#iwi tribe

[victoriadallonfan]

Not to claim Godzilla x Kong was a deep film, but credit where it’s due, it has by far the most respectful portrayal of indigenous people in all of the Kong films.

This is not a high bar and I’m NOT saying it’s the pinnacle of progressive film work, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

Spoilers below, of course.

For those of you who haven’t seen any of the older Kong films outside of the Monsterverse, the general plot beat is that a wealthy businessman/philanthropist/greedy asshole goes to Skull Island to find something new to make a lot of money (film for the OG/Peter Jackson and Oil for the 70’s film), and comes across a tribe of “barbarian” natives who kidnap the beautiful white woman whom they sacrifice to Kong, whom they worship.

It’s such a cliche that even Peter Jackson does it in his 2005 film (and it’s possibly even more racist than the older ones):

As you can see, there is a very familiar pattern

The Iwi tribe of the Monsterverse is handled very differently

In Kong: Skull Island, it actually does try to play into previous viewers perceptions; we meet the Iwi as the protags stumble upon their village ruins and are surrounded by. Tension is tight, and it looks like it’ll be a repeat of the previous films… until the character of Hank Marlow arrives and diffuses the tension entirely, revealing that the Iwi have been generous and caring hosts to him.

And yes, while they do worship Kong, it’s not out of fear, but rather that Kong protects them from the hazards of Skull Island. The Iwi are the ones who help the crew get a working ship and aid them in escaping the island.

This is followed up in Godzilla vs Kong, where we tragically learn that a massive tropical storm (I think implied to be due to King Ghidorah hurricanes) sank the entire island and left Jia as the sole survivor of her tribe, saved due to Kong protecting her from the rising floods.

Kong and Jia are then seen as a near inseparable duo, further twisting the “beauty and beast” dynamic of the previous films, making it more about how they are both alone except for each other. Kong even learns sign language from Jia in one of the best movie reveals of the series:

It’s even Jia who is able to give Kong the morale boost to save Godzilla from Mechagodzilla.

And then we get into Godzilla x Kong. Kong and Jia, while having a new home, still feel isolated because of their cultures (or lack thereof) and make excuses to see each other as much as possible. Which is turned on its head as Kong finds other Apes and the Iwi tribe have returned (or at least) an offshoot of them, as the protectors of humanity who calls Godzilla to their aid.

I was a bit wary of making them telepathic, but I liked that they used it more like a separate language than a superpower, with Jia serving as that bridge as she finds her culture, her adoptive mother accepts that Jia may want this life more than one back home (where she felt out of place), and Jia becoming ANOTHER bridge as she helps resurrect Mothra who goes onto make Godzilla and Kong form an alliance!

Ultimately, Jia parts ways with the Iwi on good terms to live with her adoptive mother, happy to know there are people of her culture she can visit and Kong lives on with his people.

But I especially appreciate a moment in the film that pretty much lampshades the older Kong movies.

One of the characters is filming himself and others as they venture into Hollow Earth, desperate to get his fame and fortune in making people realize he was a hero and not a conspiracy theorist (he was a spy for Apex Labs, the ones who built mechagodzilla in the first place). Another character is an animal doctor and naturalist, who points out that, historically, native populations don’t tend to do well when exposed to the modern world.

Add on to the fact that the Iwi are telepathic and know how to use crystals to alter gravity in Hollow Earth, they would absolutely be the target of government operations and experimentation. Aka, a far more grand version of what happens in the older Kong films.

The film ends with the footage not being used and the Iwi living in peace, having Mothra once more to protect them.

Like I said, it’s not groundbreaking stuff, but I appreciate how different it is.

[sonicasura]

King Kong X Transformers Prime Crossover, does Team Prime ever meet the Iwi People or the tribe of humans living on the island?

They do actually! One of Iacon's data drives had ended up on Skull Island as an Iwi villager saw it when gathering for herbs. The bots were definitely surprised to discover humans lived in such a dangerous place.

Optimus couldn't help but compare the Iwi to Cityspeakers upon learning about their connection to Kaiju like Kong. Wonder serves as a translator for the group since the Iwi are nonverbal. While the bots went to retrieve the tribe, the kids stayed at the village.

