BIONICLE society In the LEGO BIONICLE storyline , the Matoran people live in a culture that is , in some ways , like our own , and in some ways very different . This article describes different aspects of that culture , including sports , jobs , and beliefs . Biology . Nearly all lifeforms seen in BIONICLE are biomechanical , with a few exceptions like Krana and Kraata being completely organic , while Bohrok are fully mechanical ( while Bohrok seem to be grown , other machine beings are artificially made and not considered lifeforms ) . Organic parts of creatures are very similar to real - world biological systems ; for instance , Matoran are known to have lungs and muscles like humans do . The mechanical halves tend to include things like armor , hydraulic cylinders , gears , etc . built into their forms , and Matoran also have glowing " heartlights " on their chests ; these mechanical parts are not electronic like computers in the real world , but are rather clockwork mechanisms with gears , pistons , etc . Because of this , lifeforms have exceptionally long lifespans easily reaching tens of thousands of years . Matoran have also shown the ability to rebuild themselves if necessary ; the ones living on Mata Nui rebuilt themselves into stronger forms soon after the Bohrok attacks . And over the thousand years they spent in List of objects in Toa Canisters , the Toa Mata ' s organic parts decayed , but immediately regrew as they reassembled their mechanical parts upon arriving on Mata Nui . Matoran , at least , " eat " by absorbing energy directly from objects . On Metru Nui , Matoran could go to a place in Ga - Metru to recharge once a year . In more primitive conditions , they have to " snack " more often on things like fruits , berries , and fish . No being in the BIONICLE universe has reproductive systems ; gender differences are purely psychological . ( Most of the Ga - Matoran are considered female , while other Matoran are considered male . ) How new Matoran come into being is unknown , but they are " born " fully grown . But terms of family are not unheard of : Toa refer to each other as " brothers " and " sisters " , recognizing their common bond as comrades - in - arms ; this often extends to former Toa like Turaga and Rahaga . Makuta also has a Brotherhood , and has referred to its members as his " brothers " ; he also uses this term when referring to Mata Nui , presumably referring to their once shared role of protecting the Matoran , and refers to the Rahkshi as his sons . Sidorak often proposed marriage to Roodaka , though in BIONICLE " marriage " is merely a form of political alliance . There has also been a little romance : Toa Matau occasionally flirted with Toa Nokama , and in the franchise ' s first year Hahli and Macku had relationships with Jaller and Hewkii , respectively ; however , since that time romance has been downplayed and even outright ignored , as the storyline is geared towards preteen boys ; and as a consequence the relationships between Matoran have turned from romantic to close friendship . Elemental Powers . Several races in the BIONICLE universe wield powers based on classical elements . The basic range of powers over these elements include creating the element , controlling it in any form , and absorbing it into the body . An elemental power can also be unleashed in a massive explosion called a " Nova Blast " . Though first seen in 2003 ' s " " , one was not shown in - story until 2007 , when Toa Gali triggered a water Nova Blast in the land of Karzahni : after drawing in every drop of moisture for miles around , the resulting tidal wave leveled the whole of Karzahni . ( The game originally called the attack a " Nuva Blast " , after the Toa Nuva heroes , but series writer Greg Farshtey has stated that all Toa have this ability . ) It appears that some beings have limitless " true " elemental powers ; while others have more limited , " false " powers . The following are those beings considered to have " true " elemental power : These are the races known to be affiliated with elements , though not as strongly as the beings stated above : Basic Elements . These six elements are the most common in the BIONICLE universe ; every major team of Toa seen so far is made up of one Toa of each of these elements : Fire : Fire - powered beings can control heat and flame ; including creating fireballs , heating air to slow a fall , and even absorbing all the heat out of an area . Those with a bare minimum of Fire power are resistant to heat . Water : Those with the power of Water can do things like create tidal waves and jets of water , and absorb moisture from the immediate area . Beings with minimal Water affiliation have slight