Star Wars: No one knows, but this character speaks a language that really exists

Do you remember Nien Nunb? During the final battle of Return of the Jedi, Episode VI of the Star Wars saga, this special character served as Lando Calrissian’s co-pilot on the Millennium Falcon as the Rebel Alliance led its final assault against the Imperial Death Star.

Hailing from the planet Sulust, with a memorable appearance, the rebel hero spoke – like many characters in the Star Wars saga – using a dialect that most viewers could not understand.

However, in this particular case, the language used by the character does exist and is commonly spoken in several African countries.

Indeed, as noted sound engineer Ben Barth (also known for creating the legendary sound of a traffic light or explosion) explained, Nien Nunbi actually speaks the “Haiya” language, thanks to the advice of a young Kenyan student:

The voice of co-pilot Billy Dee Williams was recorded by a young man who was a foreign exchange student from Kenya and who spoke Haya, one of the country’s local languages.A sound engineer entrusted Return of the Jedi with an audio commentary.

“He came in and we explained what we wanted. I wrote a few lines of dialogue in English that fit the context of the story and he translated them into his native language.”

Kipsang Rotich, a student who worked as a consultant in providing language for Nien Nunbi, also voiced the character:

“We recorded with him and his voice was dubbed for the second pilot. Of course, in most of the world, no one understands the language. But when the film was shown in Kenya, people suddenly understood their own language. Star Wars and they were very enthusiastic.

Fortunately, he said, the lines of dialogue were relevant and fit the story and were all the more important to those who could understand it. “

In the movie, when you hear a character ask “Atiriri, inyuothe muri hari ukai haha”, we can translate his intervention as “Can you all come?”

(Re)discover all the hidden details of ‘Return of the Jedi’…