The Kuja (九蛇, ~ Nine Snakes) are an Amazon tribe whose home island is Amazon Lily. Their ruler is Boa Hancock. They also have their own pirate gang, which is simply called the Kuja Pirates and consists of the best female warriors of the tribe.
Contents
General
Since the Kuja live on the island of Amazon Lily, which is located in the Calm Belt, and are therefore inaccessible to ordinary ships due to the countless sea kings, they are cut off from the rest of the world for the most part. From this follows a poor general education of the tribe. For instance, the male genitals are something entirely unknown.
There is not a single male living on the island, which is a major problem for reproduction. The only way to avoid extinction is for some women to be sent on the journey to neighboring countries where they find a man for a tryst and then return to Amazon Lily. What is amazing is that all the newborns are female. Because of the lack of males, more physically difficult tasks must also be performed by Amazons. Physically weaker Kuja women are assigned to make clothes, for example, while more muscular Amazons go hunting. In the land of women the rule is: Beautiful is who is strong.
Therefore, there is also a large percentage of extremely strong women. The strongest are trained as warriors and can become part of the Kuja pirate gang, which – like normal pirates – wreaks havoc on the world’s oceans. Whether the special Kuja pirates or the average Amazon Lily residents, almost all Amazons are capable of handling a bow and arrow, with a snake often serving as the bow. Snakes are generally very popular, as they also make good accessories or transport animals.
Until the Levely in 1524, despite the band of pirates, the island was spared from naval attacks by the world government, as its Empress Boa Hancock was one of The Seven Warlords of the Seas, but these were abolished. The island is now no longer under the protection of the Navy. Furthermore, there seems to be a special Kuja haki, as evidenced by the high number of haki used on arrowheads that can even shatter stone on impact. All of this makes the Kuja tribe extremely dangerous.
Habitats & Architecture
The Kuja live on the small island of Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt. Set in a high mountain surrounded by jungle engraved with 九蛇 (Kuja) and stone serpent heads, a vast valley opens up – here lies the fortress-like home of the Amazons. Magnificent buildings of wood and stone reflect the pride of the women’s tribe. The extraordinary and at the same time only ship of the Kuja, which is pulled by poisonous sea snakes, allows the queen to enjoy the usual luxury even when traveling. On the home island itself, the ruler has a richly decorated palace, a bath and a battle arena complete with spectator stands at her disposal. In the latter, she can act as referee from her covered seat, influencing all fights and, if necessary, ending them early. She also has a palanquin at her disposal to save her long walks.
Miscellaneous
- Members of the world government and navy are allowed within two kilometers of the island.
- The architectural style of the Kuja is strongly reminiscent of Chinese architecture.
Hierarchy
At the head of the Kuja tribe is the Snake Princess Boa Hancock. She not only rules over the land, but also leads the Kuja pirates. Because of her incredible beauty, she is considered perfect and infallible. Below her are her two sisters, Boa Marigold and Boa Sandersonia. All three sisters have eaten of devil fruit, but they tell their people this is part of the curse of the Gorgons. The curse also states that since their victory over the Gorgons, the three sisters wear a pair of eyes on their backs that turn other people to stone at the sight of them. In fact, however, they are only hiding the brand of the world’s aristocrats with it, who gave them the mark of the sky-storming dragon during their time as slaves. In order not to expose themselves to the inhabitants of Amazon Lily, the lie about the Gorgons’ curse was told to them.
Among the Boa sisters are many advisors, servants, and guardians. The latter group includes Marguerite, Sweet Pea, and Aphelandra, among others. The Snake Princess doesn’t give a damn about them or the footfolk, as she simply petrified the three guardians for helping a man.
At the bottom of the list is the common population, such as female doctors and traders. They honor Boa Hancock with festivals, and appreciate her strength as well as her breathtaking beauty.
History
Amazon Lily is ruled by an absolutist monarchy. Depending on the reigning regent, it shapes up differently.
The New Empress – From slave to ruler.
