Along with Grafaiai’s design are further connections between Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and its Spanish influence. Pokemon’s social media pages have shared that Grafaiai uses its poisonous saliva (which can change color) to both attack others and mark territory on trees. This marking of territory makes the trees look painted, and these painted trees are reminiscent of a real painted forest that exists in Spain called Oma forest.
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About Oma Forest
Oma forest is located in Spain, specifically near Kortezubi. The trees there, mostly consisting of Monterey pines, were painted by Agustin Ibarrola, a famous painter and sculptor. Many of the trees in Oma forest resemble the painted trees of Grafaiai. The fact that Oma forest is in Spain as well, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s inspiration, seems to be more than just a coincidence.
Oma forest was painted in the early 1980s. In recent years, it has actually required relocation. A fungal disease called “brown band” began killing the trees in 2019. Due to this, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia made the choice to relocate and reproduce the artwork to Basobarri Forest. The project started recently in June 2022 and the plan is that the new version will actually get 200 more painted trees than the original.
In terms of the actual paint in Oma forest, the trees are mostly colored in stripes much like the images the announcement for Grafaiai shared. That is not all, though. Some trees in Oma forest have painted eyes and figures. What is special about this form of art is that it can be viewed in so many perspectives that each visitor sees a forest differently.
What This Could Mean For Pokemon Scarlet And Violet
The announcement of Grafaiai may have shown more than just a new Pokemon. There are now expectations for Scarlet and Violet to have their own painted forest. Along with the release of Grafaiai’s information, Pokemon’s social media accounts have shared pictures of a painted forest. If the forest appears in the game, not only will it be a beautiful location, but it may be home to some more colorful new Pokemon.
It is also worth noticing that Grafaiai’s design is based on the aye-aye, and aye-ayes are not known to live naturally in Spain. Despite this, the painted trees it makes is still a connection to Spain. Pokemon designs can be full of surprises when it comes to its cultural and regional inspiration. This shows that some new Pokemon may be impossible to predict.
More About Grafaiai
Part of the etymology of Grafaiai seems to relate to graffiti, which makes sense since the Pokemon literally graffiti’s on trees. The “aiai” part of the name also refers to its aye-aye inspiration. Like the real aye-aye, Grafaiai has a long and crooked finger.
It is worth knowing that Grafaiai actually doesn’t use paint, but its own saliva (which changes color based on what it eats). This has made fans have theorized the possibility of Grafaiai changing its dual type from Poison and Normal to Poison and something else depending on what berry it holds. However, that is purely speculation at the moment. The lore behind this Pokemon is also a little reminiscent of Smeargle, which uses fluid that it produces to mark its territory. There is little doubt that Pokemon fans will compare the two.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release on November 18 for Nintendo Switch.
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Source: Basque Press
