#alien flora and fauna | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

tciddaemina · 2 years ago

Text

VtI Vocab Glossary

A list of all the Na’vi terms that show up in Vitra te Ikran, to hopefully bring clarity to those attempting to read the fic. Terms are sorted by functional groupings. This does not include character names.

Titles

Ikran Makto - rider of ikran, someone who has completed Iknimaya and has bound an ikran. This right of passage is associated with Na’vi, particularly Omatikaya, coming of age, and earns the person who undertakes it some measure of respect due to the danger and effort involved. Not all Na’vi choose to become Ikran Makto.

Olo’ekytan - the leader of a clan, who guides the clan in secular matters such as war, diplomacy, and other affairs of day to day life. Typically mated to the Tsahik, maintaining harmony and unity in the leadership of the clan. The position is not technically hereditary, though it is often passed on to the previous Olo’ekytan’s children.

Sa’nok - the Na’vi word for mother. Typically a female Na’vi’s name will reference the name of their mother. For example, Neytiri’s full name is Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite. Tskaha is her family name, after which comes the name of her mother, Mo’at, with the -‘ite suffix showing her relation to Neytiri.

Sempul - the Na’vi word for father. A male Na’vi’s name will reference the name of their father. For example, Tsu’tey’s full name is Tsu’tey te Rongloa Ateyitan. First comes his personal name, then his family name, Rongloa, and then Ateyo’s name, modified by the suffix -itan, which names him as Tsu’tey’s father.

Toruk Makto - rider of Toruk. While it is technically possible for any Na’vi to become Toruk Makto, only a scattered handful in the clans memories ever have. The position is one that comes with great respect and renowned. The last Toruk Makto was Tyuni'tai, Eytukan’s ancient forefather, who bound himself to a Toruk in order to borrow its strength so that he could lead the clans out of a time of great sorrow. Even now the many clans remember him and revere his memory, honoring any who might take up his mantle.

Tsahik - the spiritual leader of the clan, akin to a shaman. The position is solely held by women, one who is typically mated to the Olo’ekytan, advising him on matters spiritual. The Tsahik interprets Eywa’s will and is the voice of the goddess among her people, often talented in skills of healing and divination. When searching for a successor, the Tsahik will often chose a girl of her clan who shows great aptitude and closeness to Eywa.

Tsmuke - the Na’vi word for sister, used when referring to siblings related to you by blood.

Events, Ceremonies, and associated

Eltungawng - a species of worm, pink-violet in colour, which glow even in daylight. Also known as the glow worm. They reach 8 to 15cm in length, and can be found within the rotting wood of the syo’siyk tree. The worms are ingested during Uniltaron as part of the process to induce hallucinations and a dream-state, which connects the Na’vi more closely to Eywa.

Iknimaya - the journey to fight and bond an ikran, typically undertaken as a right of passage by young Na’vi reaching adulthood. While the other clans have their own equivalents, in the case of the Omatikaya it involves a journey of several days on pa’li back to reach the floating mountains, and then a long ascent, before finally reaching the ikran and seeking one who will challenge them to fight. Hopefuls typically wear war-paint, bearing the patterns and colours of their families and clan when embarking on the journey, to bring them strength, fortitude, and luck.

Uniltaron - the dream hunt. While the Iknimaya is an optional ceremony, ever member of the Omatikaya undergoes Uniltaron as part of their right of passage into the clan, stepping out of their life as a child and being reborn as an adult and a full member of the clan. The ceremony involves including a hallucinatory dream state through consumption of an eltungawng and a mixture of herbs, combined with a sting of a kaliweya (see: animal glossary). The ceremony is held beneath the light of the moon Valili, occurring only once or twice a year as the celestial bodies allow.

Unil’ioang - a Na’vi’s dream animal, discovered through the process of Uniltaron. The creature is thought to represent the Na’vi's identity, and is speculated by some to be a beast that they made have been in a previous life, before Eywa granted them Na’vi form.

