

Along with covering weapons, I’m going to make another attempt at some light martial arts analysis. Like with my Kyoshi Warriors post, take it with a grain of salt as these are very superficial observations as I don’t have much IRL experience with martial arts.

Sokka & Piandao’s Swords

Both Piandao and Sokka fight using a type of Chinese sword called a jian (劍). The jian is a straight, double-edged blade as opposed to being a single-edged blade like a dao or katana. In Chinese folklore, it is known as “The Gentleman of Weapons”, which fits with warrior-scholar qualities that Piandao tries to cultivate in Sokka.

What’s most interesting about the jian is how closely-linked it is with tai chi; there are actually 32 tai chi forms that use the jian, with these forms being collectively known as taijijian (太極劍). Tai chi also happens to be the basis of waterbending.

In other words, the techniques that Piandao taught Sokka were actually taijijian forms aka sword-based waterbending moves. Secretly knowing his student was Water Tribe and might possibly be a bender, Piandao actually chose to teach Sokka techniques that would work well with waterbending as well as honoring his pupil’s culture. Which explains why Piandao’s lessons all involved learning to go with the flow and taking advantage of your surroundings, both important skills for a waterbender.

Pictured Above: Cat Stance Uppercut form. Note how Sokka’s left hand is blocking the thumb side of his sword-holding hand. According to the instructor of the video, the left arm acts as a guard to the right hand.

While typing up this post, I also realized that Katara and Sokka have mentor episodes that mirror each other. Both find the adult guidance and validation they’ve been seeking, both mentors train them in techniques that both empower them and help them to connect with their culture, and both mentors secretly want to overthrow the Fire Nation’s empire. Of course, Katara’s episode ends up a tragedy while Sokka’s is triumphant. From a thematic perspective, I suppose it’s to illustrate a healthy student-teacher relationship versus a predatory one; similar to how Iroh is set up as a loving father in contrast to Ozai’s abuse. Good lessons to teach in children’s show, actually.

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Avatar Closet: Sokka

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Cultural Anatomy: Katara and Sokka’s Book 1 Robes

While not entirely accurate to one culture, their robes strongly resemble Joseon-era warriors’ hanbok. Note that both Sokka and Katara’s garbs include a short-sleeved robe layered over a long-sleeve garment, a style that consistently appears in traditional warrior’s clothing in Korea. Similarly, long side slits for ease of movement and long armbands used to secure loose-fitting sleeves are present in both Water Tribe and Korean outfits.

Considering that Katara and Sokka’s original designs were streamlined for animation by Yoon Young Kim of JM Animation, it’s not surprising that their outfits draw heavily from Korean culture.

Katara’s outfit also reminds me of Hunnu Deel, Hun-Style Mongolian clothing, and Yuan Dynasty robes, the clothing of the Mongols when they ruled over China. As I dissect more of the Water Tribe’s culture, you’ll see a lot of Mongolic and Siberian influences in the clothing.

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ATLA Martial Arts: Kyoshi Warriors

The more I learn about the Kyoshi Warriors, the more I realize that Suki really is perfect for Sokka. Like Sokka, she’s from a small and isolated village, she’s a warrior who comes from humble means, she acts as the leader of her group, and she’s skilled in various weapons and fighting styles.

First off, I just want to say that I know very little about the technical aspects of most martial arts so take these analyses with a grain of salt. These are just surface-level comparisons I’m making based off what I’ve researched on the internet. If you practice any of these martial arts, feel free to elaborate or correct me on any details.

Aikido (合気道)

According to Wikipedia, the purpose of Aikido is to defend yourself while protecting your opponent from injury. There’s an emphasis on redirecting your enemy’s force against them. Since the Kyoshi Warriors’ original purpose was to act as their island’s police, this fighting style would be very practical for stopping everyday crimes like drunken brawling or assault. Finally, the primary goal in the practice of Aikido is to overcome oneself instead of cultivating aggressiveness, which is essentially the lesson Sokka takes away from his training sessions with Suki.

