Kuja Pirates

The Kuja Pirates (九蛇海賊団, Kuja Kaizokudan) are a crew of female pirates from Amazon Lily. All of the crew members are women chosen from the Kuja tribe of their homeland. Their captain is the Empress of the Kuja tribe, as well as the only female member of the Royal Shichibukai, Boa Hancock. Second in command are Hancock's younger sisters, Boa Marigold and Boa Sandersonia.

Though only the elite warriors of the tribe were selected to be members of the Kuja Pirates crew, when Hancock signed the treaty with the World Government to protect Amazon Lily, every Kuja member has been classified as pirates, whether the islanders or the actual pirates.

Part in the Story
The Kuja Pirates first appeared to answer the summons of Vice Admiral Momonga, who demanded Boa Hancock to cooperate with the upcoming war against the Whitebeard Pirates, who are bound to attack in attempt to rescue their soon-to-be executed second division commander, Portgas D. Ace, who has been captured by the new Shichibukai member Marshall D. Teach. Hancock refused, claiming that her joining the ranks of the Shichibukai is just to get the Marines off her back from pursuit. She then ordered the Marines on board of Momonga's ship to load all of their treasure onto the Kuja's ship. They nearly complied due to her mesmerizing beauty, but Momonga's anger snapped them out of their trance. Hancock then launched her Mero Mero Merrow technique, petrifying all the Marines, except the Vice Admiral, who negated the effects with pain. As the Kuja pirates depart back to Amazon Lily, Momonga gave them a warning: if Hancock does not reply to the summons of the World Government in two days, then the treaty for the safety to Amazon Lily would be nullified.

After the pirates returned, they caught Monkey D. Luffy on their island, who was sent there by Bartholomew Kuma. They had a battle at the Colosseum, with Luffy being victorious.

After hearing Luffy's assault on World Noble Saint Charloss, Hancock has fallen for the Straw Hat Pirates captain. Upon hearing Ace's impending execution, Luffy asked Hancock to sneak him into Impel Down to rescue his brother. Hancock agreed.

The Kuja pirates then sailed back to Momonga's ship, with Luffy hiding inside Hancock's robes. Hancock then boarded the Marine ship with her Snake Weapon and Luffy, leaving her crew to wait for her return.

Crew Strength
The crew members are chosen amongst the strongest women in the tribe, and are led by the the famous "Gorgon Sisters" of the Kuja tribe: Empress of the tribe and Shichibukai member Boa Hancock, and her younger sisters Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold.

All the Kuja tribe members are capable of using Haki, making them formidable opponents, even against Devil Fruit users. They usually combine their Haki with their Snake Weapons to launch powerful strikes. Considering the members of the crew are elites, their mastery must be higher than the islanders. Hancock, in particular, possesses the Haoushouku Haki.

Aside from Haki, the Gorgon Sisters all possess Devil Fruits, a "gift" from the World Nobles who enslaved them many years ago. Hancock wields the Mero Mero no Mi, while Sandersonia and Marigold both wield the Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Anaconda and King Cobra, respectively. These powers make them even more formidable than the rest of the tribe and crew. To deceive the rest of the Kuja members from their shameful past of slavery, the Gorgon Sisters created a lie, saying their powers are a curse for killing a Gorgon monster.

It is said that all ships attacked by the Kuja Pirates have no life on them, but instead drift on the sea with a collection of mysterious stone statues. This is done by Hancock's Mero Mero Merrow technique.

Other Information
When Hancock made a treaty with the World Government for protecting her homeland, Amazon Lily, all members of the Kuja tribe were classified as pirates, whether on land or at sea.

The name of the ship used by the Kuja Pirates is currently unknown, but it's towed by two Yuda, fierce sea-serpents which prevents Sea Kings from attacking them. This is a new way to traverse across the Calm Belt, where their homeland is located in.

Trivia

 * The skull with nine snakes seen on the front of their boat, is similair to a common symbol of the Gorgon: a woman's face surrounded by snake hair.