Zeswa Clan

Zeswa Clan
Location Information
Location	Upper Plains
Cultural Information
Olo'eyktan	Nesim
Tsahìk	Minang
Behind the Scenes
First Seen	Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

The Zeswa'Sopyu, more often known simply as the Zeswa, is a clan of Na'vi nomads that live in the Upper Plains. They are led by Nesim, with her sister Minang serving as tsahìk.

The clan lives with zakru, and are skilled direhorse riders.

Culture

They are a colorful, boisterous and ferocious warrior clan. Proud and loving, the Zeswa talk loudly, feel strongly, and play fiercely. They are a clan of fearless direhorse riders, renowned for their war-like competitions and over-the-top celebrations.

A Zeswa dance-fight.

"Dance-fighting" is a practice seemingly unique to the Zeswa. Not much is known about the practice, but it seems to be a ritualized hand-to-hand spar between two participants.

The clan connects to Eywa at the Chamber of Echoes, located just a short ways east of the clan's location during the events of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

Crafting

Signaling Kites

Kites are important to the clan. The path leading to The Circle, the clan's home, is marked by colorful, soaring kites, which are made of easily found materials such as reeds, poles, and woven zakru wool. Kites have many shapes, sizes, and purposes. Some mark zakru migration paths, while others indicate a celebration is underway, or that games or dance-fights are being held. Kites may also signal that a camp is welcoming weary travelers, offering warm meals and zangke.

Raising the signal kites for celebrations is considered an honor. It was previously bestowed upon Sarentu visitors to the Zeswa.

Kite building is a respected profession, practiced by Akru and previously by Fa'zak. Kite builders also craft the tents which make up the Zeswa camps.

Wind Flutes

The strong winds of the Upper Plains are also harnessed by Aeolian Wind Flutes crafted by the Zeswa and dotted throughout the land. When in tune, they emit a harmonious hum which is intended to sound similar to the vocalizations of the zakru. The densest concentration of flutes is at the Zakru Graveyard, where their tune is intended to soothe the zakru who have passed on.

Relationship With the Zakru

The Zeswa are wanderers, traveling along with the zakru who only move around once per generation. Until then, the clan sets its tents around the zakru to shield them from the strong winds.

A vat of zakru milk.

Young zakru, such as Ko'akte, are cared for by the clan in a nursery tent. To be born on the same day as a zakru, as Tamu was, is considered a good omen.

A Zeswa cliff mural from the quest The Celebration Mural. It is painted with a pigment representing each of the four clans of the Western Frontier.

The Zeswa drink zakru milk, which forms the basis of the clan's diet. Zakru milk can be consumed on its own, but the clan makes it into a variety of foods. Zakru cheese is a popular dish, as is zangke, a fermented drink made with zakru milk and fiery herbs. Dairy crafters such as Kìn and Akoray are greatly respected within the clan.

A cliff mural depicting a soundblast colossus.

Zakru milk is used not only as food, but as a base for paints as well. Various pigments are ground and mixed with the milk, which creates paint used for body decoration, for decorating the zakru, and for cliff murals. The murals themselves have many purposes. Some function as signal paths, while others celebrate legends or important moments in the life of the clan.

Zakru wool is woven into tents and garments.

The Burden Carrier

Due to the clan's nomadic nature and need to follow the zakru, the Zeswa have developed a philosophy centered around traveling light, without unnecessary burdens.

When the clan has accumulated too many items to take along on the next migration, a clan member earns the role of burden carrier (Na'vi name: txoa hena) through a competition. The burden carrier then takes the excess weight away with them and lives in exile for a time.

Sosul was the last burden carrier for the clan, and he settled among the bones of the zakru graveyard until the Sarentu urged him to return home.

Dusk Riders

As revealed in the note on the topic, Zeswa who are near death sometimes choose to leave the clan and enter a form of self-exile. Prior to this journey, the Na'vi connects to Eywa one final time, and then disappears into the wilderness, never to return. Na'vi who choose this end to their life are known as 'dusk riders' and are remembered as legendary heroes.

