Post by Lemur God on Dec 9, 2005 19:20:36 GMT -5
~The Southern Water Tribe~
The Southern Water Tribe’s population has been decimated by years of war. Hence, much of their culture has shifted to a need for survival. The Southern Tribe is nomadic, their only city having been destroyed by the Fire Nation. One can assume where the Northern Tribe appears to have shut themselves off from the world for years, the Southern Tribe was always open and welcoming, which is what opened them up for attack. Of course, this openness also created trade and alliances with the Earth Kingdom and one can assume the Fire Nation and the Air Nomads before the war started. Now, all that remains is an alliance with the Earth Kingdom that constantly calls the warriors of the dwindling tribe away for years at a time, leaving only the women, the old, the infirm and the children.
As a nomadic culture, the Southern Tribes belongings are generally no more than what can be carried on their backs or perhaps by pack animals. (Due to the fact that the tribe has a tame polar bear, I’m assuming polar bears were the mounts/pack animals of choice.) Given the constant raids by the Fire Nation, the Southern Tribe is ready to pack up and move at the first sign of an impending attack. (This is normally black soot mixed with snow, which is why in episode one, they had no idea Zuko was on his way.)
The clothing of the Southern Tribes, like the Northern Tribes, consists of tanned hides, and some soft furs. Unlike the Northern Tribe, these all have a handmade feel about them, and the only colors that exist are blues. Purples are no where to be seen.
The Southern Tribe also has a more active warrior culture, since they have had more practical experience. Their culture is also more open about females in waterbending positions, as Katara was taught what little she knew by her mother, who was most likely taught by her mother. So, we can assume that in the Southern Tribe, it was the WOMEN who were the main benders, since the Southern tribe stresses a more martial path for its men.
Food in the Southern tribes is what can be gathered, fished, and hunted. With the men gone, women now find themselves hunting as well as doing the gathering and the fishing. Of all the food sources, like the Northern Tribes, we can assume that the Southern Tribe also has many uses for whale. In fact, whale oils most likely form the base of the war paint the Southern Tribes are so found of.
In the Southern Tribes, a child is considered to be of age at sixteen. This is celebrated (among the males) by a right of passage called Ice Dodging, where their father takes out his son along with two of his son’s friends, and tells him to navigate the small ship through the ice fields. Ice dodging can be dangerous, but after it is complete, the boy is considered a man in the eyes of the tribe.
Also, in a tribe so small, (we can assume 200-300 people or a little more, since they would have to sustain a tribe without inbreeding), we can assume that marriages would be a mix of free and arranged. One can assume Sokka’s technique of ‘maximum aloofness’ was learned fending off the few girls his own age that would’ve been all over him as husband material.
Also, this small tight nit social structure promises that everyone has to pitch on the work around the village, specialized trades are rare. Men are warriors, and women know how to do a bit of everything. And, over one’s family, the welfare of the tribe is enforced. So much so that the Tribe is a Family.
The Southern Water Tribe’s population has been decimated by years of war. Hence, much of their culture has shifted to a need for survival. The Southern Tribe is nomadic, their only city having been destroyed by the Fire Nation. One can assume where the Northern Tribe appears to have shut themselves off from the world for years, the Southern Tribe was always open and welcoming, which is what opened them up for attack. Of course, this openness also created trade and alliances with the Earth Kingdom and one can assume the Fire Nation and the Air Nomads before the war started. Now, all that remains is an alliance with the Earth Kingdom that constantly calls the warriors of the dwindling tribe away for years at a time, leaving only the women, the old, the infirm and the children.
As a nomadic culture, the Southern Tribes belongings are generally no more than what can be carried on their backs or perhaps by pack animals. (Due to the fact that the tribe has a tame polar bear, I’m assuming polar bears were the mounts/pack animals of choice.) Given the constant raids by the Fire Nation, the Southern Tribe is ready to pack up and move at the first sign of an impending attack. (This is normally black soot mixed with snow, which is why in episode one, they had no idea Zuko was on his way.)
The clothing of the Southern Tribes, like the Northern Tribes, consists of tanned hides, and some soft furs. Unlike the Northern Tribe, these all have a handmade feel about them, and the only colors that exist are blues. Purples are no where to be seen.
The Southern Tribe also has a more active warrior culture, since they have had more practical experience. Their culture is also more open about females in waterbending positions, as Katara was taught what little she knew by her mother, who was most likely taught by her mother. So, we can assume that in the Southern Tribe, it was the WOMEN who were the main benders, since the Southern tribe stresses a more martial path for its men.
Food in the Southern tribes is what can be gathered, fished, and hunted. With the men gone, women now find themselves hunting as well as doing the gathering and the fishing. Of all the food sources, like the Northern Tribes, we can assume that the Southern Tribe also has many uses for whale. In fact, whale oils most likely form the base of the war paint the Southern Tribes are so found of.
In the Southern Tribes, a child is considered to be of age at sixteen. This is celebrated (among the males) by a right of passage called Ice Dodging, where their father takes out his son along with two of his son’s friends, and tells him to navigate the small ship through the ice fields. Ice dodging can be dangerous, but after it is complete, the boy is considered a man in the eyes of the tribe.
Also, in a tribe so small, (we can assume 200-300 people or a little more, since they would have to sustain a tribe without inbreeding), we can assume that marriages would be a mix of free and arranged. One can assume Sokka’s technique of ‘maximum aloofness’ was learned fending off the few girls his own age that would’ve been all over him as husband material.
Also, this small tight nit social structure promises that everyone has to pitch on the work around the village, specialized trades are rare. Men are warriors, and women know how to do a bit of everything. And, over one’s family, the welfare of the tribe is enforced. So much so that the Tribe is a Family.