What does the Na'vi lifestyle mean to you

[Maweya Hufwe]

Greetings everyone.

Upon reading a good majority of the posts on this project (truthfully, I skimmed over a few I didn't find particularly relevant at this time) I have found it a little difficult to figure out all of what has been accomplished. Mostly, this is because so many issues are being addressed at once, though some issues haven't been addressed at all yet are very important to the development of this idea.

One of these important matters is that of government. Yes, it's being discussed, but it a bit crude since the government should protect not only the people, but their ideals. However, I don't think this is being tackled correctly, since it doesn't seem like we have a firm grasp on what this lifestyle will be. Instead of focusing on rules and regulations, let's first analyze what the people want from this lifestyle. There was mention of no set religion, yet are not the Na'vi very much governed by a spirituality/religion? Don't be mistaken, though. I'm not pledging a single religion be shared, as I'm all for all walks of life. However, we, as a people, need to find where we are together in our ideas for this lifestyle; our overall philosophy; where our hearts lie. What is driving all of us to this goal? Why each of us seeks to become our own Na'vi or do as the Na'vi do? I believe that once we flesh out this underline bond between us, we will see how we are alike and be able to trust each other more. We need a much clearer, concrete objective to make sure everyone is on the same wavelength.  Many eco-villages are formed to lower impact footprints (or whatever they are calling it these days) or proclaiming a call for a non-violent, peaceful way of life. What is our goal?

So I ask you, my brothers and sisters, where do your hearts lie? What is being Na'vi to you and why do you seek to be such? Is it the roughing it in the wild aspect? The spiritual connection to the Earth? A desire to build something pure and love it? To go back to a time of simple needs and simple happiness? I know it might sound silly to ask this, but sometimes what we think is clear and obvious isn't so much so.  So let's open up and express our hopes, dreams, and intentions for this project. After all, a part of protecting our people is knowing and protecting our people's common goals.

My thoughts:

For me, this project, or dream as I like to call it, is a step in a spiritual direction. I have always longed to be closer to the Earth. It has been around for so long and holds so many stories and teaching that go unnoticed by the everyday person. I have also always believed my deity is not just an outside force, but a force within everything and that nature is the most natural way to experience it. I also love nature's beauty. Nothing is more breath-taking to me than a meadow or a quiet lake hidden within the trees. I find it much more appeal to look at than the cookie-cutter houses of my neighborhood. And I suppose I have always found something most elegant about being at peace within nature.

I also would like to be in an environment where my efforts are for the good of all, actually make a difference, and is appreciated. I wish to be surrounded by people whom I can trust and depend on; people to love as extensions of myself and love deeply enough to put my own life in danger, and have faith that they would do the same for me. To be a part of a family that is at least mostly self-reliant, that everyone has worth within the community, and has everyone equally wanted within the family. That is what being like Na'vi is to me. I also find that technology and knowledge is very important and should always be continued. However, our actions about what we do with this knowledge should be heavily weighed against the impact it would cause to ourselves and environment and be aimed to be a harmless as possible.

I believe learning of our wants may get us a step closer to building trust. Else we'll never be able to come up with a government we can trust. My aim for this discussion is to solidify what exactly we are trying to make out of this community.

['Itan Atxur]

Well, we've had to ditch much of the Na'vi lifestyle to stay realistic. What we have held on to is hardly a Na'vi only idea. We want to go back to the very basics and really be in tune with nature and the world around us.

[MOUNTAINBANSHEE2]

if it was up to me, This tribe would be completely na'vi, But again there are others that worry about not contacting famaly and others that worry about not having a tv and everything in the middle

[Maweya Hufwe]

if it was up to me, This tribe would be completely na'vi, But again there are others that worry about not contacting famaly and others that worry about not having a tv and everything in the middle

I don't think being completely Na'vi is possible anyway. Humans have undergone too many different things than a Na'vi could dream of. We are touched by technology and will continue to be touched by it, since it would surround us. And as humans, there are things about the inner Na;vi that we could not even comprehend. For one thing, religion is our biggest problem. We all have different views on how the world is wired and what the divine has to do with us, we wouldn't be able to reach such a state like the Na'vi.

And, with the lack of Na'vi ancestry, we would really be nothing but trying to mimic something instead of building and nurturing something from the ground up. I don't think we'd be able to ever make a Na'vi community, but a Na'vi-LIKE one. But our differences in culture would still be pretty blatant.

