Alright, here it is: the Konoha clan headcanons masterpost!
*well, it’s the non-story-relevant Konoha clans. I have a feeling I’ll learn more about the Uchihas and Uzumakis a little further into the show, so I’m holding off on making hcs for them for now.
**also I wanna hear other ppl’s clan headcanons so drop yours in the comments/tags👀
-any clan-born Aburame is technically eligible to become clan head and may challenge the current clan leader for the position if they so desire (otherwise, clan heirs are based on the current leader’s bloodline). A formal voting process is then carried out among all clan-born adults to determine who will lead, making the Aburame clan Konoha’s most prominent democratic clan (of which there are very few)
-however, they hardly ever actually have a change in power due to general contentment with how things are run: usually, the only reasons for a change in power to a new bloodline within the clan are the old leader’s bloodline ending or their blood relatives refusing the position. In general, political infighting among the Aburame is very rare
-they’re well-respected for their strength and usefulness, but other clans don’t make it a habit to socialize with them. As it stands, the Aburame don’t really have many notable relationships with other clans. Their closest relationship is actually with the Yamanaka clan: the Yamanaka respect the Aburame’s non-talkative ways, the Aburame have helped the Yamanaka with growing their flowers, and both clans have a sizeable presence in both the Torture and Interrogation unit and the Intelligence unit
-not many outsiders marry into the clan: this, coupled with the clan’s low birth rates, means that the Aburame are one of the smallest of Konoha’s major clans
-the Aburame seem closed-off, but they actually have a very communal culture where almost everything is shared. They also live in large complexes instead of single-family homes
-the clan culture values uniformity, which is why Aburames do not tend to show much outward emotion
-because of their unique physiology, sick or hurt Aburames are often tended to by Aburame doctors
-Aburames who have a very close relationship with each other often can recognize the unique buzzing of each other’s insects
-Aburames tend to like very bland food, and they tend to avoid spicy foods and alcohol because it agitates their insects
-Aburame clan members wear dark glasses because their eyes are very light-sensitive
-their eyes are black and have no pupils, and the irises have an unusual hexagonal pattern
-Aburames tend to have somewhat poor vision. They sometimes use their insects to help them see
-Aburames are naturally susceptible to extreme temperatures
-as insect hosts, Aburames value preserving their bodies’ natural states and thus do not engage in any form of body modification like tattoos or piercings
-the Aburame have much simpler traditional clothing than most other clans, but each member does have a special scarf to wear during formal events. The scarves are made from silk that can only be produced by a silkworm colony that is tended to at the center of the Aburame compound
-the coats that Aburame members wear for shinobi duties are made out of special thermal-regulating fabric
-the Aburame favor plain, simple, and uniform clothing. The only jewelry they wear are beaded charms that are worn either around someone’s neck or hanging from their glasses
-clan funerals are the only events where Aburames are expected to take their glasses off. They do this as a sign of respect for the dead
-Aburame weddings are very private. The only people who attend them are the immediate families of the people getting married
-the Hyuga clan is the most picky about other clan members marrying into their clan and usually do not allow for civilians to marry into the clan at all
-the Hyuga and Nara clans (and the Uchiha clan when it was still around) are the only major clans that do not allow divorce
-overzealous Hyuga children are told that using their Byakugan too much will cause them to develop wrinkles (it’s not true, but it’s effective in encouraging restraint)
-Hyugas are big fans of the arts. Many clan members are taught how to play flutes or stringed instruments from a young age, and it’s practically mandatory within the clan to practice calligraphy
-Hyuga shinobi practice meditation often, particularly “body scan” types of mediation that they use to get in touch with their chakra system
-extreme pain/discomfort and even extreme emotions can make someone unconsciously activate their Byakugan. This is especially true for younger Hyugas, as they have less training and experience using their Byakugan and thus may accidentally activate it while doing something like eating really spicy food or stubbing their toe
-overuse of the Byakugan causes itchiness and facial discomfort. The Hyuga have developed a special balm to help with this
-most Hyugas are colorblind to varying degrees
-the gene for the Byakugan is extremely strong. All Hyugas born to two Hyuga parents have it, and even those with mixed heritage are very likely to inherit it
-Hyuga eyes reflect light
-Hyugas are very proud of their eyes, and it’s the clan beauty standard for women to accentuate their eyes with makeup when they get dressed-up for events
-traditional Hyuga robes are very simple and are similar between the main house and branch house, but main house robes have more dramatic sleeves. Main house members also wear purple sashes: women wear them around their arms, and men wear them around their waists
