A bunch of Bonkles fanart I whipped up some time based on background characters from the games, mainly the (officially) unreleased Legend of Mata Nui game but also the GBA game that actually did get released, Quest for the Toa. Barring Podu and Nobua, none of these guys were provided with names, so I took it upon myself to come up with some for them. I should note that I’m operating with the idea that there’s a more even sex distribution throughout the tribes (even if the Ga-Matoran are still predominantly women) and as always, credit goes to @agatharights for coming up with the Matoran baseline that I’ve come to work off of.
Podu: Among the toughest of the Po-Matoran, Podu is an active member of the Po-Koro guard, protecting his people from whatever threat may emerge from the sea of sand. Though not as renowned an athelete as Hewkii, Podu is still quite accomplished as a Kohli player, possessing a powerful kick that can plow through any opposing team’s defense. Loyal and stubborn in equal measure, Podu will insistently plug away at a task until it’s done, though this does give him considerable tunnel vision, leaving him oblivious to very real threats to his own safety until they’re right on top of him.
Harena: Harena is something of an oddity. A traveling Matoran, he spends his time attending to the Vuata Maca trees in each village, ensuring they’re all healthy and producing enough fruit to sustain the Matoran there. Though by all accounts friendly and outgoing, he never seems to stay in one place for too long, constantly hopping around to keep an eye on each village’s tree. The other Matoran are typically glad to provide him with hospitality whenever he arrives, but when asked where his home is, his response is a vague “I go where the winds of fate take me.”
Nobua: The youngest child of Turaga Whenua, Nobua has great dreams and aspirations, no doubt inspired by the adventures of the wandering Ta-Matoran Takua. He’s particularly fascinated by the legends of the Toa and hopes that one day he’ll get the chance to meet one of them in person. Still too young to help out in the mines directly, he often helps his father out with administrative work.
Ombak: A rare non-hybrid Ga-Matoran born biologically male, Ombak is an accomplished surfer... and under an immense amount of pressure to pick a spouse so as to potentially keep the genetic strain going. Problem is, he doesn't really click with any of his suitresses and seems to have eyes elsewhere.
Tauraki: Very few Po-Matoran would earnestly profess to prefer the floating village of Ga-Koro to their desert home, but Tauraki has never been comfortable in the arid Po-Wahi and has made no secret of his desire to move to a more temperate climate. Unlike most of his kin, he's readily thrown himself at swimming lessons courtesy of regular visitor Macku, which she provides in exchange for sneaking her into the village to see Hewkii.
Phiri: An artist at heart dreaming of following in the footsteps of Kopeke, the only thing holding Phiri back... is her own crippling lack of self-confidence. Believing herself to be no good at the craft of ice sculpting, she instead resigns herself to sentry duty at the village's borders, where she's clearly bored out of her mind.
Iskra: The resident gossip of Ta-Koro, Iskra is on top of the rumors going around the village, regardless of their basis in the truth. She's excellent at spinning a yarn, however, and is incredibly charismatic. Vakama wishes she would stop and check her sources every once in a while.
Sekhala: A Po-Matoran athlete, Sekhala is an accomplished goalie who aspires to one day outclass Hewkii himself. Her boisterous nature is endearing to many of her compatriots, though annoying to others.
Beku: An oddly-colored Ko-Matoran, Beku isn't quite as well adjusted to the cold as his fellow tribesmen. Like Tauraki of Po-Koro, he's considered moving out to another village, one with a warmer climate and a more open and welcoming atmosphere.
Alavai: A Ga-Ko Hybrid, Alavai prefers cooler waters and can often be found near the base of Ko-Wahi swimming in its streams. Turaga Nokama can't help but see aspects of the late Toa Mangai Kanae in her, though she can't bring herself to say anything on the matter.
Handaki: An Onu-Matoran miner, Handaki's arms double as pistons that allow him to pound his way through solid rock. A serious, focused sort, Handaki is a dedicated worker and, off shift, a quiet, contemplative sort who puts his hands towards more delicate tasks like painting.
Moli: One of the Takara dancers of Ta-Koro, Moli prides herself on her mastery of expressing concepts through movement. She keeps close contact with the other dancers of the village and will often collaborate with them for mutual benefit.