[MOUNTAINBANSHEE2]

I would like to have our kids with next to no tech and for there kids with even less so that the tribe goes back and back in time.

[Letxuma Swizaw]

 I have been in cities my entire life and i love them. The sounds, the people (even though they are weird and mean they are interesting), the bustle, and the buildings. But none of that has ever filled me like the times i have spent in the wild. Weather it was roughing it with oeyä sa'nu on camping trips we used to go on, or hunting with oeyä sempul I have always been at peace when in the wild.

As my life progressed i began to absorb knowledge whenever i could from where ever i could. I began to think of the implications of the lifestyle we take for granted on the earth. I saw we were destroying our only home slowly but surely and we were picking up the pace. 

As I grew more and acquired a girlfriend with whom i was madly in love with, I began to notice an aspect of my life that i had been largely ignoring and going through the rituals that had been provided for me. I had been ignoring my spirituality; I felt empty and i didn't know why. I searched myself deeply and came to the conclusion that we were an accident of the universe, that we are a fluke and nothing more and that there is no god, a very different ideology from what my christian upbringings should have made me believe. This was a very dark time for me and it climaxed with my separation from my girlfriend of 4 years.

I had convinced myself that we were going to marry after graduation. I was saving for a ring and I had the proposal planned out. Everything had turned out okay, I thought 'i don't believe in god but at least i can spend my limited time of consciousness with the love of my life'. One of the few things I had came out of my christian background was a high view on sex but i didn't really believe in the ritualistic nature of marriage. My teachers had always preached sex as something for after marriage, something that couldn't be handled without a binding contract to make sure it was concrete. "Bull s***" I thought "We don't need a ritual to tell us we're ready. I already love her more than life itself and the only way i can show her my true feelings is with the full commitment of my body." 

Apparently she didn't understand my view on my virginity and the gift i believed i had given her, because she threw it away without a second thought the first time some chipper suave man came along with false promises of true love. She left me, for the stereotypical bad-ass guy that i had used to joke with her that she would end up leaving me for and was very nonchalant about it. The next weeks of my life contained the worst pain i have ever known.

I was betrayed, left alone, and godless. The only thing that kept me from taking it home, was that i didn't believe there was a home to take it to. I didn't believe in an after life so i supposed that living in pain was better than non-existence. Everyone tried to comfort me but i didn't care. I stopped doing school work, I didn't talk to anybody, i just lived, if you could even call it that.

One day she showed up at my house. I looked outside and saw her and despite what you may think I would have felt, I was filled with rage at the very site of the person who had destroyed me. I opened the door and she ran into my arms crying and told me she was sorry. I didn't care anymore i hated her. She told me that the douchebag ended up being a douchebag, I feigned surprise. She wanted me back and against my better judgment i agreed to let her back into my life. The first few times we went out again i felt at home in the familiar routine until she became awkward around me she flinched when i touched her leg, she avoided kisses, we hadn't gone 'heels to jesus' since before she broke up with me. I saw it coming this time and i had already decided i hated her too much for it to affect me when she broke up with me again.

Back to the lonely part now. I had gotten over the godless part and the betrayal somewhat. I returned to regular life sans-girlfriend and all was okay i guess. I started thinking about the earth again and realized that i was developing a spiritual reverence towards nature. I submitted fully to it and became some kind of neo-pagan i guess, i didn't have a name for it or a practice i still don't actually. I saw avatar, i liked Eywa, i felt she was my idea of earth and her world was what our earth could have been.

More depression, this time brought on by the state of the world. I had been following the movie before it came out and saw that the language was a real one. I searched religiously for somewhere to learn and eventually forgot about it about a week after the movie came out. I convinced a friend to go see the movie and he came back after a while with learnnavi.org for me. I came here and saw the real tribe thread and fell in love with the idea. I found one of the most positive and helpful friends ever in 'Itan Atxur in the beginnings and now i have developed many more.

Over-all I would say this idea alone has helped me advance as a person and has opened my perspective.

sorry to go all "life story" on you guys

[Fnua Atxkxe]

Oooh, such long posts. I'm gonna buck the trend here. In answer to the question: Everything. 

