Tusken Raiders, less formally referred to
as Sand People or simply as Tuskens, were a culture of nomadic, primitive
sentients indigenous to Tatooine, where they were often hostile to local
settlers. The term Sand People was given to them due to their existence in the
desert, but the more formal name of Tusken Raiders was acquired due to a
period of attacks on the settlement at Fort Tusken. Although this name is
often used as a common term for the race, it actually refers only to the
participants of the attack on the settlement.
It is thought that
Tuskens
and Jawas shared common ancestry in the Kumumgah, who were taken off world by
the Infinite Empire to work as slaves on other planets. In fact, the Sand
People were one of the slave races used in construction of the Star Forge by
the Rakatans. Since the Kumumgah were considered a possible origin species for
Humanity, it is possible that Tuskens and Humans shared ancestry. According to
history as passed down through Storytellers, the evolution of the Tusken
Raiders could be traced back to the Kumumgah, a technologically advanced race
that once built great cities all over the then lush world of Tatooine. Over
millennia, the Kumumgah achieved space travel among the worlds of the Outer
Rim and beyond, attracting the attention of the Rakatan Infinite Empire, who
conquered, enslaved, and annexed Tatooine. The Kumumgah rose up against their
Rakatan masters, but were punished by orbital bombardment and left for dead.
The bombardment slagged the surface of Tatooine into little more than fused
glass, which eventually crumbled into desert sand. The Kumumgah, however, had
anticipated such an act, and survived by taking refuge in caves across the
planet, surviving the demolition, and later on repopulating the deserted
surface.
Although Tusken garb varied from tribe to
tribe, certain aspects of dress remained constant. Practical survival was the
first priority in terrain like this, and to protect themselves, the Sand
People learned early in their existence to cover themselves from head to foot
in desert-colored rags and robes, leaving no bare skin exposed to the
elements.
The
eyes of Sand People were covered with goggles or visors which shielded them
from the harsh sunlight. Below the eyes two pipes protruded from the mask,
most likely to facilitate breathing. Female Tuskens wore variations
upon
the male Tusken garb (though in some tribes, males and females wore the same),
often incorporating womp rat tusks into their attire. Tusken children wore
unisex masks; gender-specific coverings were not allowed until after they
became adults. In the culture of the Tuskens, to expose any part of the flesh
was forbidden and seen as a disgrace. Tuskens were forbidden to take off their
protective clothing in front of others, except in a few very specific
circumstances: at childbirth, on their wedding night and during coming-of-age
rituals (two events which were often one and the same), and as adults, only in
the privacy of their tents with their blood-bound mates. Breaking this rule
meant either banishment or death, depending on the specific tribe rules.
The Tuskens were divided into small
tribes or clans, and roamed widely across the desert surface of Tatooine, but
the focus of their habitation-patterns seems to have been the Jundland Wastes,
the one major area
of
rocky upland that rose clear of the shifting sands: in particular, the
traditional sandstorm-season encampments of many clans were concentrated area
known as the The Needles. The camps were guarded by tusken males, and often
massiff guard animals. Occasionaly the different clans went to war over
territory and even united under a powerful
warlord, or a
chieftain.
(A Chieftain can be seen is the game KotOR1, and this special tusken chieftain
is from the TOR.) His outfit were different, even his gaderffii was
greater, representing a kind of symbol of power of the ruler. They raided
widely through both the Jundland Wastes and the Dune Sea, however, and any
creatures, particularly offworlders, were subject to their savage attacks.
They attacked the caravans, too, and even entered the villages, raiding the
houses of the settlers. The tuskens even tried to destroy one or two podraces
during the Boonta Eve contest, seeking to get some valuable parts of the
podraces.
They
make a brief cameo in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace taking pot shots
at the Pod Race drivers. Traveling on trained banthas, raiding parties would
swiftly appear from the desert, riding in single line to conceal their
numbers, and then disappear back into the cover of the dunes with trophies and
prisoners. Due to their lack of advanced technology, their primitive society
and viciousness, they were considered barbaric monsters by most of the
galactic populace. A unique bond existed in Tusken culture between the riders
and their banths, and when a bantha died, the rider was often left behind to
wander the desert alone. They held that if the fallen bantha's spirit wished
for the rider to find a new bantha, it would be so. If not, the rider would
die amongst Tatooine's endless dunes. The bond worked both ways, as accounts
have been told of riderless banthas intentionally stampeding over cliffs.
Sand People
were recognizable by their
fierce gaderffii weapons. It was their basic weapon, so their used it as a
primary attack utility, often bashing the opponents head into pieces. This was
not a proof of their barbaric ways, they fought like this. The gaderffii
was so integral to their culture that Tuskens would often commit ritual
suicide in the event that an injury made them unable to properly wield the
weapon. While rejecting most examples of modern technology, long-barreled
Tusken Cycler rifles and stoves made of scavenged or stolen metal were not
uncommon.
Anakin
Skywalker
became a legend after he slaughtered a tribe of Sand people out of revenge for
killing Shmi Skywalker Lars. He was depicted as a vengeful ghost or desert
demon, and the Tuskens made ritual sacrifices to ward him off, putting stolen
artwork, and other valuables, even Human sacrifices, such as Kitster Banai, in
the place where the tribe was murdered.
Tusken Raiders first appear in
Star
Wars Episode IV: A New Hope when a pack of them attack Luke Skywalker in the
Jundland Wastes and knock him unconscious. Sand People fire upon podracers
during the Boonta Eve Classic in The Phantom Menace. They make an another
appearance in the Star Wars universe in
Star
Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, set 22 years before A New Hope; in this
film, they have kidnapped Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi, and Anakin
slaughters the entire tribe, including the women and children. Sand people
appear in the game world, too. Almost all of my listed main menus we can play
against Tuskens. To name some, but not all:
In Kotor 1, they were engaged in warfare
with the settlers, raids which were among the factors that forced Czerka
Corporation to abandon their attempts to operate Tatooine as a mining world.
In the game The Phantom Menace, Qui Gon
Jinn and Padme Amidala as the handmaid of the Queen are attacked by sand
people while entering Mos Espa.
Tuskens appear in Star Wars: Jedi Knight
series too, mostly in the Tatooine levels.
In the PC game Star Wars: Galactic
Battlegrounds and its expansion pack Clone Campaigns, there is a hidden camp
over in the far right corner of the first mission, under the fog of war. I
often convert them into my army, it is really funny to control tusken snipers,
mounted bantha tuskens, women, and even children.
Also, in the tutorial mission in Force
Commander, while searching the escape pod, tusken raiders attack the imperial
troops in the desert.
And of course, the Battlefront series.
They live on Tatooine, they are in the middle of the fight between the
imperials
and the rebels. It is interesting, because they are protecting their village,
they fight against both fractions, so they are neutral. Yet, they can have a
large effect on the mission. Since their camp is closer to the back rebel
command post, they often attack that post with large forces, which can play
the hands of the imperials. They cannot be defeated, they respawn continuously
in their camp. I went into their camp, they just born, and born again, it is
never ending. The camp is on a small hill, and even a sarlaccpit is in front
of it. The sarlacc often kills our men, so beware when approaching its pit! We
can see several rifle tuskens at this level, very similar, that I introduced
in this article with my custom figures. They are rather variations, then
customs, they do not need big work.
Custom tusken raider variation figures
Custom tusken raider village diorama
Custom Battlefront scene
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