Matoran

Matoran were the chosen species of the Matoran Universe's protector, the Great Spirit Mata Nui. Although not one of the stronger races, Matoran were the most common species in the Matoran Universe.

Matoran Nui
Like Toa and many other creatures, Matoran had the ability to combine into a single being, with a six-member combination called a Matoran Nui. This had been known to happen twice:
 * Nuhrii, Vhisola, Orkahm, Ahkmou, Tehutti, and Ehrye formed a Matoran Nui to fight off the Morbuzakh, allowing the Toa Metru to reach its King Root.
 * Jaller, Macku, Kongu, Hewkii, Onepu, and Matoro also made a Matoran Nui once on Mata Nui to fight a Nui-Jaga scorpion.

History and Purpose
The Matoran were the first beings created by the Great Beings for the Matoran Universe. The first to be created served as prototypes for the others - the Av-Matoran. Because they were the first ones, they had abilities to channel their innate light powers and transform into Bohrok. Eventually, the other types of Matoran were created. The Matoran were brought into existance even before Mata Nui, and were helping in his construction, though they didn't know what exactly they were building. Some Matoran, that showed praticular promise, were allowed to go to the Artakha refuge and work in the light. After the Universe was built and Mata Nui awakened, the Matoran spread across the universe. They made their homes in many different enviroments and had many different styles of living. Some Matoran came to rely completely on the technology and inventions for work and protection, others grew completely independent, with no help from Toa or Turaga. The Matoran's purpose after the Universe was built was to do their work, to keep the universe in balance. The jobs Matoran had to do were:

Homelands and Colonies

 * Metru Nui (formerly)
 * Northern Continent
 * Southern Continent
 * Xia
 * Stelt
 * Nynrah
 * Southern Islands
 * Artakha
 * Karzahni (formerly)
 * Karda Nui (formerly)
 * Mata Nui (formerly)
 * Spherus Magna (currently)

Structure
Matoran usually lived in groups by elements (Ga-Matoran lived in Ga-Metru...), although in some cases, they chose to live together (the Matoran on Voya Nui), or they lived in towns alongside other species, like on Stelt. In most cases, the Matoran settlements were led by Turaga, but when no Turaga were around, the Matoran either chose an alternative (like the Matoran of Mahri Nui formed the Mahri Nui Council and the elected Leader of the Mahri Nui Council), or remained leaderless.

Beliefs
The Matoran usually worshiped the Great Spirit Mata Nui and the Great Beings. The Turaga often told them the Legend of Mata Nui, how he was sent from "Paradise", to give the Matoran a purpose. The Matoran had a work based culture and upheld many virtues, primarily Unity, Duty and Destiny.

Sportings
The Matoran often engaged in sporting activities. For example, a major sport in Metru Nui before the Great Cataclysm was Akilini. When the Matoran of Metru Nui migrated to Mata Nui, they invented a new game, called Kolhii. While on Mata Nui, the Turaga organized a Kolhii Tournament between the six Koros on the island. Of course, these two games weren't the only two games the Matoran knew.

Language
The Matoran spoke the language created for them by the Great Beings. This language was actually spoken by the whole Matoran Universe. Le-Matoran of Metru Nui, however, have created a slang called chutespeak (or treespeak), which combined two words into one. Chutespeak has also spread to other Matoran.

Types
Matoran were classified by whichever Element they were affiliated with. Each type had a job, based on their atribute, to help keep the universe in balance. Although several were identified, there are more in existence.

Ta-Matoran
Ta-Matoran, the Matoran of Fire, had a natural resistance to extreme heat and tended to be diligent and responsible. All Ta-Matoran were red and their primary color was red, though they were often orange, yellow and black as well. They were always male.

Ga-Matoran
Ga-Matoran, the Matoran of Water, had a greater lung capacity than other Matoran, and were more agile underwater than other types of Matoran. They were peaceful and friendly and were always female. They were always in shades of blue.

Le-Matoran
Le-Matoran, the Matoran of Air, had heightened agility and reflexes. They loved thrills, leading them to take crazy risks; they also enjoyed a good practical joke. They were most commonly male and their primary colors were shades of green.