physical enhancements for swimming ( sleeker build , larger lung capacity , and so on ) . It should be noted that there are two types of " water " in the BIONICLE world : liquid protodermis and what is assumed to be normal HO water ; Water - powered beings can control both equally . Air : The elemental power of Air can create tornadoes and cyclones , manipulate wind currents for flying and gliding , and create a vacuum by absorbing all air in an area . A minimum of Air power grants heightened agility and reflexes , at least when not stuck on the ground . Ice : Ice - powered beings are masters of the cold ; being able to lower temperatures in the immediate area , create ice structures , and freeze enemies solid . Even those with a minimum of Ice power are resistant to cold . Stone : Stone - powered beings can control rock ; including creating rock walls , shaping rock into different forms , and detecting stress points in stone walls . Minor Stone ability grants some physical strength . The power of stone cannot effect terrain and soil . Earth : Beings of the Earth can cause earthquakes and raise walls of dirt and soil ; these beings often use this power to excel at tunneling underground . As such , even beings with only minimal Earth power have good night vision . The power of Earth does not affect sand and rock . Other Elements . The following are elements that also exist in the BIONICLE universe and are considered equal to the basic ones : Gravity : Those with the power of Gravity can increase gravity to the point that people and objects become so heavy they cannot move , or decrease it to the point that they become lighter than air and float away . Also , they can push , pull , and generally manipulate objects and people . They could also conceivably create a black hole , but likely would not have enough control to keep it from swallowing everything in the surrounding area . Nuhvok Kal had this power . Iron : " Iron " is the official term for control over all metal . Those with this power can create metal and shape it into any form they wish , as well as affect existing metal . Light : Those with the elemental power of Light can create paralyzing beams of light , cover the user in a glowing aura , project deadly laser beams , create objects or structures out of light , and absorb all the light in an area . Even the weakest of Light beings can alter light spectrum slightly and make their armor appear to change colors . Light is very powerful against its opposite element of Shadow . Light originally had no moral connotations in the BIONICLE universe , but since the universe ' s primary Shadow beings , the Makuta , have turned evil , Light is now considered inherently good . Takanuva is the first and only Toa of Light ( so far ) , though Umbra is also known for his light - based powers . Lightning : Lightning - powered beings can create and control electricity , shock the opponent with a burst of electricity , and absorb all the electricity in an area . Tahnok Kal had this power . Magnetism : Magnetically - powered beings can increase or decrease the magnetic field in an area , or attract or repel metal objects . They could also deflect attacks with magnetic force fields . Gahlok Kal had this power . Plant Life : Those with control over plants can manipulate vines , large roots , thorned plants , flowers , trees ect . This element has not been given an official name yet , but series writer Greg Farshtey has referred to it as " The Green " in reference to Swamp Thing . Plasma : Beings with Plasma power can create , control , and absorb plasma . This makes them excellent at melting objects , but not much else . Pahrak Kal had this power . Shadow : Those with the power of Shadow can create blasts and beams of shadow energy , create objects or structures from shadows , spread shadow to hinder visibility , and absorb all the darkness in an area . Shadow is very weak against the element of Light . Only the Brotherhood of Makuta members naturally have this power ; it is not native to Toa because originally , there was no need for more Shadow beings beyond the Brotherhood and now , Shadow is considered evil while Toa are not meant to be evil . However , the Brotherhood can now convert other beings ' elements to Shadow by using Shadow Leeches . Sonics : The elemental power of Sonics can create and control sound waves , use sonic waves to disrupt a structure ' s integrity or knock enemies away , and absorb all the sound in an area . Kohrak Kal had this power and it should be noted that Lewa Nuva thought that Kohrok Kal was " worse than all the other Bohrok Kal combined " . Legendary Elements . Elements considered " legendary " are universal forces far too powerful