This ceremonial raccoon headpiece is used in an annual Southern Water Tribe ceremony to celebrate nature. This ceremony usually takes place before the winter hunt, when the hunters collect meat and pelts for the upcoming season. The raccoon headpiece is worn by a hunter who asks nature to grant him a bountiful hunt and places an offering of food or an equivalent into a large bonfire. After he finishes, he passes the headpiece to the next person who repeats this until all the hunters in the tribe have participated.[1]

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History

During their travels, Aang, Sokka, and Katara encountered Bato, who invited them to the abbey where he was staying. His room in the abbey was decorated in a typical Southern Water Tribe fashion, filled with rugs made of animal pelts. Among the decorations hanging on the wall was the raccoon headpiece; Aang tried it on, but Bato promptly ordered him to take it off because it was a "ceremonial and very fragile" ornament.[2]

Trivia

Avatar Kuruk wore a headpiece similar to the raccoon headpiece.[3]

References