The current empress, Boa Hancock, was freed from the slavery of the World Nobles as a young woman by Fisher Tiger. She returned to her island of birth along with her sisters. She only managed this with the help of the former regent Gloriosa. The latter had been disowned because she had fallen in love with a man and left the island. Gloriosa was succeeded by two other regents, both of whom succumbed to the love sickness and died. Boa Hancock has now ruled over Amazon Lily for eleven years.
Excitement on Amazon Lily – A man has landed
When the Straw Hat Pirates was distributed all over the world by Bartholomew Kuma, Luffy flew to Amazon Lily as a result. There, he discovered a “mushroom growing out of the body” mushroom and consumed it. Overgrown by mushrooms, he was discovered by Marguerite, Aphelandra, and Sweet Pea, who assumed he was a woman due to his obscured body. He was then taken to the Amazon village, where Nyon, the village elder, recognized Luffy as a man. Those present were shocked at this, so they locked the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates in a cage, but he broke out of it again and was attacked by Kuja warriors. Eventually he grabbed Marguerite, wanting to know where Silvers Rayleigh’s Vivre Card was. Outside the village, she handed it to him. The other Amazons assumed Luffy had taken Marguerite by force, and Kikyo gave the order to free her and kill the man, as Boa Hancock soon returned to Amazon Lily.
The pirate empress, however, had a brief meeting with Momonga before that, until she finally arrived on the island. Once she was back in her palace, her bath time was announced and all the Amazons had to leave. Hancock could not have known, however, that a short time later Luffy crashed through the ceiling into her bathroom and saw her back, which supposedly had the curse of the Gorgons on it, saying he knew that symbol.
The Straw Hat was captured and taken to the battle arena, where he was pitted against the Snake Queen’s two sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold. However, these were defeated and Luffy received great acclaim from the Gorgon sisters. As a result, he was summoned to the palace and learned Boa Hancock’s story firsthand. Nyon informed Luffy that his brother Portgas D. Ace was to be executed.
He asked Hancock for a ship and her help to get to the Impel Down. She agreed and smuggled Luffy onto Vice Admiral Momonga’s ship, which set course for the world’s most secure prison.
The Kuja Queen on a journey
The voyage to Impel Down lasted four and a half days, during which Hancock instructed the marines not to be disturbed. Luffy’s whereabouts on the ship were to remain secret. The samurai was met by Hannyabal, the vice-principal of the prison, and by a trick succeeded in letting Luffy go unnoticed. Together with Magellan, she entered the sixth level of the Impel Down to see Portgas D. Ace. Hancock told the “Fire Fist” that Luffy was on his way to rescue him. Shortly after, she left the prison again along with Momonga.
Hancock now had to fight Whitebeard’s alliance with the four remaining samurai Bartholomew Kuma, Donquixote Doflamingo, Gecko Moria and Dracule Mihawk. In the process, however, they attacked not only the pirates, but also the marines. At first, the soldiers were enraged by Hancock’s change of heart, but she again turned on the charm and turned their heads.
Then, when Luffy was up against Flotilla Admiral Smoker, and just like in the previous fights, didn’t stand a chance against him, Boa Hancock came to his rescue. She kicked Smoker away with the help of her Kuja-Haki, breaking his jitte as well, which he was visibly surprised by. Hancock was incensed that Smoker had attacked Luffy. Taking the opportunity, Luffy pronounced her name correctly one more time. The samurai was overjoyed at this. After the war, Luffy, the Heart Pirates, and Jinbe were taken to Amazon Lily, but soon left.
Two years after this war, the Kuja pirates picked up Luffy on Rusukaina and took him to the Sabaody Archipelago, where they subsequently helped him and his gang escape from the Navy.
The Abolition of the Samurai of the Seas
Following the Levely in 1524, the Samurai of the Seas were abolished, leaving the Kuja unprotected from naval attack. These surrounded Amazon Lily, but countered Boa Hancock only that they had probably forgotten why she became a Samurai of the Seas in the first place.
Various
- All tribe members bear the names of plants. Often these are pretty flowering ornamental plants and cut flowers.