It wasn't hard for the villagers to notice their respective skills and decide to help flourish it. Jack learned about various medicine, Raf got a chance to understand glyphs while Miko had some spear training. Ratchet honestly though the kids would've left the village but instantly ate his words upon seeing the trio relax by the river.

For what was the drive, it contained various mix media on it. Cultures, sports games, interviews with the various archivists, and anything else you find in a local library. It wasn't something that would help them win the war but held a lot of sentimental value.

Another thing which survived Cybertron's destruction and what everything once been.

[adm-starblitzsteel-4305]

Baby kong: fear me!

Iwi: *pats his head*

Baby kong: nuuuu! I big! I scary!

Iwi people: *bowed before him*

Baby Kong: Huh? What's the meaning of this?

Iwi child: *touches him* Our Protector.

[thecatspirits]

Just stumbled upon the beautiful art of throat singing which is done among multiple cultures across the world, including the indigenous people of Canada (Inuit, First Nations, Métis), Mongolia, Tibet, etc. I was watching videos of it to help me understand what it was and people were commenting on videos on how it sounded, specifically in a negative way, and it makes me so sad to see. I wish people could learn to respect those who are trying to keep their cultures alive and understand that we are all different. Just because it doesn't sound like modern pop or rock music doesn't mean it is any less beautiful!

[reasonsforhope]

A mountain in New Zealand considered an ancestor by Indigenous people was recognized as a legal person on Thursday [January 30, 2025] after a new law granted it all the rights and responsibilities of a human being.

Mount Taranaki — now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Māori name — is the latest natural feature to be granted personhood in New Zealand, which has ruled that a river and a stretch of sacred land are people before. The pristine, snow-capped dormant volcano is the second highest on New Zealand's North Island at 2,518 meters (8,261 feet) and a popular spot for tourism, hiking and snow sports.

The legal recognition acknowledges the mountain's theft from the Māori of the Taranaki region after New Zealand was colonized. It fulfills an agreement of redress from the country's government to Indigenous people for harms perpetrated against the land since.

How can a mountain be a person?

The law passed Thursday gives Taranaki Maunga all the rights, powers, duties, responsibilities and liabilities of a person. Its legal personality has a name: Te Kāhui Tupua, which the law views as "a living and indivisible whole." It includes Taranaki and its surrounding peaks and land, "incorporating all their physical and metaphysical elements."

A newly created entity will be "the face and voice" of the mountain, the law says, with four members from local Māori iwi, or tribes, and four members appointed by the country's Conservation Minister.

Why is this mountain special?

"The mountain has long been an honored ancestor, a source of physical, cultural and spiritual sustenance and a final resting place," Paul Goldsmith, the lawmaker responsible for the settlements between the government and Māori tribes, told Parliament in a speech on Thursday.

But colonizers of New Zealand in the 18th and 19th centuries took first the name of Taranaki and then the mountain itself. In 1770, the British explorer Captain James Cook spotted the peak from his ship and named it Mount Egmont.

In 1840, Māori tribes and representatives of the British crown signed the Treaty of Waitangi — New Zealand's founding document — in which the Crown promised Māori would retain rights to their land and resources. But the Māori and English versions of the treaty differed — and Crown breaches of both began immediately.

In 1865, a vast swathe of Taranaki land, including the mountain, was confiscated to punish Māori for rebeling against the Crown. Over the next century hunting and sports groups had a say in the mountain's management — but Māori did not.

"Traditional Māori practices associated with the mountain were banned while tourism was promoted," Goldsmith said. But a Māori protest movement of the 1970s and '80s has led to a surge of recognition for the Māori language, culture and rights in New Zealand law.

Redress has included billions of dollars in Treaty of Waitangi settlements — such as the agreement with the eight tribes of Taranaki, signed in 2023.

How will the mountain use its rights?

"Today, Taranaki, our maunga, our maunga tupuna, is released from the shackles, the shackles of injustice, of ignorance, of hate," said Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, a co-leader of the political party Te Pāti Māori and a descendant of the Taranaki tribes, using a phrase that means ancestral mountain.

"We grew up knowing there was nothing anyone could do to make us any less connected," she added.

The mountain's legal rights are intended to uphold its health and wellbeing. They will be employed to stop forced sales, restore its traditional uses and allow conservation work to protect the native wildlife that flourishes there. Public access will remain.