Po-Matoran
Po-Matoran, the Matoran of Stone, had great physical strength. They were down-to-earth and practical, not putting too much stock in what they couldn't see and touch. They were always male and their primary colors were generally brown and tan and sometimes black, although some were yellow and orange.

Onu-Matoran
Onu-Matoran, the Matoran of Earth, had increased strength and night vision and could easily be blinded by bright lights. They had a great respect for the past. They were primarly black, but also grey, orange and purple. They were predominately male.

Ko-Matoran
Ko-Matoran, Matoran of Ice, had a natural resistance to extreme cold. They were quiet to the point of being antisocial, and spent a lot of time being pondering the future. All Ko-Matoran were white, sometimes also grey or light blue. They were mostly male.

Av-Matoran
Av-Matoran, the Matoran of Light, were the first type of Matoran to be created. They had the ability to change their armor color and could shoot small light bolts from special energy swords. They could be either male or female. Their natural color scheme was white and gold.

Shadow Matoran
Shadow Matoran, the Matoran of Shadow, were Matoran of other types, who had their light drained, either by a Shadow Leech or a Kanohi Avsa. Shadow was not a natural Matoran element. They were evil and had the ability to launch shadow bolts. Their colors were black and a vicious shade of their previous colors. They could be male or female being as that any Matoran could become a Shadow Matoran.

Fe-Matoran
Fe-Matoran, the Matoran of Iron, had enhanced endurance, and metal working skills. They were always male. Many of them were called the Nynrah Ghosts

De-Matoran
De-Matoran, the Matoran of Sonics, were extremely sensitive to sound. All De-Matoran were male. Their primary color was gray.

Ce-Matoran
Ce-Matoran, the Matoran of Psionics, were resistant to all mental attacks. All Ce-Matoran were female. Their primary colors were Blue and Gold.

Ba-Matoran
Ba-Matoran, the Matoran of Gravity, were unknown in their elemental abilities. All Ba-Matoran were male. They were purple and black in color.

Other Types

 * Matoran of Plasma
 * Matoran of Plantlife
 * Matoran of Magnetism
 * Matoran of Lightning

Biology
Matoran were part organic, part bio-mechanical beings and had organs beneath their armor such as lungs and a brain. Matoran could be created by Mata Nui or whoever was in control of the Matoran Universe. Matoran wore powerless Kanohi that kept them functioning ; a Matoran who lost his or her mask would quickly go into a coma-like state until a mask was replaced. They didn't have the mental strength to activate the powers that Great Kanohi and Noble Kanohi held, but if they wore such masks, they could sense that power was present.

Matoran had a little bit of power of an element; just enough to influence their physical abilities. The Matoran also had to recharge their energy occaisionally, in one of two ways; they either went to a power station and recharged once a year, or they "ate" by getting energy from objects like fruit, berries and fish. Gender differences within the Matoran were psychological only.

Certain destined Matoran had special power hidden within them and when it was unleashed, the Matoran transformed into a Toa, with increased physical strength and Elemental Power. This power could be triggered in different ways, for example giving the Matoran Toa Power, or the energy of the Red Star, but if they are not destined they can not become Toa. Most Matoran had a lifespan about 100,000 years long.

Trivia

 * The Matoran were originally called Tohunga. They were called Tohunga throughout the Mata Nui Online Game and the GameBoy Advance game, Bionicle: Tales of the Tohunga. Following the Maori lawsuit on LEGO in 2001, this had to be changed. In the re-release of Mata Nui Online Game, the name was changed to Matoran, and the GameBoy Advance game's title was changed to Bionicle: Quest for the Toa.
 * In Comic 1: Coming of the Toa, when Matoro meets Kopaka for the first time, he informs the Toa that he is a 'Tohunga'. This is non-canonical, however, and a a mistake on the part of the comic's writers.
 * The Toa and Turaga are part of the Matoran species.
 * Matoran are sometimes refered to as Koronans, as seen in the Mata Nui Online Game.

Matoran