For The Mandalorian, deaf actor Troy Kotsur created a whole new form of sign language for the Tusken Raiders, and promises that it’s “just the beginning.”
The Mandalorian is finally back in our lives, and it’s as good as ever. One of my favorite things about the show is that while it’s clearly steeped in Star Wars lore, with lots of references to things both obscure and well-known, you don’t really need to know any of that to enjoy it. The show takes well-worn ideas and puts new spins on them, making them feel fresh for both long-time fans and first-time viewers alike.
Take the Tusken Raiders, the desert-dwelling people from Tatooine who teamed up with the townsfolk of Mos Pelgo in the season 2 premiere. They’ve been around since the very first Star Wars movie, barking at people and raising their staffs above their heads, but they were always painted as little more than brutal barbarians.
But in “The Marshal,” the Mandalorian actually talked to them and got them to work with the people of Mos Pelgo, who were very wary. Still, in the end everyone was able to come together to kill the fearsome Krayt dragon, which was harming both groups. The Tusken Raiders are still brutal, but this episode gave them some shading they didn’t have before.
It also gave them a new language. Mando spoke with the Raiders using a form of sign language created by deaf actor Troy Kotsur. He was first brought on as a consultant for the season 1 episode “The Gunslinger,” which also took place on Tatooine. Writer Dave Filoni mentioned a form of sign language for the Tusken Raiders in his scripts, and a hearing member of the crew who knew sign language suggested they hire a deaf person to help craft it.
A year later, and Kotsur not only got to leave his mark on Star Wars that way, but also played one of the Raiders. “I did research on the culture and environment of Tusken Raiders,” Kotsur told The Daily Moth. “My goal was to avoid ASL. I made sure it became Tusken Sign Language based on their culture and environment.”
And now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tusken Sign Language (TSL?) entered the pantheon of popular made-up languages, like Klingon and Dothraki before it. David Wellbeloved, who created a Facebook group dedicated to translating it, is already on board. “Having been a Star Wars fan all my life, I’ve enjoyed all aspects of the franchise, right up to building my own props and costumes, which includes Chewbacca!” Wellbeloved told SYFY WIRE. “I’m also a father to two deaf children and work with a young deaf boy in a local school. Seeing The Mandalorian series — and the Tusken Raiders, using a form of sign language in particular — really warmed my heart and excited my two children immensely! This inspired me to setup the Facebook group.”
All of this is immensely cool, and another reason to really love what this show is doing. And of course, Kotsur is having the time of his life. “Really, it is a blessing!” he said. “When I was eight-years-old, I dreamed of Star Wars. Many, many years later, . Almost 40 years later, it is fate…I hope that you keep telling Disney + that you want to see more sign language. I hope that the producers keep an open mind because this is just the beginning.”
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