Navi use drugs?-Now with Alcohol thread

TehNaviNator · January 26, 2010, 03:40:20 PM

It seems like being one with nature would lead to some green or some mushies....what do you guys think

Txonyä'ite · January 26, 2010, 03:45:37 PM

The paint that is used during the ceremony when Jake becomes Omatikayo is a bit of a euphoric as is it made from worms that produce a euphoria inducing chemical. (ASG) The scorpion like insect that is used in the uniltaranyu is also a hallucinogenic. (ASG)

TehNaviNator · January 26, 2010, 03:47:00 PM

thought so...I mean I know it isn't crazy to think they would.....but I didn't know if this has already been covered.

Technowraith · January 26, 2010, 08:34:16 PM

The Activist Guide also mentions an instance of of a substance that causes some "mild trance-like" behavior when used ceremonially. My friend is borrowing my ASG, so I'll have a better reference tomorrow for you guys.

TorukMakto! · January 26, 2010, 08:57:14 PM

Wait , wait a second, just so I get it right, you mean if Na'vi use shroomsn stuff like that ?
I don't think that Cameron wants to hidden advertise things like that.

About body paint, it's not that rare, used by the army, used in sports and more.

Skxawng · January 26, 2010, 11:11:07 PM

in the 2007 script, jake goes on a 'uniltaron' or 'dream hunt' where he gets stung by the scorpion thing and eats a 'eltungawng' (brainworm) and he trips balls and see's his spirit animal, toruk, which he is unsure about telling the other members after they ask him what he saw.

TorukMakto! · January 26, 2010, 11:18:44 PM

Quote from: Skxawng on January 26, 2010, 11:11:07 PM
in the 2007 script, jake goes on a 'uniltaron' or 'dream hunt' where he gets stung by the scorpion thing and eats a 'eltungawng' (brainworm) and he trips balls and see's his spirit animal, toruk, which he is unsure about telling the other members after they ask him what he saw.

Wait isn't dream hunt is some kind of ability of the Na'vi ? or it's just caused by sting from a creature or by eating some kind of a "Na'vi-ish fruit/vegetable?"

sefuheron · January 27, 2010, 02:14:40 AM

It is supposed to bring them to the edge of death... kinda like a drug, but instead it is a potent poison... something about the worms though... they were supposed to connect them with Eywa or something. Sounds like a huge trip to me... i hope it is in the directors cut.

Tirea Pa'li · January 27, 2010, 03:32:09 AM

Using strange chemicals for religous/spiritual purposes? Wow thats so unheard of

Maybe the dreamhunt will be in the extended version.

Txonyä'ite · January 27, 2010, 02:41:47 PM

hopefully!

Technowraith · January 27, 2010, 06:54:31 PM

Quote from: Tirea Pa'li on January 27, 2010, 03:32:09 AM
Using strange chemicals for religous/spiritual purposes? Wow thats so unheard of
Maybe the dreamhunt will be in the extended version.

It would be neat to see the Dreamhunt. I've read quite a bit about it in the Activist Guide.

Txur’Itan · January 27, 2010, 06:59:20 PM

Quote from: Technowraith on January 27, 2010, 06:54:31 PM
Quote from: Tirea Pa'li on January 27, 2010, 03:32:09 AM
Using strange chemicals for religous/spiritual purposes? Wow thats so unheard of
Maybe the dreamhunt will be in the extended version.

It would be neat to see the Dreamhunt. I've read quite a bit about it in the Activist Guide.

It may be that we see a dream hunt flashback in A2 with improved efforts leveraging what the developed from film one! It could be a very ethereal trip!

Tìng Eywatikìte'e · January 29, 2010, 01:48:27 AM

Interesting topic. Belongs in the Cultural sections! Drugs are culture too XD

ShadowedSin · January 29, 2010, 04:24:46 AM

The dream hunt can be done using the arachnoid or not. Note because trance state can be induced by different forms (Example, Massai trance dancing).

Elektrolurch · January 29, 2010, 03:31:52 PM

There's no society or culture, which survives without any kind of addiction. Indians, Mayas, Aztecs, .. Every culture has some kind of drug. I don't believe in drugs on Pandora. Why? Because there would be no need for them. On Pandora, everything seems to be really happy, and real. Nobody needs an LSD-trip to Kashmir to feel sunshiny

Tìng Eywatikìte'e · January 29, 2010, 05:31:11 PM

Eeeeh, once again we need to shy away from making the Na'vi a "perfect people." They have just as many reasons to be sad as we do, so just as many reasons to turn to narcotics. That being said, most cultures don't use drugs as a mean of escaping their every day lives, but to achieve a form of spiritual enlightenment. The ASG makes it very clear that they use the poison of a bug to go on their dream-hunt; this is drug use.

ShadowedSin · January 30, 2010, 12:12:58 AM

The Na'vi probably have those that abuse their people. Every culture has it's ups and downs. In fact Tsu'Tey until he finally accepts Jake is an example of how arrogant a Na'vi warrior could be. I would not be surprised if someone got happy one night and went off to get themselves high off an Arachnoid sting.

Tìng Eywatikìte'e · January 30, 2010, 12:17:34 AM

Well the ASG makes the Arachnoid sting sound like a very painful process, so I wouldn't think it would be the Na'vi drug of choice for the fun times. Still I have no doubt that there has to be something out there that does something. They have glowing mushrooms for Eywa's sake!

ShadowedSin · January 30, 2010, 12:29:00 AM

I don't have the library copy of the damn thing on me. But part of Uniltaron is the glow worm ingestion. Does that not add in affect a psychotropic aspect?

Tsa'räni · January 30, 2010, 12:46:34 AM

The ASG mentions a "mild intoxicant" called kava and associates it with at least dances/celebrations. The context is in the discussion of the pendulum drum and how injuries sometimes happen when Na'vi attempt to play the pendulum drums after consuming kava.

While I agree that the Na'vi certainly aren't perfect, I think the way their culture has been constructed would probably serve to help minimize the severity of personal social problems. The section on hammocks in the ASG gives us some insight into their communal nature and how attuned to each other they are. Those sleeping away from the "group sleep" thing for extended periods are thought to be in some of prolonged distress.

Along with the overall communal nature, this implies such a personal problem becomes a clan problem if it reaches that point. The pervasive feeling of interconnectedness and belonging would probably limit (but not eliminate) the number of severe social concerns faced by individuals. I would include addiction in that category.

But certainly intoxicants are used at least during celebrations, and hallucinogens are apparently used in at least one ritual (Uniltaron). So I'd say the use of mind altering substances is definitely there, but I think their culture would limit instances of abuse.

Now, an interesting tangent to this would be the possibility of drugs introduced by humans. Certainly we've seen what the sudden introduction of new and addictive substances to a culture can do. Of course, those instances are within the same species for us. Such substances might have no affect on the Na'vi at all, might kill them outright, or something in between.

Also, the Uniltaron is a combination of the arachnoid venom and the glow worm "psychoactive alkaloid".