Yarun is one example of a Zeswa dusk rider.

Zeswa hunters discuss Dusk Riders

According to background chatter able to be heard in Zeswa camps, dusk riders do not actually exist. They are instead a metaphor for death. The Zeswa who elect to take the path of a dusk rider choose to do so in order not to burden their loved ones with their passing. Saying that someone "went seeking the riders" is an easier to accept, gentler way to say that someone has passed away.

History

"Will we ever celebrate the Games again? Let all the clans cheer for their champions. Get a measure of the truest aim. The bravest brawler?"

"I hope we do soon, my friend. I cannot wait to drag your face through the grass!"

"Hah! Fool. It is you who will ride your mount into a geyser!"

Zeswa hunters, speaking about the Games

Historically, the Zeswa have hosted the Games, a gathering to foster friendly competitions between the clans of the Western Frontier. The events involve feats of strength, archery, and direhorse riding, to name a few. The spirit of The Games appears similar to the Olympics, on Earth. Their ancestral homeland is the Heart of the Plains.

After the disappearance of the Sarentu clan and the choice of the Kame'tire to seclude themselves, the Games ceased to be held.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

The Zeswa camp.

The Zeswa clan is introduced in the second act of the game during the quest The Wandering Clan.

The player character meets Nesim and Minang, is introduced to Zeswa culture and tradition within their home encampment, and later helps the clan end the poaching of zakru and other wild animals led by Angela Harding.

The Zeswa later choose to join the Resistance and aid the player character in the final battle against the RDA in the Western Frontier.

Associated Main Quests

• The Wandering Clan
• Hunters Hunted
• The Lodge
• The Weeping Gorge
• Call to Battle
• Combined Forces
• A Victory Celebration
• A Distant Storm
• Rising Pressure
• Last Strike

Associated Side Quests

• Zeswa Community Contributions, parts 1-3
• The Wind Will Carry Us
• The Missing Colossus
• The Celebration Mural
• A Father's Fear
• A Shadow and a Threat
• The Black Wind

Members

Na'vi	Status	Title	Portrait
Nesim	Alive	Olo'eykte of the Zeswa Clan
Minang	Alive	Tsahìk of the Zeswa Clan
Akoray	Alive	Dairy crafter
Akru	Alive	Kite builder
Faiu	Alive	Direhorse rider
Fa'zak	Alive	Kite builder (formerly)/Zakru caretaker
Hawm	Alive	Traveler
Karmong	Alive	Direhorse rider
Kìn	Alive	Master dairy crafter
Niwin	Alive	Direhorse rider
Noka'pe	Alive	Dairy crafter
Novao	Alive	Cook
Solali	Alive	Noka'pe's implied niece/Direhorse rider
Sosul	Alive	Solali's implied uncle
Tamu	Alive	Zakru caretaker
Tukru	Alive	Noka'pe and Sosul's father/Artist and Zakru caretaker
Tu'kari	Alive	Karmong's sister/Direhorse rider
Woai	Alive	Solali's sister/Direhorse rider
Yarun	Unknown (likely deceased)	Kìn's implied mate/Direhorse rider

Gallery

Trivia

• "Zeswa" means "grass" in the Na'vi language, likely referencing the clan's habitat in the grassy plains. Their full clan name, "Zeswa'Sopyu," means "grass traveller."
• While the clan is the second canonical clan with a female Olo’eykte — the first being the Tayrangi — it is the only clan in a canon Avatar source where the Olo’eykte and Tsahìk are siblings
• The clan is inspired by the real-world Maasai people or the Native American tribes in the North American Great Plains.
• According to concept art and in-game footage, some of their skin has a blue-purple gradation, but some have full purple skin. Their grown-up hair was red, but the children's hair was black.
• They share similarities with the now defunct Olangi Clan.
• Zeswa is the first known clan to have two female leaders.