That is one big damn tree.Miles Quaritch viewing the Omatikaya Hometree.
Hometrees (Na'vi name: Kelutral) are massive trees that can be found throughout Pandora. Many Na'vi clans such as the Omatikaya, Aranahe, and Mangkwan have made these enormous plants their ancestral home for thousands of years. Unfortunately, both the Omatikaya Hometree and Mangkwan Hometree were eventually destroyed.
Description[]
Pandoran Hometrees.
There are hundreds of disparate Na'vi clans on Pandora. Some of the clans, including the Omatikaya, live in ancient trees called "Hometrees" standing or two to three times the height of the the tallest Terran trees. The circumference of a Hometree is great enough to house dozens of clan members. The tree is honeycombed with natural hollows and alcoves in which the Na'vi sleep, eat, weave, dance and celebrate their connection to Eywa. Like many sacred sites on Pandora, the Omatikaya Hometree rested above a large deposit of unobtanium.
Jake Sully and Colonel Miles Quaritch observe a hologram of the Omatikaya clan's Hometree.
Hometrees are generally more than a hundred meters tall, with a hollow base supported by mangrove-like roots. Within this base there are many columns, creating a large central area. In this central area the branches and limbs of the tree form a natural spiral staircase, which the Na'vi use to move up and down the tree.
List of Notable Hometrees[]
Canon[]
Omatikaya Hometree[]
- For main article page, see Omatikaya Hometree. See also: Destruction of the Hometree.
The Hometree is toppled.
The Omatikaya Hometree was the ancestral home of the Omatikaya clan. It was over 20,000 years old as well as over 985ft (300m) tall.[1] On August 20, 2154, the Hometree was destroyed by the RDA's SecOp forces (under the command of Colonel Miles Quaritch following a directive given by RDA Administrator Parker Selfridge) in order to prepare to mine the large unobtanium deposit underneath it.
Aranahe Hometree[]
A view of the Aranahe Hometree.
The many chambers and winding passageways of the mighty Aranahe clan tree are adorned with painted tapestries and dyed silks, showcasing the artistic lifestyle of its inhabitants. Naturally one of the kinglor's nesting grounds, it has recently received them in numbers that threaten its stability.
Mangkwan Hometree[]
- For main article page, see Ash Village.
The charred remains of the Mangkwan Hometree.
The Mangkwan clan used to live in a lush hometree not too dissimilar to the Omatikaya clan. Unfortunately, a natural disaster befell the hometree and surrounding environment, reducing the hometree to a large hollowed-out tree stump. Unlike the Omatikaya who eventually sought out and found a new hometree to live in around 14 years after their original hometree was destroyed by the RDA (though have yet to officially move in due to the return of the RDA threat),[2] the Mangkwan decided to remain at their charred hometree, eventually losing all connection to Eywa and their past culture.
Non-canon[]
Tipani Hometree[]
Tipani Hometree located in Otantazaelin.
Over 20,000 years old, Hometree is the spiritual and physical home of the Tipani clan of the Na'vi. It is where they sleep and eat, learn and labor. The tree itself is over 150 meters tall and its diameter is many times that of a giant sequoia. Its interior is distinguished by a massive helical core and boasts multiple levels upon which the Na'vi communally craft and enact their rituals and customs.
Ni'awve Hometree[]
The Ni'awve Hometree.
The Ni'awve clan Hometree is located in Valley of Origins. The Hometree has only one entrance over a river that flows through the valley. Members of the clan live inside the tree. When humans advanced closer to the tree, Tsu'hak, the leader made a decision to move away with his clan. When the scouting party was attacked, the plan was abandoned.
Tawkami Hometree[]
The Tawkami clan had their own Hometree in James Cameron's Avatar: The Game (Nintendo DS), situated in the village of Greenhome. This Hometree was also attacked by the RDA, but Nok managed to fend them off. Unlike the Omatikaya, most of the clan actually lived in caves and buildings around the base of the tree, rather than in the tree itself.
Unknown Canonicity[]
Hulanta Hometree[]
The Hulanta Hometree.
Na'vi clans tends to carve out an area of their Hometrees as a communal space. For the Hulanta clan, an entire empty central hall is the gift of the Hometree. This is where the men and women of the Hulanta would gather when the Olo'eyktan and Tsahik would address the entire clan. Likewise, the clan would have lively bonfire celebrations here. Even without taking into account the humidity of the air in the wetlands, the thick bark of the Hometree is somewhat fire resistant, so the Hometree is rarely ever burnt by a bonfire. Still, the firekeepers of the Hulanta clan who keep the fires burning are always on guard in case an animal or a careless clan member knocks over the fire pit - a point repeatedly emphasized in the clan's songs.
Trivia[]
- As a rite of passage, young Omatikayan hunters earn the right to carve a bow from a branch of Hometree after Uniltaron.
- Neteyam's bow is made from the wood of the fallen Hometree.[3]
- In a deleted scene, Grace Augustine mentions the Omatikaya clan have been living in their Hometree since before human history began; the tree is approximately 20,000 years old.
- This line of dialogue would be an error if by what Grace meant was the start/origin of the human species that evolved on Earth around 300,000 years ago.[4] If by what Grace meant pertained to the start of written history (human record keeping), the line of dialogue would be correct, considering that if the tree is around 20,000 years old, it has existed four times longer than the existence of written human history which began around 5,000 years ago during the 4th millenium B.C.[5]
- James Cameron confirmed the destruction of Hometree is meant to symbolize the damage of Earth caused by humankind.[6]
- Hometrees also appear in the beginning of Avatar: The Way of Water and during the Resources Development Administration's return to Pandora with their ISV Manifest Destinies. As they disembark they used their exhaust engines creating a firestorm that destroyed three hometrees along with the rest of the forest which lead into creating their permanent base Bridgehead.
- In The Way of Water original script, Neytiri has a horrific nightmare of the Omatikaya Hometree falling, suggesting she might have PTSD from the incident.
Gallery[]
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Source[]
- James Cameron's Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide, page 34.
- James Cameron's Avatar: The Game Pandorapedia article on Tipani Hometree.
- Hometree. Pandorapedia.com.
References[]
- ↑ The World of Avatar: A Visual Exploration, page ??.
- ↑ Avatar: The High Ground
- ↑ Avatar: The Way of Water: The Visual Dictionary, page 16.
- ↑ Early human history. Wikipedia.com.
- ↑ History of writing. Wikipedia.com.
- ↑ Whipp, Glenn (2010-02-10). Is ‘Avatar’ a message movie? Absolutely, says James Cameron. LosAngelesTimes.com.
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