From what I’ve observed, Aikido emphasizes wide-legged stances, wrist/shoulder grabs, and lots of throws. The rare times when kicks are used, they’re low kicks done for the purpose of knocking an opponent off-balance. Also, the hakama bottoms that the Kyoshi Warriors wear are commonly associated with the martial art of Aikido. Some montages of Suki’s most recognizably Aikido moves:

Tessenjutsu (鉄扇術)

Tessenjutsu or “iron fan technique” is the martial art of the Japanese iron fan (tessen). They were most famously used by samurai to fend off swords, throwing knives, and poisoned darts. In the case of the show, the fans were shown to be capable of blocking fireballs. Like a sword, the tessen could be dual-wielded to parry with one hand and attack with the other.

Kendo (剣道)

Kendo or “way of the sword” is a modern Japanese martial art descended from traditional swordsmanship (kenjutsu or “sword technique”). Since the Kyoshi Warriors employ “modern” hand-to-hand combat techniques (Aikido), I think it’s safe to assume they probably also use modernized Japanese swordplay. Logistically, Bryke would have had an easier time finding an English-speaking kendo expert than a practitioner of an ancient sword style like Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū, for example.

Anyways, when Suki fights Azula, she attempts to land a Kendo-style strike to the throat. Her use of that technique might actually be a reference on her own name; the Japanese word for this attack is morote-zuki (諸手突き), which roughly translates to “two-handed thrust”. 

The Kyoshi Warriors are like the Swiss Army knife of fighters in the Avatarverse.

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Cultural Anatomy: Kyoshi Warriors Uniform

As mentioned in a previous post, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors (Suki) sports a maetengan (前天冠) or “heavenly crown” with a decorative maedate (前立) or “front crest”. The other Kyoshi Warriors wear hachigane (鉢金) or “metal-plated forehead protectors” decorated with maedate. If you’d like a example pictures and a more in-depth description, click here.

The Kyoshi Warriors’ fabric clothing are comprised of a bright green kimono/着物 (Japanese robe), dark green hakama/袴 (traditional Japanese trousers), an obi/帯 (sash), and han kote/籠手 (Japanese vambraces).

Over their green kimonos, the Kyoshi Warriors wear hara-ate dō (腹当胴) or “torso armor”. The type of armor they wear is notable as it was initially worn only by ashigaru (足軽) or Japanese foot soldiers. Ashigaru armor is unique for its single-piece, barrel-like torso armor, in contrast to the elaborately plated lamellar-style armor that samurai wore.

The advantages of ashigaru armor was that it was lighter and easier to move around in, as well as being much cheaper to produce. In contrast, samurai armor offered better protection at the cost of speed and agility, which was less of an issue for the horse-riding samurai class. However, the effectiveness of ashigaru armor resulted in many later samurai trading in their fantastically stylish armor for the streamlined and practical ashigaru-style armor.

I bring this up because ashigaru armor fits the Kyoshi Warriors’ sensibilities perfectly. Their style of fighting emphasizes agility and momentum, which ashigaru allows for. Secondly, it emphasizes that the Kyoshi Warriors are very humble people. Ashigaru (foot soldiers) were everyday citizens (mostly farmers) who were conscripted into battle, not high-ranking nobility swearing allegiance to a powerful warlord. Kyoshi Island is a tiny, isolated island made up of small villages so it would have no need for fancy lords or a hereditary warrior class. The Kyoshi Warriors are likely just local girls who volunteered to be trained. This would also explain why the Kyoshi Warriors seem to be pretty open to showing outsiders (Sokka & Ty Lee) their techniques; they’ll teach anyone whose willing.

[atlaculture]

Not really ATLAculture related, but this is one of my favorite documentaries on YouTube. A pretty extensive overview of marriage practices in different regions and groups in China.

#Youtube #outside content

[atlaculture]

Cultural Fashion: Hair Loopies

Dissecting the real life cultures that influenced show. First up is Katara’s trademark ‘do!

Hair Loopies

So this first fact actually comes from the Twitter poster, Low Arctic (https://twitter.com/LowArctic). The reference pictures used are screenshots from Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (Inuktitut: ᐊᑕᓈᕐᔪᐊᑦ).

