emilynotes

hey, thats me! well, not really. this is actually a bug. if you have crops you have to look out because she will eat them. to many, a crop is not a food, but a bug finds it nutritious.

Kirikori is one of four of Daniel Lipkowitz' creature MOCs from 2001 that were christened 'official' with building instructions through the lego club in 2002. His original MOC page is still online here, where you can see the bug was initially known unofficially as Kapakapa Nui (Māori: migratory locust). I'm glad they had the wherewithal to give her an original name. The full bio (from which the official bio is excerpted) is transcribed below, you can learn a lot of secret bug lore from it:

It is said that in the days when the Toa first walked upon the world, the skies were black with the wings of the Kapakapa Nui. The immense insects laid waste to the face of Mata Nui, devouring all that lay in their path and leaving nothing behind but bare soil and scoured rock.

Today, the Kapakapa Nui seems a transformed breed. Despite their great size and scythe-like slicing jaws, they are harmless and even-tempered creatures, content to slowly graze upon grass, leaves and shrubs. Although their appetites may be as large as their armored bodies, they are uncommon enough that they do little lasting damage to the island's flora.

If threatened, a Kapakapa Nui will simply hop into the air and fly away with a deep droning of its wings, off in search of a more peaceful spot to graze. Their ringing call is also produced by these rapidly-vibrating wings, used by the great insects to commune with one another across vast distances at nightfall. It is a familiar and welcome sound for the [people] of nearby villages, and has been poetically described as a soothing lullaby.

But what of the scourge of legend? What of the all-consuming swarm? It seems almost laughable to think of the placid Kapakapa Nui as a menace, but the Turaga of Mata Nui have never been quite sure. For now, they keep careful count of the numbers and feeding grounds of the Kapakapa Nui - and watch for signs of the Makuta's corrupting touch.

official art

emilygallery