Ghorfa

"Those Tuskens walk like men, but they're vicious, mindless monsters."

- Cliegg Lars

Sandpeople, sometimes referred to as Tusken Raiders, were a group of nomadic sapients indigenous to Tatooine. They acquired the name Tusken Raiders from their attack on one of Tatooine's earliest modern settlements, Fort Tusken, although they referred to themselves as Ghorfa.

The Sandpeople inhabited The Needles in the rocky Jundland Wastes and commonly performed raids on borderline colonist communities. Any creatures, particularly offworlders, were subject to the savage attacks of the territorial hunters. Riding on trained banthas, the Sandpeople would swiftly appear from the desert, riding in single file to conceal their numbers, and then reenter the cover of the dunes.

History
"They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I hate them!"

- Anakin Skywalker

The Sandpeople were the survivors of the Kumumgah that defied the Rakatan Infinite Empire. This defiance was punished with holocaust as the surface of the once lush world of Tatooine was bombarded into little more than fused glass, which eventually crumbled and became desert sand. This drastic climatic change split the indigenous Kumumgah into two races: the Ghorfas (the ancestors of the Sand People) and the Jawas.

Tatooine was first discovered by the Republic in 5,000 BBY by spacers. The Human settlers disrupted the Ghorfa culture, causing the Ghorfa people to evolve into what became the Sandpeople. Around 550 BBY, the bandit Alkhara, living in what would later become Jabba's Palace, allied himself with the Sandpeople to wipe out a small police garrison near Tatooine's capital; the devastating effects of that union would resonate for centuries to come. The bandit and his posse, after successfully using the Sandpeople to meet their ends, butchered their partners-in-crime, setting of the endless blood feud between the natives and the outlanders. Sandpeople and humans would never coexist peacefully again.

The feud came to a head in 95 BBY, when a settlement called Fort Tusken was wiped out by the Sandpeople. From that point on, the human settlers of Tatooine ominously referred to the Sandpeople as "Tusken Raiders".

Appearance
While clearly humanoid, scientific studies of the few dead Sandpeople corpses found were inconclusive. What was discernable was their outward trappings: to shield themselves from the harsh winds and intense heat of the Tatooine desert, Sandpeople covered themselves in sand-colored rags, warrior spikes, shandshroud robes, and head covers. Even hands and feet never saw the light of day.

Although garb varied from tribe to tribe, certain aspects of dress remained constant. The eyes of Sandpeople were covered with simple visors which shielded them from the harsh sunlight. Below the eyes two pipes protruded from the mask, most likely to facilitate breathing. A constantly open mouthpiece covered the area below the nose, while a moisture trap worn around the neck humidified the air taken into the lungs.

Female Tuskens wore variations upon the male Tusken garb, often incorporating womp rat tusks into their attire. Their children wore unisex masks; gender-specific coverings were not allowed until after they became adults.

Except for their wedding night, birth, and in the privacy of their tents, Tuskens were forbidden to take off their protective clothing. Breaking this rule meant either banishment or death. Sand People were also recognizable by their fierce gaderffii weapons. While rejecting most examples of modern technology, long-barreled slugthrower rifles and stoves made of scavenged/stolen metal were not uncommon.

All in all, the Sandpeople were frightening to behold. This fear was expanded upon by countless gruesome legends... and even more gruesome truths, such as their tendency to spit streams of blood at their victims during attacks.

Familial Structure
Sandpeople organized into clans and tribes, the former ranging between 20 to 30 beings, and the latter with no bounds. Males assumed the role of hunter and protector, often leaving their camps for an extended period of time. Females, often accompanied by massif guard animals, cared for the young, known as uli-ah, and the temporary camps. After completing the rites of adulthood at the age of fifteen, the uli-ah were granted full status within the tribe and paired for marriage in a ceremony involving blood exchanges between the male, female and their banthas.

Tuskens subsisted primarily on hubba gourds, and moisture farmers took great humor in the fact that they became intoxicated on just a few sips of sugar water. It is unknown if there was a carnivorous facet to their diet, but their violence would certainly suggest as much.

While leading a lifestyle that was primarily nomadic, there were two exceptions to the rule: one, when the hot season was at its height, semi-permanent camps would be constructed; and two, particular caves or hollows, spiritually connected to certain clans (usually where the dead would be buried or special ceremonies would be held) were frequently visited. Special water wells such as the one in Gafsa Canyon, sacred due to their rarity, were often vehemently protected.

Rituals
Many rituals held Sandpeople society together. Adolescent Sand People were tasked with a ritual known as "bloodrite" whereby a young one proved his hunting skills by capturing a creature and fatally torturing it with techniques extending the pain for weeks before death. Most opted for creatures like bantha or desert wraid, but the greatest prestige was reserved for a hunter who performed the rite upon a sentient being. The final test of an adult male was to hunt and slay a krayt dragon. Oftentimes, members of the tribe would create spirit masks out of natural materials for use in the ensuing ritual and celebration. During this ceremony, the leader of the tribe, the High Urr'Ak, would bestow upon the successful youth his first gaderffii. This was a time of great honor for the young tribesman, but it also represented a great responsibility. If the youth lost his gaderffii, he would be banished forever. Due to this practice, Tusken technology remained stagnant and traditional for around 6,000 years.