[Maweya Hufwe]

Ah, everyone. While I'm grateful for your stories so that we may better understand you, it seems that the overall objective of this post is a little sidetracked. Please! Continue to tell us your stories, but also include your dreams and expectations for this tribe as well. What are the core values for us to achieve, to you, within our community?  A philosophical bond with nature, a spiritual bond with it, a closeness to each other that rivals that of blood-born families, or perhaps simply going back to simple times and simple pleasures?

[Nanaki]

What is being Na'vi to you and why do you seek to be such? Is it the roughing it in the wild aspect? The spiritual connection to the Earth? A desire to build something pure and love it? To go back to a time of simple needs and simple happiness? I know it might sound silly to ask this, but sometimes what we think is clear and obvious isn't so much so. 

All of this !!

And I add : Be with amazing and really nice people, and share something exceptional ...

[Meuia te Stxeli Tstew'itan]

What is being Na'vi to you and why do you seek to be such? Is it the roughing it in the wild aspect? The spiritual connection to the Earth? A desire to build something pure and love it? To go back to a time of simple needs and simple happiness? I know it might sound silly to ask this, but sometimes what we think is clear and obvious isn't so much so. 

All of this !!

And I add : Be with amazing and really nice people, and share something exceptional ...

Yeah that's probably the most important thing of them all! Because that's what it is to be in a Na'vi tribe. Everyone is equal and a couple of them are considered more experienced and watch over the others. Everyone have the right to speak and tell what they think. There's a reason why Na'vi means "the people".

Ye,s it is important to be in nature and try to live by ourself. It is what make the whole experience interesting. But the main part of it is all about interaction, fun and enjoying the thing around us.

['Itan Atxur]

This^^^

[Tonbogiri]

To me, the Na'Vi tribe idea has several true meanings.

As time has passed, the technology of mankind has enabled us to bypass the normal rules of nature, the "circle of life" if you will. Unfortunately, this has resulted in us being dependent on things that are not replaced by the usual biological cycle fast enough. We actually have to break this circle in order to get the things we need.
This tribe would serve as a re-integration back into the way of nature. It would enable us to build a symbiosis with the world around us!

The other thing is simple, and I must be honest here - I have nothing else to do. Never in my life have I ever felt a calling to a single idea like this one. I am no longer only working for myself, but for my brothers and sisters and for my planet. I really hope that this vision never fades.

And now to break the seriousness, a ton of happy smileys!

[Ikranä mokri]

i really dunno what it means to me, its just the ideal of it appeal to me in a way i didnt think possible

and pretty much what everyone else has said

[Maweya Hufwe]

Ahh Tonbogiri, I couldn't agree more with you thoughts of the idea calling to you. I've always wanted to live somewhat like this, and this is the first time I've every found like-minded people. My heart is simply soaring! 

I suppose I can tack on another question. And I need all to think on this one and answer as honestly and as fully as you can. In a realistic sense, how important is the 'going back to the ancient ways' aspect when it comes to technology. Don't think just about yourself, however, but the community: the young, the old, the sick, the healthy, the present, and the future.

Personally, I believe the act of creating technology is not, in itself, bad and encourage the use of the mind to create ways to make life easier and healthier. I also support the notion that, as humans, we have a inner need to create, right next to the desire for aesthetics. However, I strongly believe that all actions brought on by man should be heavily weighed against the consequences. Like the Wiccam Rede: "An' it harm none, do what ye will. Blessed Be to thee." I feel that these words not only apply to human/human interactions, but human/earth as well. So, I find that using technology that harms little (and even better, harms nothing) of the Earth to be something to encourage. But then, I admit, my fandom has more basis in Tolkien elves than the Na'vi when it comes to thoughts of civilization.

However, I am not for technology that causes mass harm, increases alienation, is used as a sign of superiority, or causes an unhealthy amount of laziness. Close-combat weapons, housing tools, medical supplies, boats, and intricate housing intertwined deeply with nature is okay. Guns, electronics, vehicles*, and machines are not.


*: If trading with the 'outside world' is necessary, I would say having one to two vehicles to transport would be okay. After all, medical supplies are not free and I suspect the same for the land we live on.

[eywa´eveng frrtu]

Never in my life have I ever felt a calling to a single idea like this one. I am no longer only working for myself, but for my brothers and sisters and for my planet. I really hope that this vision never fades.

