Ma eylan,
Soaiari Uniltìrantokxä, alo amuve längu fmawn atìkeftxonga’. Ayngari txo ke li ke stilvawm, zene oe piveng san tolerkängup awngeyä eyktan sì ’eylan alu Jon Landau.
It came as a terrible shock to learn that Jon Landau, Avatar’s producer and James Cameron’s dear friend and collaborator, died Friday, July 5th, at the age of 63.
My acquaintance with Jon went all the way back to 2005, when I first signed on to the Avatar team. Since then, I interacted with him numerous times. He would often call me to give me a Na’vi assignment or ask how to say such-and-such in the language. He was sometimes my conduit to JC when for whatever reason I couldn’t contact Jim directly with a question. And he approved—and sometimes revised 🙂 —the character and clan names for the video games.
Something that stands out in my memory was Jon’s unannounced visit to one of the U.S. Avatar meet-ups, where he surprised and delighted all the fans in attendance with his warmth and support. In talking to the group about things to come, he expressed his enthusiasm for Na’vi and how he wanted to see the language develop. Needless to say, that was good to hear.
Jim wrote a moving tribute to Jon on Instagram. If you haven’t seen it, let me share it with you:
“The Avatar family grieves the loss of our friend and leader, Jon Landau. His zany humor, personal magnetism, great generosity of spirit and fierce will have held the center of our Avatar universe for almost two decades. His legacy is not just the films he produced, but the personal example he set — indomitable, caring, inclusive, tireless, insightful and utterly unique.
“He produced great films, not by wielding power but by spreading warmth and the joy of making cinema. He inspired us all to be and to bring our best, every day.
“I have lost a dear friend, and my closest collaborator of 31 years. A part of myself has been torn away.”
In my note of condolence to Jim, I included the following:
“Human lifetimes are short, but what you and Jon created together will live on as long as people watch movies, bringing awe and wonder and joy to generation after generation.
“Tolerkup tute; tìkangkem peyä tì’i’avay krrä rayey. The person dies; his work will live on forever.”
Ngari hu Eywa salew tirea, ma Jon. Nga lom layu ayoeru nìtxan.
ta Pawl
Srane, lu fmawn atìkeftxonga’ nìtxan nì’aw. Pori tirea hu Eywa solalängew ye’rìn nìhawng. Zun tirvok pol kifkeyt mi, zel relìri arusikx tsun pxaya hem sivi.
Tìkeftxonga’a fìfmawn nìtxan nì’aw. Ulte mllte oe, tìkangkem peyä tì’i’avay krrä rayey.
Im worried about JC and how will carry on without him. Its so unfair.
I was so sad to hear of his passing. Seemed very sudden. We’ll miss you, Jon.
Oh, wow. I am sorry for his loss. I have not been a part of this community in many years, but I come back to see new words very often, and it is sad to have to see this as the update. Other than reasoning out why Quaritch became a “science puke,” and why we fouldnt have gotten a bit more Na’vi, I thought the second movie was better. I was viscerally angry finding out why the Tulkun were killed.
Howdy! Ik that “zerene” is a thing, however I can’t seem to understand it to the point where it’s the only thing I can think about. If anyone can explain the concept of zerene, I’d genuinely appreciate it (I understand infixes and tenses in most if not all verbs, however, zerene is taking over my mind)! Thank you kindly!