10 Things You Didn't Know About The Tusken Raiders
From their first appearance in 1977, the Tusken Raiders have been a mysterious group laying ancestral claim to the less populated parts of Tatooine, such as the Jundland Wastes and the Dune Sea. These Tatooine natives have been portrayed as enemies of our heroes, such as Luke and Anakin, and, more recently, as allies to protagonists like Din Djarin or Boba Fett. With their recent character expansion in The Book of Boba Fett, it is high time that the Tuskens receive an in-depth look at what we know of them so far.
1. Imperial Agents
The Tuskens first appeared in the world of Star Wars in George Lucas' second draft of what would eventually become A New Hope. When they were first written into the story they were a platoon of Imperial agents deployed to search Tatooine for the story's protagonist, Deak Starkiller. As the story evolved, so did the raiders, eventually becoming an aggressive and territorial native tribe of Tatooine.
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2. Distinctive Younglings
The children of Tusken tribes have very unique looks, differing even within tribes. For example, the younglings of the Dune Sea tribe in Book of Boba Fett are smaller versions of their adult counterparts. Meanwhile, the canyon-dwelling tribes seen in Attack of the Clones clothe their younglings in hoods and satchels similar to the women of the group, adopting more specialized garb as they enter adulthood. Regardless of their appearance, the younger Tuskens are referred to as "Uli-ah" before they reach adulthood and take on the full responsibilities of the tribe.
3. Sacred Resource
Tusken Raiders, much like many other nomadic peoples of the galaxy, were extremely resourceful and let little go to waste. Whether referring to Banthas, water, food stuffs, or weapons, Tuskens were extremely careful and conservative with how they allocated their resources. Many tribes shared a belief that, as the native people of Tatooine, all water on the planet was sacred and belonged to the Tuskens, causing them to violently defend their rare water holes and black melon fields.
4. Accurate ASL
While the Tuskens began as antagonists, The Mandalorian showed that, with the ability to communicate with the proud people, the Tusken Raiders can be bartered with and serve as valuable comrades-in-arms. Much well-deserved credit has been given to the cast and crew of The Mandalorian for their efforts to accurately portray American Sign Language and the way it is used to cross vocal barriers in any galaxy. This was in no small part due to the participation of Troy Kotsur, the first deaf actor to portray a character in a Star Wars property, who played one of the Tusken Raiders in Season 1, Episode 5 of The Mandalorian.
5. Tusken's Best Friend
Often seen accompanying Tusken tribes are their sharp-fanged and quilled guard dogs, the Massiff. These reptilian creatures are known for their loyalty to their masters and their ferocity toward intruders on their turf. These creatures were native to desert environments including Geonosis and Florrum. Pack hunters with armored hides, these creatures were uniquely suited to the rugged lifestyle of the Tusken tribes.
6. Under Wraps
One of the most recognizable traits of the Tusken people is their obscuring clothing, composed of bandage wraps, heavy cloaks, and eye and mouth coverings. This muffling attire obviously rose out of Tatooine's harsh living conditions, helping protect a Tusken from the twin-sun heat, driving winds, and the endless sand which is course, rough, irritating, and gets everywhere. It became so imperative for Tuskens to wear these multiple layers of clothing that to unwrap oneself would be considered the height of taboo for most Tuskens, save for between married couples or in medical emergencies.
7. Bantha Bond
Since their onscreen debut, the Tuskens have been closely associated with their faithful steeds, the bantha. Many tribes regarded their banthas as a integral part of their warrior identity and would give a young Tusken their own bantha when they came of age at 15. When a bantha would die, they were laid to rest with all the same respect and care as a Tusken and were taken to a "bantha graveyard" where their bones could lie in peace. These places were treated with reverence and care and were avoided by all Tusken tribes and banthas alike.
8. Trustworthy Tribes
While intimidating in appearance, speech, and behavior, and known for their aggressive behavior, the Tuskens have proven to be an honorable and respectful people. Din Djarin notes that they "always keep their word" and many of their warriors gave their lives to defeat the Krayt Dragon that threatened their tribe and Mos Pelgo. They do not give their respect lightly however. We have seen in The Book of Boba Fett the trials that a broken and injured Fett had to endure before being accepted into the tribe. Once he was accepted however, he was treated as truly one of the tribe, given his own robes and gaffi stick.
9. Bray What You Say
One of the key components of the Star Wars franchise is the audio and visual design of the universe, making it feel like a real, visceral, lived-in galaxy. This includes the barking, grating speech of the Tusken Raiders. Their rough, growling, screeching vocalizations were designed by Ben Burtt, building off the recorded sound of Tunisian mules braying in a canyon.
10. Helping Cobb Vanth
Besides helping the marshal, Cobb Vanth, and his village slay the Krayt Dragon in Chapter 9 of The Mandalorian, the Tuskens have aided the gunslinger in the past, when Vanth was the sheriff of a town called "Freetown." Much like the law officer, the Tuskens have no tolerance for crime or wrongdoing, especially slavers. So when called upon to help Freetown defend itself from the crime lord Lorgan Movellan, sometime before the Battle of Jakku, the Tusken warriors sprang into action in exchange for a Krayt pearl and a supply of water. This story, detailed in Aftermath: Empire's End, is under much canonical speculation after the events of The Mandalorian. Hopefully these events will receive some clarification as to where they fall on the timeline.
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Source(s): Wookieepedia
