In James Cameron’s Avatar, Pandora’s indigenous species is called the Na’vi.
The Na’vi are a tall, blue-skinned humanoid species living on Pandora, a fictional moon orbiting the gas giant Polyphemus. The 2009 film follows former Marine Jake Sully, who uses a remotely operated avatar to interact with the Na’vi and their environment.
The Na’vi language was created for the film by linguist Paul Frommer. Its vocabulary and grammar were developed to sound unlike English while remaining pronounceable for the cast. The fictional culture shown in the film emphasizes clan identity, spiritual relationships, and connection with the moon’s living ecosystem.
Na’vi are sometimes confused with the avatars themselves. An avatar is a genetically engineered hybrid body controlled by a human consciousness, whereas the Na’vi are Pandora’s native people. The distinction is important to the film’s plot and to its title.