#atlaculture

[arctik-fox]

[atlaculture1]

Hey y'all, looks like the hacker deleted ATLAculture. Not really shocking, they wanted me to pay them to get my account back.

Tumblr users with far larger followings have had their accounts deleted and never got them back so I guess this is my new account.

Could you guys send me reblogs of my old posts?

[atlaculture1]

The New ATLAculture - Plan of Attack

Alright, mulled over what I'm going to do and decided I'm going to change thelastairbenderculture to atlaculture1, because I'm honestly really attached to that name. After a bit of research, I learned that any deleted account names can be re-used a year after deactivation so I'll switch over from atlaculture1 to ATLAculture this time next year.

As much as it sucks to have my blog deleted, I'm confident that I can rebuild my archive back just fine. My main priority is to just preserve this little cultural database for the fandom, long after I eventually drift over to a new hyperfixation.

Now that I have a fresh start, I'd also like to rebuild this blog to be a little more orderly and easier to navigate. I think this will be a fun process and a trip down memory lane.

Truth be told, I'm relieved that the hacker just deleted my original blog, rather than tarnishing its reputation by using it to run scams on people.

[atlaculture1]

ATLAculture's backup account

Hey everyone! My dumbass fell for a scam and now a hacker has my main account. Fortunately, the only thing affected was my Tumblr. Please do not engage with my hacked account in any way, as I just wanna settle the issue through the proper channels.

Anywho, feel free to roast me via this account. Meme me even. I'll give Tumblr til the end of the year to turn my account back to me. If I don't get my main account back by then, I'm gonna just steal back my own content and post it on here.

My Tumblr Situation Right Now:

Also, thank you @lynzine, @muffinlance and @chiptrillino for getting the word out.

My account is still-halfway logged in on my laptop. I can't access anything, but it's nice to look at what was once mine.

[atlaculture]

2024 Tumblr Top 10 Posts

Decided to do a Year in Review using JetBlackCode. This has been an absolutely roller coaster of a year for me! New apartment, new job, and new state. My mental health really improved after the big move and I have you guys to thank for it. Having an outlet for all my weird hyperfixations really helped me get through all the rough patches in my life.

Special thanks to KMA, Glitterrainstorm, LynZine, Monroe, skollipsism, Quillma, Carey, and thebluewhitelotus for your generous donations! It really means a lot to me. Anyways, on to the Top 10 list!

1. 964 notes - Feb 26 2024 - An Alternative to a Roast

2. 859 notes - Jan 15 2024 - Cultural Practices: Pai Sho

3. 783 notes - Dec 31 2024 - Japanese Avatar!

4. 651 notes - Jan 28 2024

Animating Race : The Production and Ascription of Asian-ness in the Animation of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra (PhD Thesis Paper by Francis Agnoli)

5. 553 notes - Dec 7 2024 - Water Tribe Democracy

6. 487 notes - Aug 3 2024 - Favorite Foods: Aang

7. 464 notes - Aug 18 2024 - Favorite Foods: Sokka

8. 440 notes - Nov 15 2024 - ATLA Calendar

9. 414 notes - Dec 13 2024 - Water Tribe Calendar

10. 394 notes - Aug 7 2024 - Favorite Foods: Katara

Created by TumblrTop10

[atlaculture]

Hello!! Firstly, I love your blog, thank you so much for providing such useful and interesting information! Secondly, how was pirate culture in the Qing dynasty? Especially in regards to their clothes. I'd like to make an Earth Kingdom pirate oc, so I've been taking some inspiration from Jiang from the comics and Ching Shih, a famous pirate, but I'd love to see any information you could provide about this topic! Thank you!

What a neat question! The pirate culture during the Qing Dynasty was really interesting. Since I know I have a lot of historical fashion who fans follow this blog, I'll show you the inspiration board I created first and then try to connect it to the Avatar world. If you're interested in the history of Qing era pirates or the greater context behind my clothing recommendations, you can click on the "Keep Reading" line.

So what might the pirates of the Qing Dynasty have worn?