-it’s tradition for Hyugas within the clan leader’s bloodline to wear their hair long as a mark of their status (though others are allowed to do so as well)
-Hyugas wear ceremonial hairpins at important clan events
-Branch house members wear headbands to cover their seals
-on the last day of the year, the Hyuga hold a remembrance ceremony to honor their ancestors. This involves lighting incense at the Hyuga burial shrine, a period of prayer to the ancestors, and a feast at the end
-the continuation of the clan leader’s bloodline is considered to be extremely important. As such, there is a big celebration each time a child of the clan leader is born. The clan heir’s birthday is also celebrated throughout the clan when they turn 3 and again when they turn 16
-the Inuzuka are a purely matriarchal clan (and the most prominent of the few matriarchal clans in Konoha, since the other matriarchal clans are smaller and less powerful)
-they’re highly uninvolved with politics compared to other clans of their standing (in the past, part of this was because of misogynistic political standards, but now it’s partly out of the Inuzuka’s own spite and mostly out of their disinterest)
-anyone can marry into the clan and receive full clan membership, but only clan-born Inuzukas can receive facial tattoos
-the clan’s signature facial tattoos are done with a special ink by a designated clan elder. The elder trains an apprentice in how to make the ink and do the tattoos so that they can take over the practice when the elder dies
-it is considered treason of the highest degree for an Inuzuka to abandon their dog for any reason. Anyone who does so is disowned from the clan
-the Inuzuka have a “pack” culture and deeply value community and clan loyalty
-the humans don’t pick their dogs. Instead, the dogs are the ones who pick their human partners: something carrying a person’s scent (usually a piece of clothing) is presented to a group of eligible dogs, and if a dog chooses to be with that person, they will howl to indicate their choice
-dogs and their human partners are buried side-by-side in designated plots
-Inuzukas do basically all of their training outdoors, so they’re known to be good survivalists. Because of their sense of smell, they’re especially good at identifying useful plants
-the Inuzuka have a specialized method of drying and preserving meat in order to make a very tough jerky. Inuzuka children chew the jerky as their fangs develop in order to help wear down rapid fang growth, and it’s also a popular snack for both the humans and dogs in the clan
-Inuzuka medics are specially trained to heal dogs as well as humans
-about half of the Inuzuka clan members are semi-colorblind. That said, while they don’t have perfect night vision by any means, Inuzukas have a better than average ability to see in the dark
-it’s a minor characteristic compared to their sense of smell, but Inuzukas also have a noticeably heightened sense of hearing
-Inuzukas are born with normal teeth, and their fangs grow in after they lose their canine teeth. The development of a child’s fangs marks when they are ready to be partnered with a dog
-it’s a clan tradition for Inuzukas to wear their dogs’ puppy teeth (dogs lose their baby teeth like humans) as jewelry, usually on a cord around their necks
-Inuzuka facial markings are done with face paint until an Inuzuka turns 16. At that point the markings are tattooed on
-Inuzuka ceremonial clothing consists of a ceremonial fur (which is made from the skins of animals they hunt) and a red sash
-Inuzukas outline their eyes and paint their nails red during clan celebrations, symbolizing past victories in battle via the blood of enemies. The clan head also paints a small red triangle on their forehead
-the Inuzuka celebrate the new year in winter. During this celebration, it is tradition for each Inuzuka with a dog to braid a short cord from their dog’s fur and give it to a loved one as a token of love and luck
-the clan has a group hunt every summer. They love the thrill of the hunt, but they also make it a point to respect the taking of an animal’s life and avoid killing just for the sake of killing. At the end of the hunting period, the clan gathers to celebrate their successful hunting and honor the lives of the animals they hunted
-when an Inuzuka turns 16 and gets their markings tattooed on, it is tradition for them to do a ritual where they do not let anyone see their face for three days. At the end of the three-day period, the clan members each contribute a piece of kindling to build a fire, which is used to purify a bowl of water that the newly-tattooed Inuzuka uses to wash their face and hands as well as the front paws of their dog. It is also tradition that they are not allowed to let anyone outside the clan see their face for another four days after completing the ritual (so not until a week after getting the tattoos)
-the head of the Nara clan is determined by bloodline, but a council of advisors to the clan head is elected democratically. This is somewhat unusual, as the other major clans generally have a council of elders to advise the clan head
-Nara members are granted full political power within the clan once they complete the clan’s coming-of-age ritual during their 16th spring, meaning they can participate in clan votes and hold clan positions. They actually grant this power earlier than many other clans: the age for it in most clans is 18.