Same here, i'm a christian by birth and education from my parents/school but i've never really believed in god.
I'm not going to say that when i saw avatar my life dramatically changed but for sure it got a different meaning.

how important is the 'going back to the ancient ways' aspect when it comes to technology. Don't think just about yourself, however, but the community: the young, the old, the sick, the healthy, the present, and the future.

i don't think we should abandon technology completely b'cause it's got us so far (an +- 80year life span).
But slowly slowly try to ban unnecesarry tech, and eventually continue with only the things MOST needed like medicins and such.

the government should indeed be entirely different from the omaticaya eyktan. We also have to deal with the politics from our resident country wich the real na'vi don't care about. When there's something wrong it's fighting time (beeing with words or bow and arrow doesn't mather to them).I suppose we'd best not try to copy this 

for me this tribe is also alot about roughing in the wildernis and survivung with limited possebility's.
But i say alot b'cause there's still a gigantic part that want's to live exactly like the na'vi, altough that's practically impossible on earth.

[The old Uriuujìn]

My story is not nearly as inspiring as yours, ma tsmukan, but I will tell it anyway ^_^;

I have lived my life apart. For the most part, until my Freshman year of High School, I had no real friends to speak of. My parents were good providers, and they told me they loved me, but I still felt eclipsed by my older Half-brother and my younger brother, both spitting images of my father in both physiology and actions, and I was the black sheep. As well as this, all of my cousins and such were either my Older or Younger Brother's age, none near mine at all. So, in the middle, too scrawny and strange to be of any real use to the world, I threw myself into music and books, drowning my sorrow and hollow feelings in fiction, and Music, the only real joy in my life.

I have been raised a Christian, but I have been a doubter since the beginning, and as soon as I could think for myself, have been able to express my doubt. Not that I think of those who are believers as fools, for the longest time, I thought that Christians (including my own family) were a bunch of ignorant fools. This, obviously, has changed.

After re-inventing myself in Florida for my Freshman year, I returned to the town I live in as a changed youth, still a doubter, however. Even after having more of a social life, I found that something was missing, though Music, as ever, was a very important part. Then I fell for a girl I know, and we have been dating ever since (Until about a month and a half ago, where I broke it off, and then we got back together about a week ago), but still there was something missing.

After seeing Avatar, I was reminded of my affinity for Nature, something I had lost with the passing of time. After doing some soul-searching, I re-discovered my love for nature, and was able to, through a bit of research, discover Gaia's influence ^_^ And now that hole is filled!

I want this tribe to succeed because I love my aysmuk, and I want all of us to pull this off. I know that this will be a great achievement for us, and a sign of people moving toward a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. My hope is that we can provide an example that others can mimic, and help to save our Mother from the abuse that we have been piling upon her.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it ^_^

Gaia ayngahu

-Uriuujìn

[Letxuma Swizaw]

Everyone here has a lot more in common than i could have even imagined. It is simply amazing that we have found each other. Fate maybe? I have never believed in fate, only coincidence, but this is just too perfect for me to ignore.

[MOUNTAINBANSHEE2]

I think 1) that it isn't fate, just strease that made as fixate on a topic and the first movie that aracted use this close is AVATAR! and
         2)To atract some this close is our love of nature. A twitard is someone eather with a facination with blood or boys. The reson for me to come to this conclustion is something someone said. A friend of mine said "slap some crazy greenpeace sh** on it" (refering to the poster I was creating). This guy hates avatar and thinks a lot less about the enviroment than I do.

[Tsamsiyu Atsteu]

It means to me a closeness with others, and with nature. I struggled until junior year in high school, where I realized I was pagan, because of the love and respect I have for nature. I had few friends in school and got beaten up daily from 4th grade on. What happened is I started to snarl and hiss, to keep others away, then in High school I joined some clubs and got slightly popular, but I've few friends, though they are the best, and I tend to be very protective. The Na'vi way of life appeals to me because of the way they live in harmony with all, not just nature, not just the planet, but themselves too. I've always been a bit unhappy that we no longer thank for our food, or recognize the sacrifice that brought it to our plate. I've always had a weird affinity to animals - I can literally make them do anything I want. I had a coyote walk with me once, not more than a few feet from my side.

Another thing that interested me is the ability to go back to the simple times, a time without a big government, a time without big dividing issues and a time with both genders are held as equal (I mean look at the Na'vi both the females and males are hunters/warriors)

Well that's my story.

[Swokéyan]

This is a nice thread!
The Na'vi lifestyle means alot to me, i love their culture, i love this forum, and i love the people on this forum, on the most forums you always find alot of jackasses, but this forum... its a great community