Do other parts of New Zealand have personhood?

New Zealand was the first country in the world to recognize natural features as people when a law passed in 2014 granted personhood to Te Urewera, a vast native forest on the North Island. Government ownership ceased and the tribe Tūhoe became its guardian.

"Te Urewera is ancient and enduring, a fortress of nature, alive with history; its scenery is abundant with mystery, adventure, and remote beauty," the law begins, before describing its spiritual significance to Māori. In 2017, New Zealand recognized the Whanganui River as human, as part of a settlement with its local iwi.

How much support did the law receive?

The bill recognizing the mountain's personhood was affirmed unanimously by Parliament's 123 lawmakers. The vote was greeted by a ringing waiata — a Māori song — from the public gallery, packed with dozens who had traveled to the capital, Wellington, from Taranaki.

The unity provided brief respite in a tense period for race relations in New Zealand. In November, tens of thousands of people marched to Parliament to protest a law that would reshape the Treaty of Waitangi by setting rigid legal definitions for each clause. Detractors say the law — which is not expected to pass — would strip Māori of legal rights and dramatically reverse progress from the past five decades.

-via NPR, January 31, 2025

--

Note: The article doesn't get fully into the implications of the broader, global "rights of nature" movement (of which this is part), which is powerful tool for not only recognizing Indigenous ways of relating to the world, but also preventing ecological damage.

Examples of rights of nature include rivers having the right to not be polluted, etc. Powerful tool for leveraging the courts and legal frameworks against environmental destruction.

[crabussy]

(for clarification, aotearoa is the original māori name for new zealand and is used widely across the country. nz is also often referred to as "aotearoa new zealand" instead of one or the other!!!)

please reblog because I'm kiwi and I need this to get to people who don't follow me directly for less biased results!!!

here's a pronunciation guide for all of you asking [:

EDIT: someone has brought it to my attention that the FULL māori name for new zealand is aotearoa me te waipounamu, which encompasses both north and south island. Some iwi (māori communities/tribes) would rather that aotearoa me te waipounamu become the official name for the country. thank you everyone who is providing opportunities for learning in this post!!

[catboydan]

ok this was completely unintentional but everyone is calling the kiwi backpack the phiwi which is adorable but also:

in Māori, “iwi” means tribe/clan/people. putting that ph in front of it is like. the phiwi. the phan family. that’s us isn’t it. god help me. the fucking phiwi

[zzthekaiju]

So, Godzilla X Mothra as a Monsterverse movie, hmm...

Well, I got a lot of replies to the big comic saying that they’d like to hear my pitch for a GxM movie. So, here you go!

The film should be, at its core, of the romance genre variety. For both the kaiju and the human sub-plots. The overarching theme should not only be the Monsterverse’s usual “natural balance” motif, but also that of loving one another despite our differences and flaws, or perhaps because of them.

After all, “If you love a person, you accept the total person. With all the defects. Because those defects are a part of the person.”

 Obviously, Godzilla and Mothra are at the center of the kaiju side of the story. Big G is still patrolling for rogue titans while Mothra has made residence in Indonesia. Monarch returns with Madison Russell trying to prove her worth as a part of it. However, not only is her stubborn attitude grating on everyone, but her head is in a whirlwind because of Mothra’s newest ambassador: A good-natured and pacifistic young lady her age native to where the big bug titan lives. She and this newcomer (we’ll call her Lora for simplicity’s sake) are a mirror to Godzilla and Mothra. Also, Bernie and Trapper should return because there was NO way they weren’t having eyes for each other in the last movie.

As for our two kaiju, their relationship hits a snag when a new titan shows up with an uncanny resemblance to Mothra. And yes, this will be the Monsterverse’s answer to Battra (we’ll call him that here from now on). Battra is something of an older brother to Mothra, and the two have a very strong connection. Unfortunately, Battra’s way of handling protecting the Earth runs counter to how Godzilla does it (as in, wipe out human settlements and attack titans for the most minor of infractions), and Big G tries to handle it the only way he knows how (ie, beating him to death). But not only is Battra much stronger than he lets on (complete with an ability to control plant life), but Mothra intervenes on her ancestor’s side out of familial loyalty (she’s unaware of Battra killing people at this point), causing the king and queen to come to blows until she and Battra emerge victorious, driving Godzilla away.

