Oceanic Family Traditions - Part 2

[Note : The outfit I imagined for Hao is inspired by Māori and Samoan warrior attire :) ]

Tropical Warrior Outfit

When he heard that their aquatic neighbors had finally decided to join forces with the islanders, Hao could hardly believe his ears at first. Apparently, he had quite a few tropical celebrations to catch up on ! He then decided that it was high time to gather the whole little family and go visit his beloved first daughter. Koharu had enthusiastically agreed, her curiosity piqued. After all, she had never attended any of these festivities either, despite having tropical origins herself. And so the Longs packed their bags and set off on a long, very long journey to Tropical Island.

Then came the reunions and the discovery of this famous new festival, which had been given the name of the Halawai Festival. It did not take Hao very long to learn that, among the many and varied activities, one of them involved a competition between land Shijis and aquatic Shijis. His warrior's blood immediately stirred, and he hurried back to the old family home of his childhood, rummaging through old trunks in search of relics of a very particular kind. They were clothes, but not just any clothes: the traditional combat attire of the Tropical people, and more precisely, the one that had belonged to his great-grandfather.

“ Haha ! There it is ! ”

He exclaimed under the perplexed gazes of his soulmate and their little shipards, who had been wondering for nearly an hour what on earth he was searching for with such determination. He held the outfit up triumphantly, his arms outstretched. It was made of natural fibers, finely worked fabrics, and traditional ornaments, its shades of brown, red, and ivory harmonizing beautifully with the colors of his own fur. He eagerly began putting on the garment that had once belonged to his ancestor, and which had been carefully preserved first by his grandparents and then by his mother.

Around his waist, he wrapped a wide belt of thick, tightly woven fibers, which held in place a piece of fabric falling to his thighs. The latter, in earthy brown tones, was richly decorated with geometric patterns and stylized figures arranged in successive bands. The dark designs against the lighter background gave the fabric a distinctly ceremonial appearance, as though each pattern told a story or marked the warrior’s place among his people. The waves represented dangers overcome, the arrows the paths taken, and the ever-growing spirals the home and family that never ceased to grow.

He then slipped the armlets onto his arms, made from the same red woven fibers and plant-fiber cords into which shells and hook-like pieces of bone had been woven. Long decorative strips were also attached to them, hanging freely along his muscular biceps all the way to his elbows. Some were adorned with feathers or pale shells edged and patterned in black. The ornaments immediately began following his every movement, reinforcing the ritual aspect of his attire, their various elements now clicking softly against one another. The noise was meant to drive away evil spirits and protect those you loved !

Around his neck, he fastened a necklace of dark fibers, from which hung a large ivory shell ring, its iridescent sheen still remarkably vivid and gleaming. His mother must have regularly coated it with oil to keep it looking so bright. The almost perfectly circular piece stood out sharply against his scales and drew the eye through its simplicity. It seemed as much a symbol as an ornament, like an heirloom passed down through generations and worn with a particular meaning. Above all, however, it was a symbol of the warrior’s bond with the sea, from which he drew his strength and courage every day. The outfit contained no metal protection: the warrior’s armor was that of nature.

Finally, he placed a light headpiece resembling a broad headband around his head and tied it at the back of his skull. Fibers, tiny shells reminiscent of miniature cowries, feathers, and pieces of fabric made up the headdress, designed to leave his movements unhindered while affirming his status within the clan. Not that of a chief, but that of a warrior, a protector, and a loyal servant. His great-grandfather had been the greatest warrior of their tribe for many years. The chief’s right-hand man, faithful as his shadow. This powerful legacy had been passed down from generation to generation until it reached him, and with it he had inherited the fighting spirit of his ancestors. And even though he rarely spoke of it, ashamed of feeling that he had not done enough to honor him, Hao was proud of this heritage.

The rest of his body remained largely uncovered, allowing him complete freedom of movement in combat while displaying the physical strength of its wearer. The whole outfit exuded an impression of restrained strength. Nothing was overly flashy or bulky: every element seemed to have been chosen for its practical, symbolic, or ceremonial purpose. The brown fibers evoked the earth and vegetation, the geometric patterns recalled ancestral craftsmanship, while the ivory shells and red-dyed fibers brought bright flashes of color to a silhouette otherwise dominated by natural tones.

The purpose of this attire was not to transform its wearer into some imposing creature through an excess of ornaments, but to make him a figure who was dignified, formidable, and deeply rooted in his environment. And that was precisely why Hao felt just as comfortable wearing it as he did his wushu fu. His ancestor’s armor was not so different from his own, in that both were lightweight and left no room for error in combat.

He then turned toward his children and his other half, who watched him with gazes that were sometimes full of wonder, sometimes mischievous. He placed his hands on his hips and declared :

“ This is going to be my festival outfit ! What do you think ? ”

The children immediately burst into excited approval, but Koharu was more reserved. She was not fooled. Something was clearly brewing in her companion’s mind.

And she was right.

The End.

Thank you for reading ! <3