The Sarentu clan was a nomadic clan of Na'vi founded by Entu, the first Toruk Makto.
The clan was nearly entirely wiped out by John Mercer and his mercenaries. This incident was then covered up, leaving Resources Development Administration unaware of what happened[1] and making the Na'vi believe the clan had mysteriously disappeared. Meanwhile, a handful of children from the clan were taken after this event to be used in The Ambassador Program which was created by Mercer.
Following the Pandoran War and RDA's expulsion, these Na'vi were placed into cryostasis to save them after Mercer ordered their execution. They were then awoken about 15 years later in the midst of the second war where they joined the Resistance in their efforts against the RDA and their colonization of the Western Frontier spearheaded by Mercer. In the end, the Mercer's operations were thwarted and the Sarentu clan was reborn in the Na'vi he had initially taken.
Culture[]
The Sarentu Clan was a highly respected clan, famous for its outstanding storytellers, singers and stories. They were known for being diplomats who could resolve conflicts and bring peace, both within and between clans. They were excellent rhetoricians who could move the hearts of the Na'vi also from other clans, whom they visited frequently. Reluctant to fight, even against the RDA, they were also known for their peaceful attitude towards life. Comprised of storytellers, the clan would travel around Pandora to spread the tales of various Na'vi. They lived among other clans as if they were one of them, and would give them advice from an outsider's perspective. One of the main elements of the clan's culture was The People's Cry, which allowed the few survivors to retain their identity and gave them the strength and faith to continue their legacy. The Tarsyu plant is also an important element, it allows only members of Sarentu to connect with Eywa.
Children of the clan were marked at birth with a small family mark on their cheek, representing the symbol of their clan, making it impossible to hide who they were and drawing attention from Na'vi seeking a sympathetic ear wherever they went.[2][3]
Once a year, the Sarentu left the clan they lived with to attend the Sarentu moot; this annual gathering let the Sarentu exchange stories and even petition the elders to let them stay in their current clan or go somewhere new. The known location where the council was held was the Circle of Songs in the Clouded Forest. The Sarentu's unique bond with the Tarsyu plant determined their place of appearance, the Tarsyu grow where the clan stayed or wandered, and can learn about the historical places where they camped, called the Sarentu lands.
Additionally, there are Sarentu totems throughout the western frontier, large structures crafted by the Na'vi that carry symbols, meant to convey messages to future generations.
History[]
Founding and culture[]
Nearly 3000 years prior to 2154, the clan was founded by a former member of the Omatikaya Clan, Entu.
Massacre by John and Angela[]
In the year 2138, the Sarentu were attacked by a group of Sec-Ops mercenaries during their annual moot at the Circle of Songs. The attack was led by John Mercer alongside Angela Harding and Alma Cortez in order to gather a group of children to be used in The Ambassador Program, though Alma was not aware of Mercer's true intentions to attack the clan. Ultimately, the Sarentu clan was executed and a handful of children were abducted.
To cover up this misdeed, reports to the RDA were falsified and barrels of corrosive acid were used to hide the remains of the Na'vi, but this ended up creating a toxic mist called the yavä' in the Clouded Forest. This led one Na'vi and friend of the Sarentu, Anufi, to come to believe she was to blame for their disappearance by giving them faulty potions which supposedly killed them. This lie was also exacerbated by another Na'vi known as Mokasa, who had given up the location of the Sarentu moot to Mercer in order to prevent him from targeting the Kame'tire clan.
The children were placed in a residential school and lied to by Mercer, claiming their clan abandoned them. Alma was horrified by the actions of Mercer and vowed to protect the children from him, especially after Aha'ri was killed by Mercer for trying to rebel against him.
Reemergence[]
After the RDA were expelled from Pandora, John Mercer ordered TAP be shut down and all of the Sarentu children killed. Alma saved them, however, and placed them all in cryostasis.
Fifteen years later, Alma and the Resistance learned that the children were still alive in cryosleep and returned to the TAP facility to awaken them. Following this, the children began to reconnect with their lost culture by connecting with the Tarsyu and uncovering abandoned Sarentu totems and memory paintings.
Eventually, the Na'vi clans of the Western Frontier, aided by The Resistance, successfully defeat John Mercer and end the colonization of the continent. Though the future of the clan remains uncertain, Ri'nela is preparing to become the new tsahìk.
Trivia[]
- It is not known how the mark of the Sarentu is created. One theory is that it is created through a form of ritual scarification as a clan identifier or rite of passage for the Sarentu. The shading of the mark on the player character's face resembles the appearance of raised skin, and scarification is a ritual present in many indigenous human cultures, which Na’vi culture is known to draw inspiration from. However, the mark is never called a scar and the process and method of giving the mark to Sarentu children is never shown or explained.
- After the Sarentu have awakened, Ri'nela is heard asking "Where's Yefti? And Telisi?" It can be assumed that these two are other Sarentu children in the Ambassador Program as in the intro scene there are at least three other Na'vi children there. It is unknown what happened to them.
- "Telisi" is also a name option for the player's ikran.
- In the TAP school's records there are also two other students mentioned: Okni (a sickly girl) and Yuayt (a boy that was TAP's eyes and ears in exchange for certain advantages. He may be the one that foiled Aha'ri's escape plan).
Members[]
Na'vi | Status | Title | Portrait |
---|---|---|---|
The Sarentu | Alive | Warrior/Hunter/TAP Student (formerly) | |
Teylan | Alive | TAP Student (formerly) | |
Nor | Alive | TAP Student (formerly) | |
Ri'nela | Alive | Tsakarem of the clan/TAP Student (formerly) | |
Aha'ri | Deceased | Protagonist's older sister/TAP Student (formerly) | |
Kataru | Deceased | Mother of the Protagonist and Aha'ri | |
Entu | 3000 years ago | Founder of the clan/Former member of the Omatikaya clan/The First Toruk Makto |
Mentioned[]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ World Knowledge entry
- ↑ Frontiers of Pandora World Knowledge database
- ↑ https://www.avatar.com/pandorapedia/sarentu-clan
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