This turns out to be a really bad move, as Battra is determined to wipe out humanity, believing them to be a scourge that Mothra foolishly trusted. Mothra doesn’t realize her mistake until Battra wipes out an entire village for the crime of being near a forest. She tries to stop him, but nearly gets killed before retreating.

Monarch’s main goal throughout the film is to reunite Godzilla and Mothra, requiring them to look high and low for clues to how this unique symbiotic relationship came to be. A major stop is the Hollow Earth Iwi tribe, which shows how the two met in the first place, and gives Jia a chance to enter the narrative. As time goes by, Madison and Lora’s relationship goes from “unstoppable force meets immovable object” to them finding common ground, and eventually falling in love. It’s them that enables Monarch to hatch a plan. With the help of Jia, and Madison’s mastery of the ORCA, they set Godzilla and Mothra up to meet again. Of course, they’re all rather surprised to see Godzilla so thoroughly heartbroken and ashamed of himself that he submits to her like any titan would to him. But as Jia translates Mothra’s thoughts, the insect Goddess and her king make up for each other’s faults.

Soon, it’s Godzilla and Mothra vs. Battra. But it’s not easy, as Battra has mastery over the elements, giving him an advantage over Godzilla by summoning giant plants to ensnare and attack him. Mothra gets in a lot of good hits, but in the end, it’s a combination attack from king and queen that destroys Battra’s wings, and reduces him to harmlessness. To show how much he trusts his queen, Godzilla allows him to live and Mothra to decide his fate. She ultimately has him confined to the same place she lives so that he has familial company. It ultimately ends with Godzilla and Mothra resting at the area where they first met, as Monarch watches from a safe distance with Madison and Lora sharing their first kiss. At least one person, probably Bernie, states that it’s the best double date ever.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

If anyone has other ideas/opinions, feel free to let me know!

[takataapui]

hi there, i'm sorry if you're not interested in answering these kinds of questions, but i'm having a lot of difficulty understanding the treaty principles bill that's being brought to parliament. all the sources ive read seem to be using big words to confuse people who don't know any better, and sadly i am one of those people. i have no idea what impact this would have if it passes. could you give any clarification?

copypasting from @sandumilfshou, thanks for this explanation e hoa, my little vent post blew up way more than I was expecting:

the treaty principles bill is essentially "redefining" the articles of te tiriti under david seymour's dumbass belief that acknowledging and putting into effect any policy or legislation that does this means that te tiriti is giving māori "special privileges" that no other people in aotearoa have and therefore is racist. so it basically seeks to redefine the two parties within te tiriti from māori and the crown to "all new zealanders" and the crown. effectively this destroys the whole point of te tiriti and would remove any/all protections for māori as tangata whenua* and undermine rangatiratanga** completely. its insidious and disgusting ✊🖤❤️🤍✊ *broadly this can be understood as the recognised acknowledged indigenous people of the land **sovereignty and self determination of māori. this particular word has a lot of meaning that the original te tiriti signing fucked over due to eng/te reo translation bullshit

I'll also add that there are heaps of iwi (loosely translated as tribes) that haven't been able to/had the resources to file a treaty claim with the Waitangi Tribunal (a system created to 'reconcile' the ways Te Tiriti was breached), so Principle 2 fucks over a lot of smaller iwi and hapū.

As well as my mention of the hīkoi being a reason why the bill was introduced earlier, it's also highly likely that the date change was due at least in part to the Waitangi Tribunal not being able to publish material related to government bills once they've been introduced.

[spoodleydoodley]

Here's the 5th piece in my Monsterverse Gijinka series, depicting Titanus Kong! This represents Kong during the events of GxK, so he still bears the scars of his battle against Gojira, and wields his battle axe and his new Beast Glove~ I wanted to go for somewhat of an Iwi look, the warriors of the Skull Island tribe being adorned with yellow markings I gave him a lone shackle, a reminder of a time when the King was a captive, and to nod to the recurring theme of Kong in chains Hope you all like this design for the King of the Hollow Earth~

[xclowniex]

i’m american and our country doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to indigenous rights, but i’m very curious as to how new zealand approaches indigenous rights differently. one of my friends grew up in new zealand but she has american parents and moved back here for college, and she performed the haka for me one time because i was curious about it. in the states, this would be considered cultural appropriation (and rightfully so), but is it alright to do in new zealand? she told me that haka is taught in new zealand preschools to both maori and non-maori, and this is very interesting that new zealand does this because in america there’s barely any recognition of indigenous people. is maori culture more prevalent in mainstream (white? mainstream may be the wrong word to use here) culture?

