James Cameron Explains Real- Life Inspiration for ‘Avatar’s “Ash People” [Exclusive]

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Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third film in James Cameron’s popular Avatar series. Picking up after Avatar: The Way of Water, this new installment shifts the setting from the ocean to a volcanic landscape and explores a more intense story. The Sully family is still mourning the loss of Neteyam when they meet the Ash People, a new Na’Vi tribe. However, this tribe proves to be dangerous, as they’ve joined forces with Colonel Quaritch, pulling the Sully family into another deadly war.

The Ash People, or Mangkwan clan, are a fierce Na’Vi tribe living in a volcanic region. After a devastating disaster destroyed their homeland, they turned away from Eywa, the spiritual force that guides most of Pandora. Now, they follow a different path, embracing fire and technology instead.

The city and culture of the Ash People in Avatar: Fire and Ash were heavily influenced by a trip director James Cameron took to Papua New Guinea. He saw a city buried by a volcano – similar to Pompeii – and was particularly struck by children playing in the volcanic ash. This experience, and the contrast between their lives and those of their ancestors, greatly shaped his vision for the Ash People in Avatar.

Back in 2012, I was exploring Papua New Guinea and found myself in the town of Rabaul. While I was there, the volcano erupted and covered the entire town in ash – it wasn’t a huge city, with around 15,000 residents. Thankfully, not many people died, but everyone had to relocate. It was similar to what happened in Pompeii, with the city being completely buried.

I watched children playing in the fields of ash, and the way the dust swirled around them was striking. We filmed it in slow motion, and it surprisingly felt hopeful. They didn’t seem to fully grasp the destruction, as it happened before their time – you could tell the previous generation had been deeply affected and lost a lot. That image made me want to refer to them as ‘the ash people’.

Cameron shared that a tribal ceremony he witnessed during the expedition influenced the creation of the sacrifice dance performed by the Ash People in Avatar: Fire and Ash.

During that same trip, I traveled to the highlands of Papua New Guinea and encountered the Baining tribe, known for their impressive fire ceremonies. While we didn’t recreate the ceremony exactly – their costumes, especially the large masks, were incredibly detailed – we filmed it. That footage then served as our inspiration for the sacrifice dance performed by the Ash people.

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Could See Pandora’s Darkest Hour


20th Century Studios

The Avatar movies center around Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldaña) and their family. The newest film, Fire and Ash, brings back familiar faces like Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang. As the danger increases for the characters, the movie continues to expand the world of Pandora with new settings and people. But this expansion also introduces new villains, including Varang (Oona Chaplin), the leader of the Ash People, who presents a serious threat to the Na’Vi tribes and the Sully family.

At over three hours long, Avatar: Fire and Ash is the most extensive film in the Avatar series. Known for its stunning visuals and exciting action, this third movie takes a turn towards more serious themes. Director James Cameron will use the extended runtime to fully showcase the beautiful, yet harsh, new world he’s created. Fans can experience the next chapter in the Na’Vi story when Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives in theaters on December 19th.

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2025-12-05 23:11