Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Geekly is marking the occasion by listing some of our favorite indigenous video game characters. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. This list was a little more difficult to compile than one would first expect. There are plenty of indigenous people in video games. Unfortunately, many of them lean into cultural stereotypes. We’ll do our best to avoid stereotypical indigenous video game characters. With that disclaimer in place, let’s get to our list of 5 famous indigenous video game characters.
Honorable Mention: Poundmaker (Civilization 6)
Pîhtokahanapiwiyi, better known by the title of “Poundmaker,” doesn’t quite make our list because he was an actual Cree leader during the late 19th Century. Poundmaker advocated the rights of indigenous people at a time when the Canadian government was starving them and encroaching on their land. Though he didn’t hold his position for long, Poundmaker would be arrested for alleged treason. He was exonerated in 2019. Poundmaker earned the respect of the indigenous community. When Civilization 6 added the Cree as a playable civilization, they gave the honor of Cree leader to Poundmaker, a real-life Cree hero.
5) Connor (Assassin’s Creed Franchise)
Ubisoft didn’t play it safe when they moved the Assassin’s Creed story to the American Revolution. Instead of glorifying the colonists, Assassin’s Creed 3 shifted the focus toward how indigenous people were affected by a morally ambiguous war that had nothing to do with them. Ratonhnhaké:ton (aka Connor) is an assassin who worked tirelessly to defend his people from colonial oppression. Connor is divided between two worlds, which provides an interesting and unexplored perspective in video games for one of the most significant wars in American history.
4) Mina “Thunderbird” Sky (Rainbow Six Siege)
Video games don’t tend to feature indigenous characters. This trend goes double for indigenous women, so Rainbow Six Siege‘s introduction of Mina “Thunderbird” Sky was a boon. Mina Sky is a Canadian Air Force pilot originally from the Nakota tribe of Saskatchewan. She proudly wears traditional facial tattoos of her people. Her codename “Thunderbird” derives from an old legend about a powerful bird that often protected the Nakota people. Thunderbird is a fitting name for an operator who protects her Nakota and Rainbow Six families.
3) Nuna (Never Alone)
Upper One Games’ Never Alone takes inspiration from a famous Inuit legend. The hero seeks an end to perpetual winter. While traditionally the hero is portrayed as a man, Never Alone casts the role to a young girl. Nuna has to face harsh Arctic weather with only a white fox for company. She faces trials from puzzles to combat, but proves resilient. Rather than using skill points, Never Alone doles out progression through the telling of Inuit stories. This is fitting with the game’s theme of keeping cultural stories alive.
2) Thunderbird (Thunderbird Strike)
The Thunderbird is a mythological creature for various indigenous cultures. Often portrayed as an eagle-like creature, the thunderbird has immense power and serves as a guardian of the natural order. Game designer Elizabeth LaPensée takes this setup for her game Thunderbird Strike, where players control the legendary bird as it defends the land from the oil industry and restores life. Thunderbird Strike modernizes a famous legend and addresses real-life issues of industrial encroachment on indigenous land.
1) Tommy Towadi (Prey)
The original Prey (2006)–not Bethesda’s 2017 spiritual successor, also called Prey–had a story built around an odd mix of indigenous spiritual beliefs and science fiction. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the game has an indigenous protagonist. “Tommy” Towaldi can spiritually reach places others can’t. He often uses this skill to evade death and outwit his alien captors. Interestingly, a game in 2006 featured an indigenous protagonist. Most games that included indigenous characters in 2006 would’ve put them in stereotypical clothes. Tommy wears a leather jacket and jeans. He happens to be indigenous, and Prey (2006) explores his culture well. Almost two decades later, and Tommy still resonates with gamers.
So, what do you think? Who are your favorite indigenous video game characters? Are there any games that feature indigenous characters we should try? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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