In terms of a non Māori person doing the haka being cultural appropriation or not, it really depends on the situation.

If the person is doing it to make fun of it, then it is bad and disrespectful.

If a person is part of a haka group or representing the country then it's not cultural appropriation whatsoever. The all blacks do a haka before every match and not all of the players are Māori and there are pakeha (white people) who are part of top haka groups who perform it.

We do learn it in most schools. I learnt it as a kid. The reason for it is because it's one of the easiest things to do to introduce children to Māori culture. You also learn and use some te reo Māori in school too. Most basic instructions like listen, stand up, sit down, etc and greetings like good morning, hello, etc were said in te reo Māori more than English where I went to primary school.

I would say no, that it wasn't cultural appropriation for her to do it to show you. If she acted like an expert on Haka or Māori culture, then yes. But if she simply did it to show you it, then no as long as it wasn't one which is reserved only for those of a specific iwi (tribe) to do.

Excusing the Act Party cause of their current BS, the general attitude in New Zealand surrounding Māori culture is that we try to integrate it into our life and county's culture whilst still reserving certain cultural things for only Māori to do.

For example, Māori funeral rites should only be lead by Māori. But everyone is encouraged to learn some of the language and culture.

My favorite thing from Māori culture that I find really useful is Te whare tapa whā wellbeing model

Essentially if one of the walls of your house isn't sturdy, the whole house isn't sturdy, and you should strengthen the wall.

It's been really helpful for me in managing my mental health without medication as the various meds I've been prescribed in the past have too many negative side effects.

I wouldn't say that Māori culture is equal in the mainstream to the same level that pakeha culture is, but it is definitely more mainstream than native amercian culture is in the states and Canada.

There is a government funded Māori channel, Māori are included in most NZ shows.

There is still a long way to go in terms of Māori culture being the norm as well as representation, but it is better that the states.

I guess the only way for you to get an accurate idea is to watch some NZ shows.

I reccomend wellington paranormal as it is super funny. There is also Shortland street if you want to watch a mind numbing, should have ended a decade ago, hospital drama.

[whencyclopedia]

In Darwin's Footsteps - Te Waimate Mission

The Bay of Islands is a subtropical region in New Zealand's far north and is a popular destination for big-game fishing, sailing, and dolphin watching. It is an area rich in the history of Maori (Māori in their own language) and European (Pākehā) relations and conflict.

The American author of adventure novels, Zane Grey (1872-1939 CE), catapulted the region to international fame when he visited the Bay of Islands in the 1920s CE. A renowned angler, Grey brought along an entourage that included cooks and cameramen. He managed to upset New Zealanders with his criticism of local fishing practices and his lavish lifestyle at a time when economic depression was looming.

But before Zane Grey's notorious visit, the Bay of Islands was known for its role in establishing a model farm that was visited and admired by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882 CE). The farm was part of a once-extensive mission station that hosted the second signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document (1840 CE).

The Waimate Mission station and farm sits atop a small rise surrounded by the sloping pastoral landscape of Waimate, Bay of Islands and preserves New Zealand's early colonial architecture and missionary history. The British missionaries who set up the mission can be given credit for introducing European farming practices to New Zealand, and their story is one of courage and resilience.

The Founding of Te Waimate Mission

The Waimate Mission station is now called Te Waimate Mission (te being “the” in Maori), and it was established by the Church Missionary Society of London when the site was chosen in 1830 CE by the Reverend Samuel Marsden (1765 – 1838 CE). The Society was founded in 1796 CE with the objective of carrying the Christian message to distant lands, particularly Africa, India, and New Zealand.

