Chirpa, Chief

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Endor

• Species:
  Ewok

• Gender:
  Male

• Size:
  1 meter

• Weapon:
  spear

• Affiliation:
  Rebel Alliance

• 

From the Movies

The aged and wise Chief Chirpa was the leader of the tribe of Ewoks that befriended the Rebel strike team on Endor. After some initial hostility, Chirpa agreed to include the Rebels as part of the tribe. He even devoted his forces in the final battle against the Empire on Endor. Chirpa was gray of fur, and strong of will. On his head, he wore a garland of leaves, teeth, and the horns of great animals he bested in hunting. In his right hand he carried a staff made of the longbone of a flying reptile. In his left sat an iguana, his pet and advisor.

From the Expanded Universe

At the time of the Battle of Endor, Chief Chirpa had ruled over Bright Tree Village for over 42 seasons. He was quite old, and senility began to creep into his judgment after so many years. A widow, Chirpa was once married to Ra-Lee, who was killed in the forests. For a time, Chirpa believed that his eldest daughter, Asha, was also killed. Asha was eventually reunited with her father, and her sister, Chirpa's youngest daughter Kneesaa. Chirpa had great hope for Kneesaa, and was proud of her success in the three trials young Ewoks must face when ascending to positions of duty. When Chirpa died, Kneesaa was inducted as the chief of Bright Tree Village in a ceremony that also marked her marriage to renowned Ewok warrior Wicket W. Warrick.

Behind the Scenes

In early script incarnations, Chief Chirpa was known as Chief Chiepa. His character was greatly fleshed out in the Ewoks animated series, where he was given daughters, Kneesaa and Asha. Although not depicted in a story, The Essential Guide to Alien Species reveals that when Chirpa died, his position fell to Kneesaa.