for any mere being to fully control . Life : The power of Life can change existing life and give life to inanimate objects ; it can take life away as well . The only object known to contain the power of Life is the Kanohi Ignika . Time : Elemental Time abilities include speeding up or slowing down time in a certain area or around a target ; but not the ability to time travel . The only object known to contain the power of Time is the Kanohi Vahi ; though Voporak is also known for having time - based powers . Unofficial Elements . The following are unofficially considered elements because of their use by members of otherwise elementally - based teams : Acid / Swamp : This is considered an element because it is wielded by the Bohrok breed Lehvak , where the other five Bohrok breeds control basic elements . Lehvak are officially designated as Bohrok of Swamp , and are able to spray a large amount of incredibly corrosive acid that is capable of eating through any substance . Vacuum : Wielded by the Bohrok - Kal Lehvak - Kal ; who can suck all the air in an area and create a vacuum , and then send that sucked up air back at a target in a single powerful blast . Vacuum will never be recognized as an official Toa element because these things could be done by a skilled Toa of Air . Merging . A few races are able to merge into stronger beings , with the merged form not only combining the individual beings ' strength and energies , but amplifying them . Merged forms made up of three beings are called " Kaita " , while those of six beings are called " Nui " . Races that have demonstrated merging powers fall into one of two categories : Sports . In their free time , the Matoran enjoy taking part in several kinds of sports . Sports champions were awarded special copper - colored Kanohi Masks as trophies , called " Copper Masks of Victory " . Mata Nui Sports . On the island of Mata Nui , the six villages were isolated from each other , and each developed its own sport of choice . Once the Bohrok - Kal were defeated and the island was more united , kolhii became the sport of choice for the whole island . Kolhii . During the time of the Bohrok swarms , the game of koli ( above ) evolved into what is now called kolhii . The change was based on an incident that occurred during the Pahrak invasion of Ga - Koro , when Hewkii used a Ga - Matoran fishing staff to knock away a falling rock that threatened Macku . Since then , players have adopted the use of the Kolhii Stick ( fishing staff ) and the Koli rules have been changed to accommodate it , making a more lacrosse - like game . The new sport gained in popularity , and became the favored sport of all villages on the island . Kolhii has become a staple of Matoran life , and a great occasion for celebration . Variants of the sport include an Onu - Koro version played on Ussal crabs and an aerial version played by Le - Matoran flying on Gukko birds . Many believe it to be a fitting representation of the three virtues of Unity , Duty , and Destiny ; and the Principles derived from them ( see under " Beliefs " below ) . It is particularly important to the Po - Matoran that have become undisputed champions season after season . Rules Modern kolhii is played with up to six teams ; teams can have any number of players but they all must be of equal size . All teams must agree on the number of goals needed to win , and all goals are considered good unless a player scores in his own team ' s goal . All players are allowed one kolhii stick , and one player per team may use a shield to defend their team ' s goal . Multiple balls can be in play at once , but there must be less balls than both the number of teams playing and the number of players per team . Striking other players is illegal , except for " shield and staff strikes " . In case of Rahi attack , the game is put on hold until it is dealt with . ( The original sport of koli likely had similar rules , except that the game was not played with staffs and shields . ) Equipment The equipment used in the current game of kolhii are the staffs , shields and balls . The staffs are sticks with a hammer on one end and a net or scoop on the other . The shields are just that , and are often decorated with a symbol of the team / village . Players are allowed to use these and any part of their bodies , except their hands . Kolhii balls are made from lightweight airstone bound in steel , and are ejected from the middle of the field during the game . Metru Nui Sports . In the city of Metru Nui , most sports were based around powered , frisbee - like Kanoka disks . Language . Matoran Alphabet : The Matoran alphabet is similar to the English alphabet , being a simple substitution cipher . In