Rito
The Rito are the race of anthropomorphic birds that inhabit Dragon Roost Island, the volcanic island located in the Great Sea in The Wind Waker, although one Rito postman also appears in Phantom Hourglass. The Rito serve the role of mailmen, as they, because of their ability to fly, are most suited for that job. As such, a big part of their island is used as a Post Office.
Eiji Aonuma confirmed that the Rito were indeed evolved Zoras in the instruction manual for Zelda Box.[1]
History
The Rito began their history as the Zora tribe,[2] with whom they share their social organization and symbols. It is currently unknown if their transformation was magical or the result of cross-breeding and other natural evolutionary processes. The Rito were not always creatures of the sky, and the Grappling Hook is a remnant of those days.[3] The Rito (still) aren't aerial beings by birth; they need to get their wings from the Sky Spirit, Valoo, by visiting him and receiving a scale from him. This also seems to serve as a sort of coming-of-age ritual.[4][5]
Society
The Rito worship the Sky Spirit Valoo, and appoint an attendant to take care of him. At the time of The Wind Waker, this attendant was Medli.[6] These attendants were also revered as teachers.[7] The leader of the Rito people is their Chieftain.
Trivia
The name Rito seems to be a play on the Japanese word "tori" which means "bird" ("Rito" is a reversal of the characters "to" and "ri"). They also might be inspired by the Watarara, a much more birdlike race that appeared in the Ocarina of Time manga. The name might also be inspired by Ruto, the Zora princess from Ocarina of Time.
Notable Members of the Rito Tribe
Gallery
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Rito Chieftain from The Wind Waker.
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Prince Komali from The Wind Waker.
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Koboli figurine from The Wind Waker.
References
- ↑ Template:Cite person
- ↑ "You must find the one who carries on my bloodline... The one who holds this sacred instrument..." — Laruto (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "You got the Grappling Hook! This was an item used by the Rito people before they had wings." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "We do so by the graces of the sky spirit, Valoo. When a Rito reaches adulthood, he or she journeys to the top of Dragon Roost to receive a scale from the great dragon. It is this scale that enables the Rito to grow his or her wings." — Rito Chieftain (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "If this continues, the fledglings who are of age will never be able to receive scales from Valoo on Dragon Roost They will remain wingless, and in time, our very way of life will be threatened." — Rito Chieftain (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "Oh, me? I'm an attendant to the great sky spirit, Valoo. My name is Medli." — Medli (The Wind Waker)
- ↑ "See, Prince Komali's grandmother was the great Valoo's former attendant. She was an amazing woman. I was honored to have her as my teacher...She was kind and brave, and unsurpassed in her dealings with the great Valoo. I'm not yet worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as her." — Medli (The Wind Waker)
 Names in Other Regions 
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