Celestial Bodies

Bininya - the third biggest moon circling Payina, smaller than both Eywa and Valili both, earning her a place as the youngest of the sisters. Bininya is pale in colour, a pearly white which reflects Payina’s blue glow. She is said to be the most timid of the sisters, shy and reclusive, never straying far from Payina’s side. Once, she was said to have fallen in love with the sun, Tsawke, becoming one part of the pair of first lovers. Tsawake and Bininya were too distant however to ever do more than gaze at each other longingly, Bininya unwilling to leave her sisters side, earning her a place in the tale of the first heartbreak.

Eywa - the goddess, the living spirit of Pandora. Eywa embodies every living thing upon the moon, as well as the moon itself. All things are part of her, and all things live upon her surface. She is seen as the great mother, the one who gives life to all living things, and the one to whom life returns when it has run its course. All living creatures are her children and beloved by her. The Na’vi revere her, believe her voice can be heard through the happenings of nature and through contact with things such as the Tree of Souls. Categorized by the humans as an extrasolar moon orbiting the gas giant of the Polyphemus.

Payina - Eywa’s eldest sister, known to the humans as the gas giant Polyphemus of the Alpha Centauri System. The planet is immense and blue, dominating the skies of Pandora, reflecting the luminous light of the sun. Payina is known to be gentle and kindly in nature, in her generosity creating her sisters and holding them aloft so that they might dance through the skies alongside her. Twice a year, Payina blocks the sun and causes an eclipse that lasts weeks, creating the long twilight - the Nul Txon'ongmaw. When the sun returns, it begins the coming of the rainy seasons, causing monsoons.

Tsawke - the sun, known to the humans as Alpha Centauri A, and the only male celestial body within the heavens. Tsawke is both ferocious and gentle, his light bringing with it the life which allows all things to grow, touching fertile soil and bringing life. While present within Na’vi stories, Tsawke often takes a secondary role to the Eywa and her sisters, who the Na’vi revere more greatly. Tsawke came into existence in the same moment as Payina, with the rest of the sisters following afterwards.

Valili - the biggest moon orbiting Payina, the second eldest of the sisters. Valili is a fraction of Payina’s size, coloured a deep dusty red run through with veins of marbled ivory. She can be seen circling her eldest sister, often bright in the sky at different times of years, her presence having the greatest influence on Pandora’s tides. Because of her relationship with the ocean, Valili is said to be the one who summons storms, and so is known to have a fickle, antagonistic nature. Valili’s presence is used to mark when Uniltaron may be performed, with the ceremony carried out beneath her bright light as she reaches her apex in the sky. This time only comes once or twice a year, making it a rare event to plan for.

Clans

Atinikya - a desert dwelling clan of Na’vi, from far to the [direction]. The Atinikya are secretive and private, rarely allowing visitors. They hide their faces from all but their mates and children, shrouding their bodies to protect themselves from the heat of the sun. What little of their skin is visible tends to be painted with patterns of dye, the meaning of which is known only to them. The Atinikya are one of the few clans that don’t live together, residing instead in smaller family groups spread out through their territory, which shift and intermingle, moving between watering spots.

Kekuna’an - a coastal clan of Na’vi, lead by the Olo’ekytan Wi’erya. The clan makes their homes in the stormy cliffs above the ocean, hunting great beasts of the deep atop their ikran. Members of the Kekuna’an are known for their tattoos, often geometric patterns in red and black, and for their great skill as warriors. Life on the coast is harsh and violent, and those who dwell there are fierce and not easily swayed by fear.

Li’ona - a jungle dwelling clan, similar to the Omatikaya, located a great distance away. They are the most remote of the Omatikaya’s near neighbors. Members of the clan are known for their habits of scarification, writing the important events of their lives into the skin in the form of patterns.