Marsden had already set up Anglican missions in the Bay of Islands at Rangihoua (1814 CE), Kerikeri (1820 CE), and Paihia (1823 CE), and he strongly believed that an inland mission station was needed to bring missionaries in closer contact with Maori tribes (iwi). But a strong reason for locating the mission in Waimate was the distraction to missionaries and Maori of the lawless outpost of Kororareka.

Kororareka means 'The Place of the Sweet Penguins' in Maori language (Te Reo). It was anything but in the early 1800s CE. Kororareka (now called Russell) was the biggest whaling station in the southern hemisphere and ships, sealers, sailors, and merchants would visit to "refit and refresh". Drunkenness and prostitution were the town's main attractions. Observers referred to Kororareka as the “hell hole of the Pacific” or “Gomorrah, the scourge of the Pacific”.

Marsden was troubled by what he saw and decided that twelve miles inland from Kororareka was a safe enough distance away from the mischievous ways of sailors and the temptation of alcohol. Missionaries had visited the Waimate area for many years prior to 1830 CE. Marsden had also held talks with the Maori chief (rangatira), Hongi Hika (1772-1828 CE), in 1823 CE about the possibility of establishing a farm in the area.

What the missionaries found were abundant fields of maize, sweet potatoes (kumara) brought to New Zealand from the Pacific Islands by early Maori settlers, and native tree ferns the height of which prevented Marsden and his missionaries from getting a clear view to survey potential land sites. Marsden most likely selected the area because of the volcanic clay loam soil, and he felt it would be fertile land for agriculture because he was also a farmer of some note.

The Church Missionary Society selected the Reverend William Yate (1802-1877 CE) to be the resident clergyman of the mission, along with lay missionaries George Clarke (1823-1913 CE), Richard Davis (1790-1863 CE), and James Hamlin (1803-1865 CE). Men who took up missionary work often came from interesting and varied backgrounds; Yate was a scholar, Clarke was a gunsmith, while Davis had been a successful tenant farmer in Dorsetshire, England, and Hamlin a weaver by trade.

Yate signed the deed of purchase for 735 acres (297 hectares) in September 1830 CE following negotiations with the Ngapuhi tribe (Ngāpuhi iwi) and walking over the region for many months to find the right parcel of land. The missionaries also needed to respect the land where Maori laid their dead before permanent burial (wahi tapu).

By 1840 CE, not one of these men remained at the mission. Years of backbreaking work clearing the land of tangled scrub and tall bracken ferns along with building the mission houses had taken their toll. Clarke was offered a position in the new colonial government when New Zealand became a British possession in 1840 CE.

Yate left in disgrace having been accused of improper relations with an officer on board the Prince Regent, which brought him from England. On hearing the news, Marsden sent Yate back to England, where the Church Missionary Society promptly dismissed him. His colleagues in New Zealand burnt his belongings and shot his horse.

Despite this fall from grace, work started on the permanent homes for the missionaries and the model farm, with George Clarke taking a leading role.

Continue reading...

[adm-starblitzsteel-4305]

*•_MINOR SPOILERS_•*

As far as I am eager to see GxK in April, there's a rumor of the film that Jia's Iwi Tribe, has survived deep in the Hollow Earth (how is this possible?):

And to confirm about Mothra's role and appearance in the film, yes, moreover the Queen of the Monsters is on the underground Iwi Temple guarded by webbing (dude since when did she hatches out after the events in KOTM and then goes about on mid-GvK, how did she managed to get on the Iwis?), as you may have noticed here:

Whereas the Iwis foresaw Skar King's return and the war, therefore they used Jia to summon Mothra for help, looks like Jia has bonded over the Divine Moth before she explains everything about this situation; and may possibly for Mothra, she will put aside the differences of Godzilla's and Kong's rivalry to settle down and stop this madness:

I cannot possibly imagine if this is what it happens in GxK, then Adam Wingard totally cooks the film. Lastly, I couldn't read the words just below the keychain Mothra, is it "Reborn", or a new ability?

Anyway, you are free to reblog and comment down! (NO FLAMES PLEASE)

P.S. This spoiler is just only minor so, if there are changes on the film, then be done with it.

[birdhouseblogredux25]

I've been rewatching the past two Godzilla versus Kong movies in the monsterverse, and I'm sitting here making myself realize that Megalon would make a perfect fit for the third Godzilla X Kong movie.

