The Koda are fierce islanders who have passed down hatred of mainlanders for generations. In one Koda coming-of-age ceremony, the Shedding, young warriors chosen for the purity of their rage cast aside mortal bodies to embrace the essence of the Great Bear, Koda- konn. At the same time, the Koda practice selfless love for each other, and they protect and nurture every one of their children, adults, and elders from birth to death.