Mata Nui and Metru Nui , the letters and numbers are circular symbols . On Voya Nui these symbols are hexagon - shaped , but are otherwise identical . The same applies for the Xian alphabet , which is written in triangles . Matoran Words : For the most part , the Matoran language is translated into English for our benefit . However , several terms usually remain untranslated ( this list assumes that names of Kanohi masks are direct descriptions of their powers ) : Slang and Miscellaneous Terms : Measurements : All sentient beings in the BIONICLE universe use a special measuring system . There are three different units of length : the Bio , the Kio , and the Mio ; comparable to the Earth units of Meters and Kilometers . A Toa is 1 . 6 Bios ( 6 Feet ) tall . For other units of measurement , such as lengths of time , Earth units such as hours and days are used . Sometimes Earth units of length are used in place of the BIONICLE units above , so that the reader may understand easier . Chutespeak and Treespeak : Two names for slang used almost exclusively by the Le - Matoran of Metru Nui ( though the occasional outsider has picked it up ) . " Chutespeak " was its name in Metru Nui and " Treespeak " was used on Mata Nui . Chutespeak / Treespeak terms are made by combining two or more words into one . Although there are too many possible phrases to list , here are a few examples : Culture . Beliefs . The Matoran revere the Great Spirit Mata Nui that protects the universe and attribute all good to him , from the natural abilities that they were created with to the fact that the sun rises every day . An example of this is that Turaga Vakama credits the Matorans ' rescue from Metru Nui to Mata Nui even though the Toa Metru did the deed , for in Vakama ' s eyes , it was Mata Nui who gave the Toa the guidance and strength they needed to accomplish their task . The Matoran do not , however , worship Mata Nui or have any religious ceremonies or rituals ( as LEGO wishes to avoid any form of religious controversy ) . The Matoran do believe in higher powers than Mata Nui , called the Great Beings , but believe that the Great Beings have moved on to other universes . Three Virtues . Central to Matoran life are the Three Virtues , said to be given by Mata Nui . The virtues are Unity , that all Matoran should stand together ; Duty , that Matoran should do their jobs diligently ; and Destiny , that each Matoran has a purpose they must fulfill . The Matoran of the island of Mata Nui have also developed an accompanying set of Principles , with each one derived from some combination of the Virtues . Each Principle also has an affiliated Enemy that opposes it , and a Skill that can be developed if the Principle is followed . Each of the island ' s six villages emphasizes one of the virtues : The sport of kolhii is considered a great way of teaching the Principles , as the game is a test of all six Skills . Also , when Makuta sent Rahkshi to claim the Mask of Light , he likely deliberately chose the kinds that embodied the Enemies , as a symbolic attack on the Principles . Holidays . The Matoran calendar has no regular holidays ; rather the local Turaga declares one whenever he or she feels it is appropriate . Often , an event is celebrated with a sporting competition , such as when the Turaga of Mata Nui declared a kolhii tournament to celebrate the peace that followed the Bohrok - Kal ' s defeat . The only other specifically known Matoran holiday is Naming Day . On a Naming Day , Matoran who have done great deeds are honoured by having their name changed ( from what has been seen , the new name is spelled differently but pronounced the same as the old one ) . This new name is used when referring to past events as well as future ones , effectively retcon ning the old name out of existence . On Metru Nui , Matoran got a day off of work for Naming Days and often exchanged gifts . Rahaga Iruini has also mentioned Mata Nui coming through chutes to give presents to good Matoran on Naming Days ( much like Santa Claus ) , as an example of a naive belief . So far , only one Naming Day has been seen ; when Jala , Huki , and Maku got the new names " Jaller " , " Hewkii " , and " Macku " , respectively ; for their bravery and deeds in fighting the Bohrok swarms . Takua also changed his pet crab ' s name from " Puku " to " Pewku " on that day , and the fact that he was not honoured alongside his friends may have influenced his decision to change his own name to Takanuva upon becoming the Toa of Light ( though " Takanuva " does not follow the patterns of the other new names : it is not a simple respelling of " Takua " , and the old name is still used to refer to his old Matoran identity ) .