Inuit Culture?

[Leaf]

Are the Water Tribes still framed after the Inuits? Because it just looks like they were going with an International theme instead of focusing on a single continent. Apparently, this is The Last Airbender: United Nations edition.

[nymphadora]

I didn't look too closely, but I didn't have a problem with it. The race of the actors doesn't matter that much, and as long as the costumes are similar to the series, I'm cool with the Water Tribe. I actually really liked the looks of it.

[Musogato]

They filmed the Southern Water Tribe scenes in Greenland, and almost all of those background characters in the trailer are Inuit villagers that lived near where they were filming. And yet Rathbone and Peltz are supposed to look like they're from there too? It's like the Charlie Chan movies all over again.

The Fire Nation definitely looks like it's becoming a melange of various culture bits, but we haven't seen enough of the other nations to tell if they're getting the same treatment. So far the Water Tribes seem mostly similar to the cartoon version.

[Leaf]

So those extras where Inuits? Are they more lightly skinned in real life than the series presents them? I assume that this could be because of relations with Europeans.

[Musogato]

I'm not sure; IRL skin tones vary from person to person regardless of which race they are. The lighting for those scenes in the trailer should also be taken into consideration, it's pretty hazy-blue and the yellow lanterns affect how things look as well. But I don't know much history regarding the Greenland populations, so I don't know how/if European genetics play into things there.

In the show, (after checking screenshots, lol), the Water Tribe skin tones were varied as well, although it seems like group shots of the Northern tribe were generally more lighter than the skin tones of the Southern tribe, although Pakku and Yue were more on the brown side.

[Leaf]

Shyamalan said something about Nicola having a some what Russian appeal to her. Is it possible that the Water Tribe may include some Russian aspects as well? Which might have been done in the early stages of the show considering that the pilot made them looked like they were going to be this world's Russia? If this is the case, I approve, since finally we get a Russian hero instead of the cliché villain.

sadpanda.us/images/125580-P30NKV7.png

[Musogato]

That screenshot is from the original pilot -- if what I remember is correct, that pilot was made *before* the show actually started production. So, while interesting, it doesn't change that in the show the majority of the Water Tribe culture is Inuit-based.

To me, Shyamalan's reasoning only sounds like trying to justify why he wanted Peltz to be Katara and "wouldn't make the movie without her."

While having a Russian hero would be nice, I'd prefer that hero to be in a show/series in their own right and of their own character, instead of replacing another race that is disproportionally represented as well.

[Leaf]

Does this look European to you?

My first thought was Omashu, but then I realized the Northern Water Tribe has those walls now.

Please let the Southern Tribe remain Inuit.

[Musogato]

Perhaps context on where that picture is from would be in order.

[Leaf]

avatardestinyportal.com/

[Musogato]

...And the full length answer would be, "From this Youtube video posted at avatardestinyportal.com/, which are scans from the movie tie-in book."

Why thank you, that makes it so much easier to understand now. ^_^


As for what that city is of, without the book for information or a larger scan, it's hard to tell. The water inside the city makes it seem like the Northern Water Tribe, but it's surrounded by mountains instead of glaciers, so that wouldn't make sense. It could be an Air Temple, but who knows.