1.) In the original Godzilla versus Megalon movie from the showa era there was an underground civilization known as Seatopia. The Seatopians were pissed off at the surface world for conducting nuclear tests that are destroying their peace, so they summoned Megalon to destroy the surface world.

2.) We know that humans, mostly from what we know, have lived in the hollow Earth for many centuries and most of them, the Iwi tribe, traveled up to Skull Island to live there with the protection of the Kongs.

3.) And on top of that the hollow Earth has so much to explore not just from Godzilla's origins but also the possibility that megalon could be residing in deep sleep or controlled by the seatopians.

4.) This will never happen but it's something I think I'll be interesting to see and further the idea of humans trying to control the fabric of nature, just like how Company Apex uses their cybernetic expertise to create Mechagodzilla so that they can still be the apex predators of the planet fearing the power the Titans.

[monarch-afterdark]

Titan History: Mothra

Welcome once again to Monarch: After Dark, the digital gateway between you and the organisation dedicated to understanding and navigating this troubled new world we live in.

While most of you reading may be unaware, statistics on this social platform tell us on the After Dark team that this will be our 100th total post made, between informational entries, special reports, and answering everyone's questions! What an achievement! To mark the milestone, let us return to talking all things Titans with the mysterious and beautiful Queen of the Monsters, Mothra!

(Pictured above: Mothra's larval form, enraged by Emma Russell's misuse of the ORCA device, circa. 2019)

Monarch Database File: Mothra

Monarch Designation: Titanus Mosura

Height: 50 feet (larva), 52 feet (imago)

Wingspan: 803 feet

Nature: Unknown

Behavioural Classification: Protector

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A Titan with an extensive lineage closely intwined with the history of humanity, Mothra is often heralded as the guardian queen of the natural world, a beautiful and ethereal creature that clears out the darkness with her light and provides crucial aid to the planet's other guardians. A close ally of Godzilla, their relationship shows through eye-like patterns on Mothra's wings, and the devastating gift she is able to bestow upon him should she perish in battle.

Technically an immortal organism, Mothra is able to continually live on through different bodies, memories passing on genetically to her offspring through the eggs she lays, effectively granting Mothra the ability to reincarnate over and over. Mothra was first discovered by Monarch in 2009, though a connection between her and Monarch's Chen family spans generations of the family within the organisation.

Perhaps one of the most extreme instances of a bioluminescent Titan, Mothra uses the light generated by her body to produce powerful "god rays" that can clear cloudy skies, and be used as an energy pulse attack against other Titans. Mothra's sharpened limbs and concealed stinger also serve as formidable weapons up-close. Despite being one of the more benevolent Titans, Mothra is not to be underestimated.

There is some speculation within Monarch as to whether or not the Mothra sighted in 2027 aiding Godzilla and Kong is the true successor to the one that died in 2019. Evidence from some accounts suggests that the Mothra that resides in Malenka is instead a "mother Mothra" that has remained in the city for millenia, laying eggs on the surface so other Mothras could guard humanity, and that the 2019 individual was one of her successors. Evidence for this comes from Malenka itself, where a prophecy refers to Mothra using the same terminology as it uses for the ancient Titan Shimo, pointing to the city's guardian as the "first Mothra". While Monarch remains unsure if this is the case, this entry will refer to both Mothras collectively as one for clarity.

(Pictured above: Mothra appearing before Monarch and using her "god rays" to show a path to Godzilla's temple, circa. 2019)

Mothra's history dates back several millenia, where her allyship to Godzilla and other members of his species led to her taking their side in an ancient Hollow Earth conflict with the Great Apes. Her involvement with this battle was documented through cave paintings. At least one incarnation of Mothra was worshipped by the Iwi tribe of Malenka in the Hollow Earth, while another was seen as a diety by a primitive tribe on the surface.

Mothra would face death and rebirth multiple times over the centuries, one egg laying unhatched for centuries as her surface worshippers slowly died out, leaving behind only a temple to protect her.

In 1961, members of the Chen family who were 'second-generation' Monarch staff would learn about Mothra on Infant Island, where she was referred to as 'Mosura', or 'giver of life'. At some unknown point in their history, the Chen family developed a unique bond with Mothra that would be passed along to each generation born.

