Namigakure

Namigakure no Sato (lit, Village hidden on the waves) is a small (by hidden village standards) hidden village characterized in that in floats on the surface of the water and drifts around on the sea.

History
How Namigakure was formed is a bit of a mystery, as an entire village floating on the sea is a bit of an unusual concept, and quite an inconvenient thing to build. But it is said in a legend that a group of people lived on an island, only to find that the island was about to sink. They cut down all the trees on the island and used it to build a massive network of floating houses and walkways. When the island sunk, the people took shelter on their structure. The structure merely remained floating once the island vanished beneathe the waves.

This legend's historical credibility is questionable, as it seems unlikely that an entire island would sink beneath the waves. The sheer amount of wood that was needed to build Namigakure suggests that the island would have to have been quite large to support a large enough forest. And an island that big seems unlikely to sink without being caused by or causing massive natural disasters.

Architecture
The entire village is a massive network of wooden houses and wooden walkways. The walkways form a maze-like pattern as they wind around the houses, making sure every part of the village is accessible without the need to swim. Large walkways near the edges of the village support areas for small wooden boats to dock. All the buildings resemble log cabins. Each of the residential houses has a hole in the center of the house so that residents may collect the bounty of the sea in the comforts of their own homes.

Culture
Due to being so close to the water, Namigakure reveres and respects the sea, thinking of it as a female mother-like protector. It is said that Namigakure residents are born from the sea and return to the sea when they die. Every child is trained in the ninja arts as soon as they can walk. Due to the village being mainly composed of wood, a single spark of fire or a bolt of lightning might set it aflame. This is why shinobi are trained in the art of water Jutsu from the very start, so that any fires may be put out using the ever abundant sea water. Though initially trained in water Jutsu, Namigakure shinobi are encouraged to train themselves in whatever element they choose.

The culture of the village is very family-oriented. Members of Namigakure value the bonds with their family above all others. Though the village also practiced the ideal that family is family, regardless of blood relation. Everyone in the community is considered to be family, even though many are not related by blood. Friends and teammates are considered the closest family of all.

Celebration is also a major part of Namigakure's culture. Festivals are held in the street (platforms) of Namigakure for whatever reason. Anything occasion can be used to celebrate in Namigakure. There are about four major festivals every year, with some smaller festivals throughout the year. Families also hold celebrations of their own for occasions, leading to several unique traditions among the various families of Namigakure. Due to these unique traditions, the village is very open to foreign ideas.

It is worth noting that Namigakure elders frequently tell their young the Legend of the Moon Tribe, making the tale quite well known there.

Government
Namigakure actually does not have a Kage. Rather, they are lead by a Chieftain and a council of advisors. The Chieftain is elected by the public, while the council is made up of previous Chieftains and people who did not win the vote to be the Chieftain. The Chieftain generally make all the decisions him or herself, but will usually consult the council for advice on serious matters. If needed, the council can override the Chieftain's decision with a majority vote. And if things get serious, the council can overthrow the Chieftain with a majority vote.

The new Chieftain is usually selected by a vote for a group of people selected by the previous Chieftain and the council. The number of people generally ranges from about four to six people. Good canditates for Chieftain election are those that have influenced the community in some way, or most often very loyal or very strong shinobi of the village. The Chieftain candidate is never a relative of the current Chieftain or one of the council members. Due to making all the decisions him or herself, the Chieftain must be able to make sound decisions that benefit the entire community as a whole.

Economy
Namigakure is surpringly self-sufficient.

Sea water is unfit for drinking, so Namigakure carries a large amount, and some very massive, basins to collect rain water. There are also some shinobi of the village who can use Ninjutsu to filter sea water into pure water by removing the salt.

Namigakure also has special parts of the village dedicated to farming using soil collected from the shore. This soil must be constantly maintained so as to be fertile enough to support crops.

Naturally, the major diet of Namigakure is fish. The village supports a large fishing community, with people of all kinds fishing every day, either from the pier and platforms of the village itself, or sometimes going a few yards out in boats. Due to such a large fish diet, Namigakure residents rarely suffer heart attacks, even in old age.

Despite this self-sufficiency, Namigakure does make some money by selling the fish they catch, as well as by making crafts with fish bones, coral, and seashells. Due to being so close to the sea, Namigakure invented a device that allows one to breath underwater, making diving a popular form of sport for Namigakure residents. This diving allows them to collect things from the sea floor, sometimes even finding valuable items from old ship wrecks. Naturally, the underwater breathing device attracted much attention from the shinobi world, so Namigakure makes a great deal of money by selling the devices to other villages, namely Amegakure, who they are on good terms with.

The village residents often uses spare money to purchase Moon's Tears from the main continent, possibly due to the popularity of the Moon Tribe legend.