Na’vi Mating and Tsaheylu

Started by Kame Ayyo’koti, November 06, 2014, 03:07:06 PM

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Kame Ayyo’koti

We know that becoming mated for the Na'vi is something taken seriously, but this occurred to me: If intercourse while "sharing tsaheylu" with each other defines "official mating," then what is intercourse without tsaheylu? What might the Na'vi think of this? Could this suggest the possibility of casual sex among them? (And what about children produced from this casual sex? Could fertilization require tsaheylu?)

I know this is Cameronian territory, so I don't expect definite answers. Tsalsungay tsasäfpìl eltur oeyä tìtxen si.
"Your work is to discover your world, and then with all your heart give yourself to it."

Tìtstewan

#1
As far as I can remember me, it's not only tsaheylu that is needed to be "mated for life", Eywa must accept it too.
Traditionally, a male/female Na'vi search for/choose a partner after they "became one of the people" (passing all tests) and that search/choose could need a lots of time.

If a couple intercourse without tsaheylu, they would miss an awesome emotional experience of a feature that a human maybe never can describe because we haven't it (nìkeftxo). :)
But I see no reason, why some Na'vi would not "test" or "play" with their private parts and, with time, try the next step which would be not far...
Unfortunately, I have no idea how the unmated Na'vi are educated regarding that.

As for children that are produced by causal sex: well, that would be a shock for the clan members but I'm sure they would accept this as a decission from Eywa. (I think, it would be something like that "news" like that scene as Neytiri told to the clan that she is mated with Jake)

</speculation>

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Kame Ayyo’koti

Quote from: Tìtstewan on November 06, 2014, 03:52:36 PM
If a couple intercourse without tsaheylu, they would miss an awesome emotional experience of a feature that a human maybe never can describe because we haven't it (nìkeftxo). :)
But is that awesome experience the result of intercourse itself, or tsaheylu? Perhaps without tsaheylu, it's just as good (or bad LOL) as human sex. If tsaheylu is the powerful force that causes mates to bond emotionally, then perhaps sex sans tsaheylu for the Na'vi could just be "fun" and recreational.

Quote from: Tìtstewan on November 06, 2014, 03:52:36 PM
As for children that are produced by causal sex: well, that would be a shock for the clan members but I'm sure they would accept this as a decission from Eywa. (I think, it would be something like that "news" like that scene as Neytiri told to the clan that she is mated with Jake)

</speculation>
I'm not so sure... I don't want to assume their reaction would be shock just because ours might be. There's plenty of things that our cultures would find shocking, that aren't shocking in other cultures. (The eating of dogs, the binding of feet, even things we would consider child molestation are "perfectly normal" elsewhere.) I wonder how other cultures, especially native american cultures, think of "fatherless" children.

There is a book series called Earth's Children that I've been a fan of for years. The story is set in prehistory and involves the culture of numerous Cro-Magnon tribes. In these cultures, as the author images them, the people don't even know how children are conceived. They thought children were conceived by the "mixing together of peoples' spirits." In one book, it's even believed to be possible between women alone. Of course these cultures are relatively "loose" with regards to sex, so children "randomly" appearing is normal and expected for them.
(Although I prefer to believe that if pre-modern peoples were observant enough to understand basic astronomy and predict eclipses, then they must've been observant enough to realize babies only appear after guys and gals have fun together.)

I think whether the Na'vi would be shocked by children "out of wedlock" depends on how strict their ideas and expectations of "family" are. Clearly their expectations of the future tsahìk are strict; that's why they were so shocked by Neytiri's actions. The tsahìk-to-be is required to save herself for the mate meant for her (probably whether she wants him or not).

The tsahìk's place and role in the clan is obviously important, but what about everyone else? The reason our cultures find it shocking is because we have very strict ideas about family structure ("children must have a father and be the product of marriage"). I don't know how strictly the Na'vi think of "family," or what (if any) rules they adhere to. It could simply be a matrilineal thing: It doesn't matter who your father is (or even whether you have one), you simply become a member of your mother's family. And if a father can't hunt for you, then the family does — or perhaps even the whole clan does.
"Your work is to discover your world, and then with all your heart give yourself to it."

Tirea Aean

Quote from: http://www.pandorapedia.com/navi/appearance_behavior/navi_mating_practicesThe Na'vi are monogamous creatures that mate for life. Na'vi reproduction is similar to that of placental mammals on Earth. A Na'vi female will typically produce from one to ten offspring, often spaced widely apart in time. Na'vi females have two breasts, and nurse their infants for up to four months. Some Na'vi elect to abstain from reproduction, despite being sexually active. It is not known how contraception is accomplished in this case, although the Na'vi appear to be quite sophisticated in this regard. Na'vi males are typically pair bonded with females, but male-male and female-female permanent bonds are not uncommon.
Sexual activity outside of the bonded pair is not uncommon, but is almost always associated with fertility rituals and other rites, and has never been reported to lead to a disruption of the pair bond.

Though the mechanics of reproduction are similar to humans and other earth mammals, the Na'vi's unique physiology provides them with a level of intimacy unknown on Earth. When an appropriate mate has been selected (which can take many years), the male and female Na'vi will connect queues to create an emotional bond that lasts a lifetime. The intertwining of queues, called "Shahaylu", creates a state of unified body consciousness in which both parties access the physical sensations of the other. While not erotic when used for the control of animals, during mating it creates a heightened awareness of the other person. This leads to an experience similar to the prolonged state of arousal and deep spiritual connection found in some Tantric practices on Earth, but considered by the xenoanthropology community to be much more profound. A single instance of this bonding ritual leads to a life-long pair bond. The actual reproductive act, which resembles human intercourse, follows the bonding ritual, and the partners remain in a "linked state" during and for some time after the sex act itself.

That's all we officially know. The answer may be there.

Blue Elf

Quote from: Tirea Aean on November 07, 2014, 01:43:21 AM
Quote from: http://www.pandorapedia.com/navi/appearance_behavior/navi_mating_practices...

That's all we officially know. The answer may be there.
That's quite interesting, ASG says much less about this question. Time to explore pandorapedia in deep.
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Tirea Aean

All we know about the Na'vi and Pandora at all can be found between looking at

http://www.pandorapedia.com [official]
and
http://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Avatar_Wiki [wiki of stuff gathered from the film, ASG, the games, and Pandorapedia]