Kosi Unkow (also spelled Kosi Unkov or Kosi Unkova, circa 1899–1994), an elderly Kalmyk refugee living in California, provided the foundational voice recordings that shaped the distinctive language of the Ewoks in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).[1] Her narration of traditional Kalmyk folk tales and songs in her native Kalmyk Oirat language - a Mongolic tongue spoken by the Kalmyk people - served as the primary inspiration for "Ewokese," the chattering speech of the furry inhabitants of Endor's forest moon.

Born in 1899 in the village of Batlaevka within the Russian Empire's Kalmyk steppe regions, Kosi Unkova experienced the upheavals of the early 20th century, including the Russian Revolution and subsequent migrations.[2] Like many Kalmyks, she fled westward during the civil war and World War II eras, eventually emigrating to Europe and then settling in the United States, where she resided in California with her family. By the early 1980s, at approximately 80–84 years old, she maintained fluency in Kalmyk, a language rooted in Oirat traditions and preserved through oral storytelling amid diaspora.

In 1982, sound designer Ben Burtt, tasked with creating an exotic yet primitive alien language for the Ewoks, heard Kalmyk in a linguistic documentary and found its phonetic qualities—harsh consonants, rhythmic intonation, and unfamiliar cadence—ideally "alien" to Western ears.[3] After research, Burtt located Unkova through her family's connections in the Bay Area. She recorded sessions recounting Kalmyk folklore, legends, and songs in her raspy, elderly voice. These authentic samples formed the core of Ewokese, which Burtt then layered with influences from Tibetan, Nepali, and other sources, speeding up and modulating the recordings for a higher-pitched, childlike effect.

Voice actors, including those portraying specific Ewoks, imitated and varied Unkova's delivery to produce the film's iconic chatter—phrases like "Yub nub" (celebration) and "Yaa-yaah" derived indirectly from her Kalmyk narrations.[4] For scenes where C-3PO "translates" Ewokese, actor Anthony Daniels collaborated with Burtt to invent dialogue based on these Kalmyk foundations. Unkova's contribution ensured Ewokese conveyed emotional depth without subtitles, enhancing the creatures' primitive charm and aiding their pivotal role in defeating the Empire.

Unkova's involvement highlights the unexpected intersections of Kalmyk diaspora heritage with global popular culture, bringing a critically endangered language (UNESCO-classified as vulnerable) to billions.[5] She passed away in 1994 at age 95, unaware of the full cultural impact, yet her voice endures in one of cinema's most beloved franchises. In Kalmykia and among Oirat communities, her story symbolizes resilience, with renewed interest fostering language preservation efforts tied to this Star Wars legacy.

Image couresy of Ben Moschkin and Kalmyk Road