In 2009, Monarch finally found Mothra's egg, hidden away within the Temple of the Moth, in the Yunnan Rainforest. Outpost 61 was established within the temple itself to study Mothra and the remnants of her worshippers.

(Pictured above: A pacified larval Mothra regards Emma and Madison Russell, circa. 2019)

In 2019, Mothra was awakened from her slumber after Alan Jonah's organisation began their sabotage of Outpost 61. Peaceful for but a few moments, Mothra quickly became agitated and lashed out at Monarch guards surrounding her. Emma Russell attempted to use her ORCA sonar device to calm Mothra, initially only succeeding in further angering her, before finally managing to halt Mothra's rage. Mothra allowed Emma's daughter Madison to briefly touch her face before Jonah and his men stormed the outpost.

Escaping the temple, Mothra would make her way to a nearby waterfall and cocooned herself, preparing her metamorphosis into her imago form. After Monster Zero assumed command over the other Titans, Mothra emerged and made her way to Monarch's Castle Bravo base, using her bioluminescent "god rays" to show them a path toward Godzilla's temple, enabling them to revitalise Godzilla with a nuclear warhead.

Mothra would briefly travel back to China and lay a new egg, ensuring she would be able to reincarnate should she die, before flying to Boston to assist Godzilla in his battle with Monster Zero. She immobilized the three-headed dragon long enough for Godzilla to ram him through a building, before the fiery Rodan appeared and tackled Mothra to keep her occupied. Their battle left Mothra's wings burned, though she managed to take Rodan out of the fight by impaling him through the shoulder with her stinger.

(Pictured above: An injured Mothra crawling on top of a heavily wounded Godzilla, circa. 2019)

After Monster Zero carried Godzilla almost up to space and dropped him, Mothra crawled on top of Godzilla's body in an attempt to protect him. Using the last of her strength, Mothra charged toward Monster Zero, who shot at and ultimately killed Mothra with a powerful blast from his gravity beams. Mothra's ashes rained down onto Godzilla's body, infusing him with energy.

Her posthumous gift to Godzilla enabled him to enter a temporary superpowered state, where he burned everything around him and expelled nuclear energy through a series of pulses that completely disintegrated Monster Zero's body, and levelled Boston in a thermonuclear explosion.

Following her death and Godzilla's claim as king of the monsters, Monarch would discover Mothra's egg in China and relocate it to Tokyo, where it would be overseen by the current Chen sisters working under Monarch.

(Pictured above: Mothra, alongside Godzilla and Kong, circa. 2027)

In 2027, the Mothra guarding the Hollow Earth city of Malenka was awakened by Skull Island survivor Jia as part of an ancient Iwi prophecy. Mothra raced to the surface and used her god rays to quickly end a battle between Godzilla and Kong before the former could kill the latter. Her presence almost immediately pacified Godzilla, and the three Titans came to an unspoken agreement to work together.

Down in the Hollow Earth, Mothra provided assistance during the first part of Godzilla and Kong's battle with the Skar King and Shimo, using her webbing to hold back some of the Skar King's ape army. She would use her god rays again to give Shimo pause from firing her frost breath, allowing Godzilla to thaw himself out and continue his attack. Mothra did not join Godzilla and Kong on the surface for the final phase of their battle.

After the battle, Mothra used her webbing to repair the organic wall isolating Malenka from the rest of Hollow Earth, before flying away to resume her protection of Hollow Earth and the city.

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And that's all she wrote for Mothra! In the chaos and danger of the Titans and other superspecies, it brings some comfort to Monarch and the world that there are Titans like Mothra who seek actively to protect humanity. As we continue to uncover Mothra's secrets, let us all wish her well in her duties down in Hollow Earth.

Until next time,

Monarch: After Dark

[affairsmastery]

After years of negotiations, New Zealand has granted Mt Taranaki the same legal rights as a person, recognizing its cultural and ancestral significance to Māori tribes. Under the new law, the mountain will effectively own itself, co-managed by local iwi and the government.

The agreement also addresses historical injustices, including colonial land confiscations, and restores the mountain’s Māori name. Hundreds of Māori gathered as the bill was passed, marking a step toward reconciliation. This follows similar legal recognitions for the Urewera forest (2014) and Whanganui River (2017), reinforcing the Māori belief that nature is a living entity.