I think his vest has frogs, but they're not actually fastened. The upturned boots look Asian, maybe Chinese or Korean. The circus trainer is wearing weird clothes, and I don't really recognize anything. but, well, it could probably be from many places.Īppa gets sold to the circus. According to Wikipedia, 'Many cultures have used this weapon, but various indigenous peoples of the South East Asia, Amazon and Guiana regions of South America are best known for its use.' The page for the Japanese blowgun says that 'Unlike American-style blowguns, the fukiya has no mouthpiece: instead, users wrap their lips around the pipe.' So what the Beetle-Head Merchants use may be a Japanese-style blowgun. They use some blowdarts to take down Appa. Beetles like this are big pets in Asia, and bug collecting is particularly big in Japan, I understand (thanks, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service!). They ride/have domesticated Giant Beetles, which look like a giant version of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle to me. I've seen similar stuff in manga (like Cho in Rurouni Kenshin) that makes me think it's Asian. There are also things wrapped around their stomachs, which look like armor of some kind. The Beetle-Head Merchants have weird hats that I don't recognize, but I think they're wearing Asian robes-left over right, of course. The stuff tossed from Appa's saddle includes the Asian umbrella they got from the guy in The Fortuneteller. The one who asks what they'll do about the wrecked sand sailor (which, by the way, look like catamarans for sand). Maybe Bedouin or Arab? I did notice in the that one of them had his robe folded the wrong way-that is, right-over-left. I still don't recognize the sandbender outfits, if indeed they're heavily based on anything real. And now, just to enumerate the complete dearth of Asian elements in this show, it's time for the cultural rewatch!

Watch avatar the last airbender season 2 episode 17