Since Qing Dynasty pirates spent most of their time in the South China Sea and docked along the China-Vietnam borderlands--- both the Qing Dynasty and the Tây Sơn Dynasty had employed these pirates at different points in time--- they were likely a mix of Chinese and Vietnamese culturally, if not ethnically. Their clothing would reflect this, as well as incorporating fabrics and cuts that would be suitable for a tropical climate. In general, their wardrobe would be very Southeast Asian in style.

Since you seem to be designing a female OC, I figured I'd make a collage of clothing and accessories that a Qing Dynasty lady pirate might have.

Headwear

Khăn lươn (Vietnamese Women's Headwrap) - Used to keep hair neat and out of the way. It's like a halfway point between a turban and a hairband.

Khăn mỏ quạ (Vietnamese Women's Headscarf) - A bandana that Vietnamese women would wear over their Khăn lươn to shield their hair from the sun. It literally means "Crow's Beak Scarf", because the bandana forms a triangle shape at the front.

Mũ chữ Đinh (Vietnamese Military Officer's Hat) - Many Qing Dynasty pirates would offer their services to the Tây Sơn Dynasty (Vietnamese) navy. I can imagine some pirates wearing these hats as a spoil of war.

Nón lá (Asian Conical Hat) - A traditional hat that is commonly worn in Asia by any profession that labors outside. It's probably the hat most associated with East and Southeast Asia.

Đinh Tự (Vietnamese Women's Hat) - A giant, wide-brimmed hat made from dried palm leaves--- it's basically an Asian conical hat on steroids. Whereas the nón lá is relatively gender-neutral, the dinh tự is considered a feminine hat.

Tops

Yếm / Dudou (Vietnamese/Chinese Halter Top) - Fun Fact: Its original purpose was to keep the belly warm, as the stomach is the sea of chi!

Áo gấm (Vietnamese Tunic) - A thin overcoat worn over the yếm. It's often fastened with a sash.

Áo bà ba (Vietnamese Folk Shirt) - A lightweight shirt with slits on the side.

Suoyi (Chinese Folk Raincoat) - A cloak made out of local materials such as palm leaves and grass. It was also worn by laborers in Vietnam, Japan, and Korea.

Bottoms

Kangkeng Le (Thai Fisherman Pants) - They're from Thailand, but I've seen them worn in other parts of Southeast Asia.

Váy (Vietnamese Skirt)

Miscellaneous Speculation

Kiềng (Vietnamese Gold Necklace) - Traditionally, gold or silver Vietnamese/Chinese necklaces were solid rings of metal, rather than being composed of small chain links like European necklaces. I imagine a powerful Asian pirate queen would wear at least three kiềng necklaces.

Tattoos - Since Confucian cultures traditionally considered body modification (including cutting your own hair) to be a sign of rebellion and criminality, tattoos would be the perfect status symbol for an Asian pirate! For a uniquely Vietnamese look, you could try incorporating ancient Vietnamese (Dong Son style) patterns to your design. Alternatively, they could have "protection charm" tattoos on their body, to ensure that the spirits watch over them while at sea or during battle.

Cormorants (Fishing Birds) - Historically, the fishermen of China and Vietnam have trained these species of bird to catch fish for them. I think it would be really cool if your pirate OC had some bird companions.

Weapons

Going to lean into the Vietnamese influence for the weapons as well. Most Vietnamese weapons were heavily inspired by Chinese weapons, but with uniquely Vietnamese touches. Generally, these weapons tended to have more tapered blades, metal engravings with floral patterns, and rattan-corded grips with smaller guards compared to their Chinese counterparts.

Dadao/Trường đao (Chinese/Vietnamese Machetes)

Jian/Kiem (Chinese/Vietnamese Doubled-Edged Swords)

Changdao/Guőm truòng (Chinese/Vietnamese Two-Handed Swords) - Fun fact: These swords were really popular with Chinese and Japanese pirates during the Ming Dynasty, as well.

