Revered by the Na’vi in their lives, lore, and history, the ikran or banshee as the RDA named it (for its piercing cry), is a cornerstone of the Na’vi’s way of life. The Omatikaya have a particular connection to the mountain banshees that roost deep within the Hallelujah Mountains.

The rite of passage to bond with an ikran known as Iknimaya, it is an incredibly dangerous custom. This two-way process requires both the young Na’vi warrior and the ikran to “select” one another. The warrior will know if the ikran has chosen them if the banshee attempts to kill its would-be partner. A successful iknimaya requires the Na’vi to connect with the banshee by joining their braid-like kuru to the neural link on the back of the banshee’s head. This is known as tsaheylu.

As opposed to other creatures such as the direhorse or ilu, an ikran will only bond with one Na’vi for its lifetime. The banshee and its rider must spend months training and learning from one another to become an extension of the other as they soar across the beautiful Pandoran skies.