Omatikaya - a jungle dwelling clan, led by Eytukan and Mo’at. The clan makes their living off the bounty of the jungle and are known for their skill in weaving, trading great story tapestries woven on the mas’kit nivi sa’nok in exchange for goods from the other clans. Members of the Omatikaya are known for the fine bead-work in their clothing and hair, and for the beauty of their hair braids.

Siwana’ate - a grasslands clan, located [direction]. While the Omatikaya prize ikran, the Siwana’ate hold pa’li in utmost reverence, so much of their lives taking place on the back of their great mounts. The clan is migratory, shifting with the grassland rains and following the great herds that dwell there. Members of the Siwana’ate clan are known for their body piercings, made of carved bone, and for their jewelry, each grown Siwana’ate typically wearing upwards two dozen bangles and bracelets. The clan is one of the Omatikaya’s closest contacts, the two often trading, with the Siwana’ate giving the Omatikaya pottery and ceramics in exchange for their baskets and weave-work.

Biology and Anatomy

Operculi - breathing holes used by creatures of Pandora to allow additional air to enter their respiratory systems, allowing them to compensate for their large size. Typically found along the neck, but also sometimes located along the belly and ribs. Often covered with a flap of skin that open and closes as they breath.

Tsaheylu - the bond. A connection between minds and spirits formed when two beings connect their tswin. It allows them to feel each other’s mind and bodies as if they were a single being. It is used when riding pa’li, when bonding with ikran, any activity in which animals and people must work in harmony and unison. Among Na’vi, it is only performed among mates, with the act of two adult Na’vi connecting minds being what binds them as a mated pair.

Tswin - a neural cord of delicate sensitive pink tendrils, which are connected directly to the owner’s brain, known to humans as the queue. All beings on Pandora have a tswin in some form or another, in animals tswin often manifesting within long antenna, typically occurring in a pair of two. Na’vi have a single tswin that emerges from the base of their skull, which they conceal and protect within a long braid. A Na’vi will only ever touch the tswin of their mate and their children, helping their child braid their tswin until the age when they can manage the task themselves.

Plants and Insects

Atokirina' - a seed of the Tree of Souls. While technically a plant, it has an appearance more like an animal, similar to a small jellyfish that drifts gently through the air, glowing faintly. To see one is an auspicious sign, and they are seen as portents and envoys of the will of Eywa.

Eyaye - also known as a warbonnet fern. A jungle species of herbaceous plant with a splaying fan of iridescent blue leaves, split into numerous long fingers.

Ean’su - also known as the blue palm, a spaces of tree which grows in the jungles of Pandora. It’s leaves are a vibrant blue, glowing with soft pink patterns at night. The leaves a common weaving material used by the Omatikaya.

Ie’tswesya - a water anemone, found in rivers and other sources of deep fresh water, such as jungle pools and lakes. They are the main source of bioluminescence in water, glowing in a range of pinks, purples, blues, and greens, lighting up the water. Their long fingers sway gently in the current, surrounding a great circular face. Though large, they only grow up to four feet tall, lying low in the riverbed.

Hahaw’syu - a type of flower which grows deep in the forest, a vine with curling deep-purple flowers. The flowers contain compounds that have sedative properties, and are collected and dried by Na’vi, burned as incense. The smoke is used by Na’vi healers as a sedative, and sometimes as an anesthetic.

Kiyal-iyt - a species of small black jungle beetle, whose shell are ground for medicinal use. It’s use as an antitoxin by Na’vi, and is use to treat many forms of poisoning them, among them the toxin of the tìhawnuwll. The species can be found near water, often among river reeds.

Litsi’i - a species of jungle plant, grass-like in nature, with long narrow pale green leaves. They can be found growing on the forest floor, or sometimes on the branches of greater trees, where soil and loam have accumulated, the plants themselves sometimes spanning up to seven feet in height. The leaves are collected by Na’vi and woven still green to make baskets, which when left to dry for a few hours tighten and become water-tight.

