The Water Tribe

The people of the Water Tribes are peaceful. They strive to live in harmony with nature and with the other nations of the world. There are two primary groups of Water Tribes, the Northern and the Southern. However, once the Fire Nation's attack began, contact between the two tribes came to an end. Waterbenders use their abilities for defense, never for aggression. Despite their peaceful nature, their goal is to do whatever it takes to stop the Fire Nation from taking over the world.

The Water Tribe is less powerful than both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, due to its population size, geographic location and economy. Its economy is very small and is dependent on ocean resources, which can be attributed to the relatively small population of the Water Tribes as the third most populous nation.

Ethnically homogeneous, members of both tribes typically have light or deep brown hair, blue or gray eyes and a light brown skin tone. Water Tribe clothing is usually a set of blue anorak and trousers lined and trimmed with white fur, and worn with mittens and mukluks. Men may wear their hair long and half-up or in short ponytails, also known as "warrior's wolf tails". Women plait and braid their hair in various styles, sometimes with accent beads, and many sport "hair loopies" in various styles. In the Southern Water Tribe, women have been shown wearing their hair back in a bun with a decorative band. In the Northern Water Tribe, males appear to wear a darker blue than those of the Southern Water Tribe, and royalty often wear purple. In the Foggy Swamp Tribe, they wear very little; just leaf-hats, loincloths, and wristbands, all in green, reflecting the color of the water and their surroundings.

The national emblem of the Water Tribe is a circle comprised of a waning crescent moon and three wavy horizontal lines representing ocean water. The emblem represents the relationship between Tui and La, the Moon and Ocean Spirits, who exist in perfect harmony with one another, like that of Yin and Yang. The Water Tribes' belief in peaceful cooperation between nations stems from the relationship between these two spirits, and this ideal is further exemplified on the insignia. It is displayed on the pennant of the watchtower in the Southern Tribe Village, and is common in the architecture of the Northern Water Tribe. However, in the Foggy Swamp Tribe, this symbol is not found due to the lack of communication with the other tribes.

The appearance of the Water Tribes is based on its corresponding element, water. Each of the nations has its own elemental color, which in the case of the Water Tribes is blue. However, the people of the Foggy Swamp go toward green or brown.

The Water Tribe is divided into three distinct groups, primarily based on their geography and affinity for waterbending. The Southern Tribe occupies the South Pole with no known bending member, the art having been almost completely erased from the South Pole as a direct result of the Fire Nation raids.

The Northern Tribe consists of the majority of the official remnants of their civilization, occupying the North Pole with a multitude of able benders. Though separated, the Southern and Northern Tribes continued to remain in contact prior to the Hundred Year War and at one time even retained a custom of coming together during a New Moon justly called the New Moon Celebration. The Foggy Swamp Tribe occupies a swamp in the Earth Kingdom, while most, if not all, of its members are competent benders with some unique talents, such as plantbending.

In the Northern Water Tribe, women are of marrying age at the age of sixteen. Males who wish to marry females gift them with a traditional betrothal necklace. This signifies that the woman is to be married. The ceremony is completely organized by the parents, and marriage of free choice is not practiced. However, in the Southern Water Tribe, it seems that people are allowed to choose their own spouses.

When they turn fourteen, Southern Water Tribe children are taken on a rite of passage known as ice dodging, a sport where the children must control a ship in turbulent water riddled with large, unpredictable chunks of ice. After completing the ritual, they are given "marks" of honor: the Mark of the Brave, the Mark of the Wise, and the Mark of the Trusted.

The names of the Southern and Northern tribes' citizens often include one or two "K"s and have an "AH" sound, such as happens in Fire Nation with the letter "Z". However, this does not happen in the Foggy Swamp Tribe, perhaps because of their isolation from the culture of the two major Water Tribe factions.

Each of the four nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Water Tribe's dominant season is winter. To an effect, more Waterbenders are born during winter than any other season and their waterbending is at its peak during the winter due to the longer nights and freezing conditions. In actuality, both polar tribes experience winter-like weather consistently, with snow falling year-round.

Inhabiting frozen poles near the seas, the Water Tribes inherently are dependent on the oceans for a majority of their natural resources as well as the bounty of the frozen tundra. Sea prunes are a favorite, while giant sea crabs are considered a delicious delicacy to those in the Northern Sea.

Sea squid is a popular food that can be made into a variety of things, including sea squid soup. Seaweed can be used to make seaweed bread, seaweed soup, or seaweed sprinkles to top seaweed cookies. When traveling, blubbered seal jerky is a common snack to take along.

Skins from seals are used to create tents in the Southern Water Tribe. Pelts from polar bears and other furry animals are used as clothing and to cover barren surfaces. Naturally, hunters and fishermen of the Water Tribes are some of the best in the world in their field.

The Foggy Swamp Tribe uses the plants and fauna in their swamp to meet their needs; they eat small game, such as possum chicken, fish, and giant insects.