-Naras are actually quite superstitious. Many of them engage in lots of little habits to ensure good luck and/or prevent bad luck (such as always facing in a particular direction when sleeping or keeping the windows closed on the first day of the year), which (among other things) has contributed to a stereotype about the clan being somewhat neurotic
-anyone who harms a Nara deer is considered an enemy of the clan
-members of the Nara clan have higher than average rates of chronic insomnia
-like the Inuzuka, the Nara have a higher than average (but not outstanding) ability to see in the dark
-people joke that the Nara genes are the strongest in the village, since Nara children tend to have somewhat similar physical traits regardless of their parentage
-Nara shinobi grow their hair out as a symbol of longevity and wear it pulled back as a symbol of discipline, resulting in their signature ponytails. A Nara shinobi wearing their hair down while on duty is frowned upon as undignified
-traditional Nara robes include a long, flowing black skirt, which is meant to symbolize flowing shadows. Their robes also are decorated with patterns meant to look like creeping shadow tendrils. The clan leader’s robes have a deer skin collar
-Nara clan members who complete the coming-of-age ritual wear a pendant made from deer antler that’s carved with the clan symbol, which marks the person as a full-fledged member of the clan (regardless of whether they are a chunin who is already considered an adult)
-also, while it isn’t a firm tradition the way the coming-of-age ritual is, many Nara members save the antler their pendant is made from and cut a second piece of it to make into a piece of betrothal jewelry (usually a ring) when they become engaged
-the Nara have a big bonfire in the winter, during which they light lanterns and hang them from the trees in the forest in a celebration of light (after all, there can’t be shadows without light)
-the Nara coming-of-age ritual consists of a nonstop two-day meditation in the Nara forest to reflect on one’s childhood and gain a clearer understanding of one’s adult path. At the end of their meditation, the person completing the ritual selects a single shed deer antler from the forest, which is then turned into their clan pendant. Nara children complete this ritual during their 16th spring (since the deer shed their antlers in late winter/early spring), so some people have to wait a little longer to do it depending on when they were born
-Nara clan funerals exclusively take place at night. They burn their dead and scatter the ashes in the forest (they also do this when a Nara deer dies)
-the Akimichi clan is one of the largest of Konoha’s major clans, probably because they have no restrictions on who can marry into the clan and they have high birth rates
-however, due to the potentially destructive nature of their clan techniques, not all Akimichi members are taught said techniques. A council of clan elders decides whether each child will be allowed to learn: the only exceptions are those who are related to the clan head, who are guaranteed to be taught the techniques
-leaving a plate of food unfinished is considered exceptionally rude by the Akimichi. In the early days of Akimichi-Nara-Yamanaka shared feasts, several Naras and Yamanakas found this out the hard way
-music is very popular in the Akimichi clan, but unlike the flutes and stringed instruments of the Hyuga clan, Akimichi music is made up of purely percussive instruments like gongs and drums. Unlike the Hyuga, they also do a lot of dancing, which is similarly percussive and utilizes a lot of stomping and clapping
-the Akimichi have one of the highest life expectancies of the Konoha clans
-Akimichis handle their alcohol well regardless of what size they are- because of this, the clan has a reputation for being big drinkers
-unlike the Inuzuka’s tattoos, the Akimichi’s facial markings are nonpermanent face paint. Each member chooses their own markings, and the different colors have different meanings (such as kindness, strength, and wisdom) that are supposed to represent the key trait each Akimichi wishes to embody
-the Akimichi wear ceremonial armor for important events to signify their strength as a warrior clan. They also wear tasseled headbands with the clan symbol on them: children’s headbands have one tassel on the left side of their faces, and those considered adults by the clan have headbands with tassels on both sides. The tassels have beads on them that are the same color as the wearer’s facial markings
-like the Aburame, the Akimichi clan places high cultural value in their bodies. There’s a big emphasis on taking care of one’s body within the clan, so they’re known for being very hygienic. Unlike the Aburame, the Akimichi also encourage decorating one’s body and dressing however one desires
-the clan head wears a long scarf that represents the vitality of the clan
-the Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans have a shared feast every summer in order to foster inter-clan relations, which is always hosted at the Akimichi compound. The signature dish served at the feast is a stew made with meat from Akimichi livestock, tree bark from the Nara forest, and herbs grown by the Yamanaka
-the Akimichis love their feasts in general. Weddings and funerals within the clan are both marked by feasts
-Akimichis are buried with their favorite foods, and the first cup of alcohol poured at an Akimichi funeral is set aside and left at the dead person’s grave
-the Akimichi like to have competitions of physical strength during celebrations, with the most common of these competitions being stone-lifting. Akimichi weddings also involve a wrestling match between the married couple, so they’re always great fun
-when a couple announces their engagement, the clan head bestows them with a caterpillar. They must tend to the caterpillar as it undergoes metamorphosis and becomes a butterfly, at which point they release it: the release of the butterfly signifies that the couple is ready to be wed. It is said that the longer the metamorphosis takes, the more blessed the marriage will be
-unlike the Akimichi (who grant members political power on their 18th birthday) and the Nara (who grant members power after the coming-of-age ritual during their 16th spring), a Yamanaka who is promoted to chunin receives full political power and status in their clan regardless of age, and all non-chunins receive power on their 20th birthday, later than most other clans
-several Yamanaka traditions include special teas made from different flower blends. One of them is a tea drank by a newly-married couple at their wedding to promote a love-filled partnership, one is a tea drank by a child on their first birthday to promote healthy growth and a long life, and one is a tea drank by everyone during the yearly Yamanaka springtime celebration to promote a prosperous and happy year
-Yamanakas have a reputation for being gossips. A juicy secret known by one Yamanaka is soon known by at least five of them
-when they get very old, it’s not unheard of for Yamanakas to stop talking and exclusively communicate mentally
-Yamanakas are very big on meditative practices and mindfulness
-it is very rare for a Yamanaka, even one with mixed heritage, to have dark-colored eyes. It’s said that their light eyes allow them to see clearly into the mind
-for whatever reason, Yamanakas can’t grow facial hair
-the vast majority of Yamanakas wear their hair long, but no one is allowed to have longer hair than the clan head
-most Yamanakas wear their hair in ponytails, but for ceremonial events, they favor more elaborate braided hairstyles. During the springtime celebration, they braid flowers into their hair
-Yamanaka traditional robes are sleeveless and patterned with flower designs
-the clan head wears a wooden pendant with the clan symbol
-the Yamanaka clan has a big springtime celebration every year when the flowers bloom, which is also when most of the courtship within the clan happens. They mark their years by springs, so it’s like their New Year’s celebration, and tons of friends and allies from other clans are invited
-before a Yamanaka wedding, the people getting married must spend three days living together. During this time, they are not allowed to see anyone else and are not allowed to speak to each other: this is supposed to strengthen their mental connection with each other