Loreyu - known to the humans as a helicoradian. It’s a species that’s neither entirely plant or animal, existing in a similar functional niche to aquatic filter feeders. The main part of the plant is composed of a large spiraling orange fan which is held in the open air, absorbing sunlight and filtering the air for particle matter. When touched and startled, the loreyu will retract its leaves into the base of its stem, retreating into a defensive position.

Ptkia - a type of nut, not unlike a hazelnut, with a hard thick shell, and a small round seed within. It’s crushed and used to make a type of ground meal, which can be used to make savory cakes by mixing with water, spices, and shredded meat.

Rawp - small bulb plant, with glowing blue-turquoise skin, known to the humans as bladder polyps. They’re common in the undergrowth and growing on the bark of great trees, and are grown throughout the hometree by the Omatikaya for the light they provide. They aren’t typically eaten, but have been used as a famine food in times of great hunger and strife.

Syo’siyk - a light-bringing willow, a type of tree found in the jungles of Pandora with long weeping leaves. Technically grows as an epiphany, its roots anchored to the branches of great forest trees, forming part of the upper canopy. At night, its leaves are patterned with glowing turquoise patterns. Within the rotting wood of this tree live eltungawng, glowing worms which are collected for use during Uniltaron.

Tìhawnuwll - a toxic plant that grows in the jungle, very similar in appearance to the psiwll. It’s small, with clustered leaves that are a deep waxy green, run through with red veins. Leaf hairs on the surface of the leaves contain a potent neurotoxin capable which enters the bloodstream on contact. The area of contact must be washed immediately if contact is made.

Txur’tleki - a species of jungle shrub with thick waxy leaves, made up of a series of long stalks which give rise to great wide leaves, spread out in long fingers, each leaf up to several feet in width and length. The underside of the leaves reveal the veins of the plant, where thick fibers give it structure. The Na’vi cut and collect the leaves of this species, drying them and extracting the tough fibers for use in weaving baskets.

Foods

Atiweni'i - a type of savory cake made using the ground meal of the ptkia nut, mixed with spices, water, and shredded meat to make a thick paste that is then wrapped in leaves and cooked in the embers of a fire or steamed. The result is filling and warm, and is commonly eaten by Na’vi of the Omatikaya Clan.

Hayal'zize - honey of the zize, or hellwasp (see: animal glossary). Rich in energy, and prized both as a delicacy and as a food for the pregnant, elderly, and infirm, Na’vi will often embark on group endeavors to go harvest honey from the a zize nest. The process can take several hours and be dangerous, requiring lulling the wasps into a sedated state using smoke in order to access the hive.

Layon’suk - a type of black fruit, with a similar texture to a pear. Often collected during the rainy season, when the fruit reach their sweetest taste. They can be eaten raw, but are considered a delicacy when wrapped and cooked within the embers of a fire.

Piak - a type of pale white insect grub, similar to a caterpillar, with translucent creamy skin and a small black head. The larvae are fat, reaching up to 5cm in length. They’re eaten by the Na’vi, often as a food for those who are sick or weakened, so that they may keep up their strength. Their taste is earthy and slightly bitter.

Psiwll - a type of small jungle plant with waxy green leaves run through with red, easily mistaken for the toxic tìhawnuwll, which looks very similar. The paleness of the base of the psiwll’s stem, right above the root, is the main factor distinguishing the two. The seeds of the plant are edible and are collected and ground to make a sort of rough pancake.

Okoyya - a type of small purple berry, which is known for its intense sweetness. It grows on vines, and can be found on the stems on the underside of the leaves. It’s most common application is in making tsu’tsukiiya, or in fermenting in swo’er to create a very sweet type of wine.