Niuweidao - I don't think there's a Vietnamese version of Oxtail Sabers. Anyways, I've discussed Zuko's trademark swords at length elsewhere. They're civilian weapons that look very pirate-y to me.

Who would the Earth Kingdom pirates be? How would they make a living?

It has been shown that there is a Vietnam analog in the EK, as I've posted about before. The Swampbenders have some Vietnamese inspiration, as well. So the main base operations for EK pirates might have been that EK village that Zuko and Iroh begged in. Maybe the jerk that Zuko stole the swords from was a pirate.

Considering that Froggy Swamp denizens and other Water Tribers would probably be marginalized by EK society, I think there would be good reason for them to become pirates. Especially since waterbending would obviously be a very useful skill to have at sea. Also, since the Northern Water Tribe is shown to be a bit sexist, I could see the surprisingly not-as-sexist world of EK piracy being especially appealing to the ladies of the NWT. As far as EK natives go, farmers and fishermen who've been displaced by the Fire Nation would probably also turn to piracy. Similarly, jaded or corrupt Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation naval officers might switch to piracy, as well. What drives a person to piracy would definitely inform their clothing choices and weaponry.

Like the real-life pirates of the Qing Dynasty, Earth Kingdom pirates likely have no real national loyalties. If you paid them enough, they'd be willing to fight for either the Fire Nation or the Earth Kingdom. You also have to pay them off to cross their territory unscathed. Pirates raid merchant and military ships alike. For refugees who could afford it, they likely paid pirates to smuggle them into Ba Sing Se. Pirates probably also smuggled goods between nations, as well as drugs.

I also think Earth Kingdom pirates would worship water-related spirits, like Yue (+ the Ocean Spirit) or the Painted Lady. Perhaps they'd lay out offerings to spirit alters they'd have onboard or even "feed" the offerings to the seas themselves.

The Greater Context of Chinese Qing Dynasty Piracy

Who were the pirates of the Qing Dynasty?

The pirates of Qing Dynasty were predominantly made up of former farmers and fishermen. During this period, population growth in China lead to land shortages and many farmers lost their land either from being unable to keep up with rising taxes or outright theft from corrupt officials. Fishermen turned to piracy when fishing could no longer guarantee their survival, especially with European pirates and colonial ships invading their waters. In general, extreme poverty drove people to piracy.

Also, Chinese pirates were surprisingly more accepting of female leadership than men from more "respectable" parts of society. This is due to the fishermen roots of many pirates. Traditionally, when a fisherman died, his wife was expected to take over his boat and crew. Also, the two most prominent patron Chinese gods of seafarers are goddesses, Guanyin and Mazu.

What did these pirates do?

Qing Dynasty pirates were a unique fusion of bandit, mercenary, and drug smuggler. Obviously, if you planned on sailing through pirate-infested waters, you had better pay off the pirates to be left unscathed. Otherwise, your ship was getting plundered.

Qing pirates also offered up their talent for violence to the highest bidder during times of war. In the 18th century, Imperial Vietnam would frequently hire and train up Southern Chinese pirates to assist their fleets during naval battles. Those who earned merit during these conflicts would even be granted official military titles. In 1857, the Chinese government would even employ these same South Sea pirates to take down the Portuguese pirates terrorizing their waters.

Finally, due to Qing Dynasty piracy reaching its epoch right before the First Opium War, Chinese pirates participated in a lot of drug smuggling. As pirates have no loyalty, they had no issue serving as middle-men in the profitable European drug trade.

Where were these pirates found?

The South China Sea was the stomping ground for Qing-era pirates, particularly the Gulf of Tonkin. In terms of ports and towns, they tended to spend a lot of time in the border areas where China met Vietnam. Remember that these pirates offered their services to both Imperial Vietnam and Imperial China, so they didn't exactly have national loyalties.

[atlaculture]

Live-Action Promo Pics: Iroh

Hi everyone, I know I’m pretty late to the party, but I just wanted to give my two cents on the costuming for the second batch of promo pics we got last month. Afterwards, I’m going to be doing a very thorough breakdown of both the fresh and the familiar elements showcased in the new trailer. I’ll also be giving my two cents on the casting for the adult characters, as I feel they’re far along enough into their careers to not care what some random person on Tumblr thinks of them.