While braided hair is common in many cultures, Katara’s trademark “hair loopies” are uniquely Nunavut Inuit. According to Tumblr user Atagotiak, who is of Inuk descent, hair loopies are known as qilliqti in Inuktitut. While her “loopies” are drawn un-braided in the show for ease of animation, I’d love to see them thinly braided and decorated with bright blue beads in the live-action adaption.

Here is another examples of qilliqti or “hair loopies” in real life and Avatar:

The young woman photographed is Nancy Columbia, an Inuit-American beauty queen, actress, and screenwriter from the Silent Film Era. When I try to imagine Katara as a real person, she ends up looking a lot like Nancy.

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Quick Life Update

A couple of years ago, I mentioned that I work at a prison. Well, today they've announced that the prison is officially shutting down. We're currently in the process of trying to pack out and transfer 600+ inmates into other prisons before the end of the week.

I'm not sure whether this is a permanent shut down or if the prison is going to be re-modeled for a "mission change"--- this is when a prison's inmate population changes in accordance with a lower or higher security level. They haven't given us any more information, unfortunately.

So if you're wondering why I haven't been posting as much lately, it's due to the stress of my workplace making a lot of changes very quickly. If it turns out that my place of employment will be no more, then expect a lot more ATLAculture posts in the future as I sort out my life trajectory.

And if you know any jobs that require an archivist, freelance researcher, freelance writer, teacher, systems administrator or prison guard, send the listing my way.

#off topic post #I've lived a very strange life

[atlaculture]

Happy New Year!

Happy Theravada Buddhist New Year Everyone! May peace and good fortune be upon you.

#off-topic post

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Cultural Fashion: The Painted Lady Hat

The hat that the Painted Lady, both real and fake, wears is known as a mìlí (幂蓠) in Mandarin Chinese and an ichimegasa (市女笠) in Japanese. Both refer to a woven, wide-brimmed hat with a body-covering veil attached. The style originated from the nomadic steppe people of Northwest Asia and was later adopted by Chinese culture during the Sui Dynasty (581–618) and introduced to Japan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

The hat was mostly worn by women of noble or aristocratic birth in both China and Japan. In China, the hat was especially popular among the ladies of nobility who rode horses on the public roads. The purpose of the hat became both practical and cultural: the veil shielded noblewomen from outdoor elements such as insects and dust, but it was also viewed as protecting their “modesty” from the outside world.

If this context also holds true in Avatar, the Painted Lady might have been a local aristocrat who provided aid to Jang Hui Village before passing on. The way she’s briefly presented in the episode is also very similar to Yue (long flowing white dress with anime-style detached sleeves), which leads me to think she was also once a human woman.

Maybe the body paint she wore was meant to mask her identity when she did her charity? A local person of status winning over the common people might have been seen as a direct threat to the Fire Lord’s national hegemony, especially since the village seems to have basically deified her. My pet theory is that the arms factory polluting their village was purposely set up there as punishment for their perceived loyalty towards the Painted Lady’s legacy over the Fire Lord’s cult of personality.

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Avatar World Tour: The Southern Water Tribe

Starting a new post series in which I highlight some of the best background art and establishing shots in the show by location. The top row features the SWT at different points in time:

1. Hama’s youth, roughly ~60 years prior to the story

2. The day Sokka and Katara lost their mother, 6 years prior to the story

3. The day Aang awakened

The three images in succession paint a stark narrative of loss and displacement. What stands out most to me is the increase in tupiqs (animal skin tents) and decrease in igloos with each picture. It reflects a pretty steep population decline as an igloo requires more labor to set up than a tupiq, especially without waterbenders. It might also reflect how the war has shaped the SWT’s culture over the past ~60 years, with families favoring the more portable tupiq over the more immobile igloo due to the constant threat of raids from the Fire Nation.

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Avatar Closet: Katara

Fun fact, Katara’s final scene dress is just her pretend-rich-girl dress from S2 in green.