#As a unified Italian identity is a relatively recent phenomenon

[atlaculture]

Yeah, re-reading what I posted, it was definitely oversimplified and the intent didn't come across well. Cause, obviously, civil wars wouldn't be a thing if cultural in-fighting didn't exist. If I were to re-word that sentence--- in fact, I think I will edit the original post later--- I would probably write it as:

"You can't have a show about colonization and genocide by having all four nations already be the same culture."

That said, regarding the many times that China has broken apart and unified, I'm not sure to what degree those warring kingdoms viewed themselves as part of the same culture/people. From our perspective, we view those past warring states as parts of a temporarily divided whole that was eventually re-united, but that's because we currently live in an era where China is a very large and unified country.

In contrast, Northern Vietnam was under Han Chinese rule for over 1000 years (111 BCE–939 CE), yet we consider Vietnam and China's historical clashes to be a conflict between two different people groups. This is because Vietnam exists as its own nation-state with its own official language in the present day.

In short, identity and group associations are really messy. Chinese identity, in particular, is very complicated.

I always wondered 2 things. 1 what are and how many cultural influences avatar has. And 2 how and where do learn all of this cultural info from? I'm trying to learn about different cultures for my writing since stories are inspired by irl cultures like atla but I don't know where to start. Can u help me?

1. The foundational inspiration of Avatar is Chinese. The writing system is Chinese, the martial arts are Chinese, and many of the plot points of the story are references to events in Chinese history.

However, you obviously can’t have four nations at war that are all from the same culture, so each nation is inspired by other cultures in addition to the Chinese details. The tumblr user Kkachi95 has a great map of Avatar’s cultural influences and a video about it as well. I can’t really give you an exact number for all the show’s cultural influences, just that it takes from a lot of Asian and Indigenous cultures.

2. I think Wikipedia is a great starting place for any kind of research. Any website with .edu in the URL is usually pretty helpful and museum websites provide information in bite-sized articles that aren’t too intimidating. Google Books and Project Gutenberg provide many informative excerpts and even full-length textbooks; the only downside to them is you have to know what you’re looking for. It can be overwhelming to read a PDF of an entire book just to find a very specific piece of information. I also have a link to Tumblrs that cover various Asian cultures here and here.  Also, historical movies and TV shows from those cultures can really help give you an idea of how people within those cultures interact with each other. I also think the YouTuber Hello Future Me gives really solid advice regarding worldbuilding and frequently uses Avatar as an example.

You can also ask people from those cultures about those cultures. Not to say that every person existing within it is an expert about every aspect of it, but primary sources are always the best and will help you to depict other cultures respectfully and accurately.

I think the atmosphere of Tumblr also makes reaching out to people easier than on other websites or platforms. Many people will list their ethnic background in their description and, if you skim people’ asks & posts, you can usually figure out if they’re comfortable speaking about the subject.

If you think that they are, then you could try sending a respectfully worded ask. Something like, “Hello, I was looking through your Tumblr and noticed you sometimes talk about [insert culture here]. Would it be alright if I ask you about [some facet of the culture]?” And absolutely be respectful if they choose not to answer you or provide an answer that may not be convenient for your writing or in-line with your values.

https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/ is a good starting place; it’s a Tumblr writing resource centered on racial, ethnic and religious diversity.

Good luck with your writing! I think as long as you’re patient with yourself, willing to learn about different perspectives and ways of living, keep a kind and understanding heart, and think logically about how different factors influence people, your writing will only continue to get better.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture