# Wookiee
Wookiees are a fictional species of tall, hairy humanoids in the [Star Wars](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars) franchise, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk and known in their own language, Shyriiwook, as "the People of the Trees".[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee) The species entered popular culture through [Chewbacca](https://www.edgepedia.org/chewbacca), Han Solo's co-pilot, who first appeared in *Star Wars: A New Hope* (1977).[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Homeworld | Kashyyyk, a dense forest world of enormous wroshyr trees; Wookiees build homes in the trees but are not a primitive species[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee) |
| Height | Listed at 2.0 m in the official Databank; Chewbacca is listed at 2.28 m[3](https://starwars.disney.co.jp/databank/character/wookiee) • [4](https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca/) |
| Language | Shyriiwook, a language of barks, roars, moans and growls; other species can learn to understand it but generally cannot produce its sounds[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee) • [5](https://alientavern.com/knowledge/aliens-in-fiction/wookiees) |
| Temperament | Intelligent, sophisticated, loyal and trusting when peaceful, but prone to a berserker rage when angered[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee) |
| Signature weapons | The bowcaster, alongside blaster rifles and wooden command staffs[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee) |
| Lifespan (Legends) | Several standard centuries; full adults at 18, in their prime around 200, and considered venerable at 400[6](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee/Legends) |
| Word origin | Coined in George Lucas's first film, *THX 1138* (1971), in a line ad-libbed by actor Terry McGovern[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee) |
## Biology and society
Wookiees are large, strong beings covered in fur that ranges from brown to black, and Legends material gives them lifespans of several standard centuries.[6](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee/Legends) • [7](https://www.figureshelf.com/star-wars/black-series/species-wookiee) The official Databank describes them as shaggy giants from an arboreal world who are intelligent, sophisticated, loyal and trusting despite a fearsome countenance. Loyalty and bravery are near-sacred tenets of their society, and when angered they can fly into a berserker rage that does not stop until the object of their anger is sufficiently destroyed.[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee)
**Life debt.** A central social institution in Legends material is the life debt: when a Wookiee's life is saved by someone else, regardless of species, the Wookiee frequently devotes a lifetime of service to the savior and the savior's family.[6](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee/Legends)
In Legends material, Wookiee childhood is organized around nursery rings, where pups learn to interact within their society. Around age twelve, males perform an initiation ritual: in most regions of Kashyyyk the initiate gathers silk fibers from the center of a carnivorous syren plant, while in other regions young males take the Test of Ascension, called hrrtayyk, surviving in the Kashyyykian Shadowlands, the dangerous ground level of the forests.[6](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee/Legends)
## Language and voice
To those who have not learned Shyriiwook, Wookiee speech sounds like a series of growls and purrs.[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee) The language's sounds reflect Wookiee physiology: most non-Wookiees can learn to understand Shyriiwook but cannot produce it, so conversation typically proceeds with the Wookiee speaking Shyriiwook while a human companion speaks Basic, each understanding the other.[5](https://alientavern.com/knowledge/aliens-in-fiction/wookiees)
The sound of the species was created by sound designer [Ben Burtt](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-burtt), then a student at USC's film school, who spent a year recording animals in the field as his first job on the film. Chewbacca's vocalizations were built from recordings of bears, lions, badgers, and a walrus Burtt recorded at Marineland in Long Beach, cut together by emotional tone to create a sense of speech. Burtt noted the constraint that Chewbacca "didn't have articulated lips" and could basically only open and close his mouth, so the sound had to be believable from a mouth operated that way; bears, which also vocalize from the backs of their throats, suited this limitation. A four-month-old cinnamon bear provided much of the material.[8](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/08/the-remarkable-way-chewbacca-got-a-voice/375697/) One account names the cinnamon bear Pooh and the walrus Petulia among the contributors, with lions and badgers layered over the top.[9](https://thepettimes.com/articles/chewbacca-inspired-by-george-lucas-dog/)
## Origin of the word and the species
The word "Wookiee" predates Star Wars. It originated in [George Lucas](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-lucas)'s first feature film, *THX 1138* (1971), in a line ad-libbed by actor Terry McGovern during voice-over work: "I think I just ran over a Wookiee."[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee) • [10](https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/history-in-objects-reel-2-dialog-2/)
The species itself and a precursor of Chewbacca appear in Lucas's original 1973 story synopsis for *The Star Wars*.[11](https://www.fandom.com/articles/evolution-wookiee-star-wars) In the rough draft of the script for *A New Hope*, Wookiees (spelled "Wookees") inhabit Yavin and fly some of the starfighters in the [Battle of Yavin](https://www.edgepedia.org/battle-of-yavin).[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee)
**Chewbacca's design.** Lucas conceived Chewbacca as Han's co-pilot after people mistook his Alaskan malamute, Indiana, for a human while the dog sat beside [Marcia Lucas](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcia-lucas) in the car; the dog also lent its name to [Indiana Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/indiana-jones).[12](https://www.starwars.com/news/much-to-learn-you-still-have-8-things-you-might-not-know-about-wookiees) • [13](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/01/06/why-is-the-force-still-with-us-star-wars-george-lucas) [Ralph McQuarrie](https://www.edgepedia.org/ralph-mcquarrie) was given a picture of a lemur as reference for concept art, and make-up artist Stuart Freeborn was instructed to make a creature that was a mix of a dog and a cat; the final Chewbacca became a mix of dog, cat, lemur, and monkey.[12](https://www.starwars.com/news/much-to-learn-you-still-have-8-things-you-might-not-know-about-wookiees) The original bodysuit was made of mohair and yak hair, knit together by Freeborn's wife Kay.[14](https://www.starwars.com/news/unmasking-the-moviemaking-magic-of-star-wars-creatures-and-aliens)
**From Wookiees to Ewoks.** When Lucas returned to the idea of a primitive species helping the Rebels destroy the [Death Star](https://www.edgepedia.org/death-star) in *Return of the Jedi*, he decided not to use Wookiees because Chewbacca had already been established as proficient with technology. He created a new species, the Ewoks, whose name is "Wookiee" with the syllables reversed and altered to resemble the Miwok, a Native American people of [Northern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/northern-california).[15](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ewok) Testifying in a 1990 Canadian copyright case, Lucas said he had originally planned the primitive heroes to be 8-foot-tall Wookies.[16](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-19-ca-189-story.html)
## The Wookiees in the saga
Wookiees appear across the films and series. During the Clone Wars, Wookiees and clones under Yoda's leadership fought the Separatist droid army on Kashyyyk; after Order 66, Chewbacca and the Wookiee general Tarfful helped Yoda escape the planet.[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee) After the Clone Wars, the Empire occupied Kashyyyk, breaking up tribes and families and using Wookiees as slave labor; Wookieepedia notes that the Empire enslaved them not because they were a meaningful threat but because their massive, robust physiology allowed them to work long and hard in extreme conditions.[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee) • [4](https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca/) Chewbacca himself, separated from his people, ended up in Imperial captivity on Mimban, where he escaped with the young Imperial deserter [Han Solo](https://www.edgepedia.org/han-solo), the start of their long partnership.[4](https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca/) After the Battle of [Endor](https://www.edgepedia.org/endor-star-wars), Chewbacca played a key role in liberating Kashyyyk from Imperial forces.[4](https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca/)
Notable Wookiees beyond Chewbacca include Tarfful, a massive general who defended Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars; Gungi, a rare Wookiee Jedi youngling who survived Order 66; Wullffwarro, a warrior forced into slavery by the Empire in the spice mines of Kessel; and Krrsantan, a towering black-furred Wookiee bounty hunter.[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee) • [17](https://www.starwars.com/databank/krrsantan/)
**Life Day.** The Wookiee holiday Life Day is affiliated with the species in the official Databank and traces to 1978's *Star Wars Holiday Special*, which included the animated short "The Faithful Wookiee". The 1979 tie-in *The Wookiee Storybook* established the final official spelling of the Wookiee planet's name, Kashyyyk; earlier 1979 comic strips had spelled it "Kazhyyyk" and "Kazhyyk".[2](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee) • [18](https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/life-day-display/)
## Portrayal on screen
[Peter Mayhew](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-mayhew), a 7-foot-2 actor, played Chewbacca from 1977's *A New Hope* onward.[19](https://www.starwars.com/news/meet-the-wookiee) Mayhew, born in 1944, died on April 30, 2019, at age 74 at his Texas home.[20](https://time.com/5582566/harrison-ford-peter-mayhew/) • [21](https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/peter-mayhew-1944-2019/) Joonas Suotamo, a Finnish former basketball player, took over the role, sharing it with Mayhew on *The Force Awakens* before playing it in *The Last Jedi* and *Solo: A Star Wars Story*; after *The Force Awakens* the two spent a week at what they called "Wookiee Boot Camp", watching old footage while Mayhew explained why he made the choices seen in the legendary scenes.[19](https://www.starwars.com/news/meet-the-wookiee) • [22](https://time.com/5584798/peter-mayhew-joonas-suotamo/) For *The Force Awakens*, special effects artist Neal Scanlan's team tried updated methods for the suit but ultimately recreated the original mohair-and-yak-hair concept.[14](https://www.starwars.com/news/unmasking-the-moviemaking-magic-of-star-wars-creatures-and-aliens)
## References
1. [Wookiee, Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee)
2. [Wookiee, Star Wars Databank, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/databank/wookiee)
3. [ウーキー｜スター・ウォーズ公式 Databank](https://starwars.disney.co.jp/databank/character/wookiee)
4. [Chewbacca, Star Wars Databank, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/databank/chewbacca/)
5. [Wookiees: Kashyyyk, Biology and Why Chewbacca Never Got a Medal, Alien Tavern](https://alientavern.com/knowledge/aliens-in-fiction/wookiees)
6. [Wookiee (Legends), Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wookiee/Legends)
7. [Wookiee, Star Wars Black Series Species Guide, Figureshelf](https://www.figureshelf.com/star-wars/black-series/species-wookiee)
8. [The Remarkable Way Chewbacca Got a Voice, The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/08/the-remarkable-way-chewbacca-got-a-voice/375697/)
9. [Chewbacca Was Inspired by George Lucas's Dog, The Pet Times](https://thepettimes.com/articles/chewbacca-inspired-by-george-lucas-dog/)
10. [History in Objects: Reel 2 Dialog 2, Lucasfilm.com](https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/history-in-objects-reel-2-dialog-2/)
11. [The Evolution of the Wookiee in 'Star Wars', Fandom](https://www.fandom.com/articles/evolution-wookiee-star-wars)
12. [8 Things You Might Not Know About Wookiees, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/news/much-to-learn-you-still-have-8-things-you-might-not-know-about-wookiees)
13. [Star Wars: Why Is the Force Still with Us?, The New Yorker](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/01/06/why-is-the-force-still-with-us-star-wars-george-lucas)
14. [The Moviemaking Magic of Star Wars: Creatures & Aliens, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/news/unmasking-the-moviemaking-magic-of-star-wars-creatures-and-aliens)
15. [Ewok, Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ewok)
16. [Lucas Testifies in Calgary Court That 'Jedi' Ewoks Were His Idea, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-19-ca-189-story.html)
17. [Krrsantan, Star Wars Databank, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/databank/krrsantan/)
18. [Lucasfilm Celebrates Life Day, Lucasfilm.com](https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/life-day-display/)
19. [Joonas Suotamo on Playing Chewbacca, Porgs, and More, StarWars.com](https://www.starwars.com/news/meet-the-wookiee)
20. ['I Loved Him.' Harrison Ford Bids Farewell to Star Wars Co-Star Peter Mayhew, TIME](https://time.com/5582566/harrison-ford-peter-mayhew/)
21. [Peter Mayhew 1944-2019, Lucasfilm.com](https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/peter-mayhew-1944-2019/)
22. [How Peter Mayhew Taught Joonas Suotamo to Play Chewbacca at 'Wookiee Boot Camp', TIME](https://time.com/5584798/peter-mayhew-joonas-suotamo/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Film characters and fictional worlds › Star Wars characters and elements*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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