Iroh

What I Liked

I know it’s not costume-related, but I have zero issues with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Iroh. It’s picture-perfect casting, as he’s about as close to a real-world Iroh as you can get.

Like with Ozai, the facial hair is spot-on. I mentioned in the previous post that Asian facial hair tends to get bushier once the hair turns white. The makeup artists for this adaption did a good job of capturing this phenomenon.

I like the pattern on Iroh’s vest. It reminds me of the kind of interlocking, geometric designs you see on traditional Japanese fabrics.

The construction of the vest also feels very Japanese-inspired. Although less exaggerated, the pleated shoulders remind me of a kataginu, an over-vest that was traditionally worn by Japanese noblemen and samurai. It’s an appropriate inspiration for the Fire Nation royal with the most decorated military past.

I also appreciate how worn the trim on his robes look. Given that he’s been out at sea alongside his nephew for three years, it makes sense that even his finer clothing would look a little dingy.

What I Didn’t Care For

I wish the shoulders of his vest were a little broader and more dramatic, like the kataginu that inspired them. This is just a personal preference, but I think it would really hammer home Iroh’s past as former crown prince and accomplished general.

The red parts of his robe could be a bit dingier looking.

Overall, I would give Iroh’s live action look 9 teapots out of 10: Almost Perfect.

Surprisingly, I think I prefer this look over his Book 1 armor look. I’m a sucker for a good vest. Hopefully, we’ll see a few more Grade A designs from the Netflix adaption.

[atlaculture]

Live-Action Promo Pics: Ozai

Hi everyone, I know I’m pretty late to the party, but I just wanted to give my two cents on the costuming for the second batch of promo pics we got last month. Afterwards, I’m going to be doing a very thorough breakdown of both the fresh and familiar elements showcased in the new trailer. I’ll also be giving my two cents on the casting for the adult characters, as I feel they’re far along enough into their careers to not care what some random person on Tumblr thinks of them.

Ozai

What I Liked

The topknot crown (guan) looks great. They translated the simple look from the animated show into a really elaborate design in live-action that’s fitting of the Fire Lord’s status.

The facial hair looks quite realistic and natural. Facial hair on East/Southeast Asian men tends to grow pretty straight--- until they hit their senior years, when the head and facial hair start to get bushier.

The brocade pattern on his outer robe is cool. The diamond shapes remind me of the sort of patterns you tend to see on traditional Thai fabrics.

They retained his silhouette and color scheme. I know that’s the bare minimum, but I’m still happy that he’s immediately recognizable as Ozai, unlike his movie counterpart.

What I Didn’t Care For

His outfit is really red. I know it’s the Fire Nation’s signature color, but an abundance of bright red tends to be hard on the eyes. This is why most Fire Nation characters dress in much more muted reds, usually with black and grey as secondary colors. His solid red robe with all the shiny, gold detailing makes him look cartoonier than his counterpart in the actual cartoon.

I’m not a fan of the spaulders directly attached to his outer robe. Having them be sewn/glued on to the clothing makes them look flimsy, rather than imposing. It also bothers me that the layers of his spaulders aren’t uniformly curly--- although this is just a personal pet peeve of mine.

I really wish they had incorporated the triangular shoulder pieces from the show into his outfit. It would have made him look more imposing and offset some of the searing red in his outfit. It’s not as if there isn’t any precedent for this kind of armor either; there are real-world examples from SE Asia that they could have used as inspiration. (Picture below: Thai, Burmese, and Lao shoulder armor.)

This design is not amazing, but also not the worst. About what I was expecting: A recognizable, if somewhat underwhelming, interpretation of Ozai.

Overall, I give this look 5 evil goatees out of 10.

I will say that I’ve warmed up to Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai. He’s got an imposing and regal aura, but I still wish a younger actor was playing the role. It would have created an even starker contrast between the vicious younger brother and the wizened elder brother.