Swo’er - a type of fermented wine, made from jungle fruit spiced with herbs. It’s sour and potent, brewed in great ceramic jars which are stored in the ground chamber of the hometree. The store of jars is brewed collectively by the clan, with the drink broken out at special events. Each jar can take several months to brew, kept for up to two years. The Omatikaya rarely make their own ceramics, instead trading for these jars with the Siwana’ate.

Syalsi - a type of small jungle berry, which grows on a vine, similar to a blackberry. Their taste is strong and sour, and they’re eaten by infirm Na’vi to keep their strength up. Men will often collect them for their pregnant mates, or families will gather them to offer to elderly relatives.

Syä'ämauti - small vibrantly yellow berries, each about the size of a small bead. They’re intensely sour and inedible in their raw form, traditionally eaten by passing them through the flames to roast them a little, with the charring and heat mobilizing the sugars in the berries and sweetening them. They’re eaten in small potions, or in conjunction with other meals to add flavor.

Tsu’tsukiiya - a type of N’avi confectionery, often made on special occasions and considered a great delicacy. Its made by grinding the spicy shell of a unyor'ii fruit, then mixing the resulting hot spice with melted fat from a swey'yayao, and dipping a sweet okoyya berry in it. The berry is then passed through the fire, glazing the fat-spice mixture and hardening it into a crunchy shell. The resulting food is extremely spicy, and extremely sweet, with a crisp thin out of shell of burning spice around a hot and juicy inner berry.

Unyor'ii - a type of fruit, composed of a dark orange berry within a deep red shell. The shell is inedible by itself, and the fruit a very potent and somewhat unpleasant taste. When ground however the shell can be used to make a form of very hot spice, which is used in small quantities for seasoning foods or as a principle ingredient in tsu’tsukiiya.

Wehi’ang - a type of beetle grub, with black skin and thin plates of armor. A common food of the Omatikaya, collected and roasted over the fire until the grub’s armor blackens and splits. Savory in flavor, and very filling, often cooked with spices and herbs.

Items

Nivi - a sleeping hammock, woven out of living ‘ana vines. The shell of the nivi reacts to touch, and can be stroked to curl around the sleeper or to open wider. The weaving of a nivi is a family affair, with parents and siblings helping out. Subtle patterns in the weave reflect the owner’s family and heritage. Nivi hang together in the upper levels of the hometree, strung over open space, and its common etiquette never to peer into another Na’vi’s nivi.

Mas’kit nivi sa’nok - the mother loom. The pride and joy of the Omatikaya, and the frame within they make their great story tapestries. It stands six meters tall, strung through the air in the ground cavern of the hometree. Weavers must climb upon it to work it, with as many as four weaves capable of working on it together at once.

Swaynivi - a family hammock, greater in size and meant for a mated pair with children. Typically built in anticipation of the birth of the first child, and shared by the children and parents until the children reach adulthood, when they may start seeking their own mates and start their own families. Patterns on the nivi reflect the two families that have been bound by the union.

Tswal'huru - translate’s almost exactly to ‘the great pot’. A stone cauldron carved several generations ago by the Omatikaya’s forefathers, used for various purposes by the clan. Most often, it is used by the weavers to boil dyes and process fibers for making cloth, but its also used by most members of the clan when making new bows, since its one of the few easy ways to generate a great deal of steam in a controlled environment. Located in a nook in the hometree’s exterior roots, where ground drips to form a natural cavern.

Txampay-sklxe - blue sea stone, a type of obsidian found in the coastal margins, among the storm cliffs where the Kekuna’an dwell. The stone is black and glossy, near translucent, and hued in blue. With force it can he chipped, creating a razor sharp edge that will stay sharp for years if tended to carefully. Txampay-sklxe is prized among the Kekuna’an for its use in making weapons and tools, and can only rarely be found elsewhere, making it a key item of trade for the Kekuna’an.

#my writing #vitra te ikran #james cameron avatar #pandora #glossary #speculative biology #alien flora and fauna #na'vi #actually just gonna shove a whole book in there

31 notes · View notes