Additionally, Tuskens often enjoyed firing upon podracers who participated in the Boonta Eve Races, as a sort of sport and show of marksmanship.

Language
The Sand People spoke a guttural language known as Tusken that produced long individual names such as Grk'Urr'Akk, Grk'kkrs'arr, Orrh Or'Ur and Orr'UrRuuR'R. Shorter names also appeared amongst Sand People such as K'Sheek, although it is unclear if they are full names or shortened versions. Words include urtah (carrying pack) and urtya (light tent). As a rule, Tuskens also possessed a rudimentary knowledge of Huttese and Jawaese, as they came into contact with these languages quite frequently.

With no written language, the Sand People relied on oral history to pass down the legends and stories of their people. As such, storytellers were held in the highest regard and charged with the responsibility of memorizing by rote the story of every clan member and piece of clan history. For apprentice storytellers, the pressure to memorize the stories precisely was intense: a single mistake meant death. If an apprentice storyteller successfully recites a story perfectly, he becomes the clan's storyteller while the old one wanders off into the desert forever.

Banthas
For transportation, Sand People domesticated the hardy bantha, a long-haired spiral-horned quadruped also found on Tatooine. It was difficult to tell the number of Sandpeople traveling in a caraven, as they tended to ride banthas "single file, to hide their numbers."

A unique bond existed in Tusken culture between the riders and their bantha mounts, and when a mount 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 mount, 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.

Notable Sand People



 * A'Sharad Hett, a Clone Wars era Jedi (actually Human)
 * A-Zulmun, tribal leader and slayer of Ranon Djlekh
 * Hoar, the only known Tusken to master the ancient art of Teräs Käsi
 * Jundland Banshee, a rogue Sand Person
 * Orr Agg R'orr, sniped Teemto Pagalies at the Boonta Eve Classic
 * RR'uruurr, attacked Luke Skywalker in the Jundland Wastes
 * Raito, known for his ability to hunt and slay Jedi during the Great Sith War era
 * Sharad Hett, Old Republic era Jedi, father of A'Sharad (actually Human)
 * Sliven, foster father of Tahiri Veila
 * Tahiri Veila, Jedi Knight raised by Sand People (actually Human)
 * URoRRoR'R'R, a skilled hunter who captured Luke Skywalker and R2-D2.
 * Grave Tuskens, a group of Tuskens on Sulon, perhaps the only known case of Tusken presence off-Tatooine.

Behind the scenes



 * In Star Wars films, Sandpeople fire upon podracers during the Boonta Eve Classic in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, killed Anakin Skywalker's mother in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and attacked Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Humorously enough, they are accurate enough with their fire to actual hit one of the podracers, in spite of Obi-Wan's Episode IV comment, "these blast points... too accurate for sandpeople. Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise" (although stormtroopers are notoriously atrocious shots in the Original Trilogy).
 * In the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, one of the side-quests requires that the player infiltrate a Sandpeople village. Upon doing so, an extremely long history of the Sandpeople is presented to the player.
 * In the Xbox adventure game Star Wars: Obi-Wan set during and a bit before the events of the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi is forced to rescue the Queen of Naboo (or one of her doubles) after she is abducted by Tuskens during the layover on Tatooine. In the game, Kenobi must even stalk through a communal Tusken burial site. As Obi-Wan Kenobi the player must track the Raiders through their extensive canyon dwellings among old scavenged shipwrecks turned to fortresses and eventually do battle with a Tusken war chief a significantly larger Tusken than the others, who intended to keep the queen as a trophy. A sequence of cultural interest depicts the Tuskens solemnly and ceremoniously conceding defeat after Obi-Wan demands to be allowed to return to safety with the Queen since he has defeated the Tusken war chief.
 * Grave Tuskens appear in Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II as henchmen to the Dark Jedi Jerec and Maw on the moon of Sulon. This is the only appearance of a Sandpeople group off Tatooine, although Hoar from Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi did travel offworld to learn that martial art from Arden Lyn.
 * Tuskens also appear in Mysteries of the Sith in the Ka'Pa mission. The level resembles vaguely Tatooine, although the game doesn't give the name of the planet the level takes place. It is possible we have another example of non-Tatooine Tuskens
 * In the PC game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and its sequel, there is a hidden easter egg in the first Chewbacca campaign; over in the far right corner of the first mission, under the fog of war, is a scene similair to the Obi-Wan mission above. This can only be accessed by a combination of Cheat Codes dissipating the fog of war. And success in the mission is not lost if the side-mission is failed.
 * When a Ghorfa speaks, they sound like the sea lions of Earth, but in actuality their sounds were fashioned by Ben Burrt from donkey brays.

Appearances

 * ''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars Republic: Outlander
 * Star Wars Battlefront
 * Star Wars Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Jedi Power Battles
 * Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Republic 50: The Battle of Kamino
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Empire: Darklighter
 * Empire at War
 * Star Wars: Force Commander
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Tatooine Ghost
 * Children of the Jedi
 * Darksaber
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
 * Junior Jedi Knights: Promises
 * Adventure in Beggar's Canyon