Firaxis is working with the Shawnee Tribe to ensure accurate in-game representation in the upcoming Civilization VII. The game will feature 19th Century indigenous military and political leader Tecumseh, voiced in the Shawnee language, who united Native American Tribes against U.S expansion.
A player of Civilization himself, Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes tells AP News that he was thrilled to consult, and to have his tribe in Sid Meier’s prolific franchise.
“For us, it’s really about a cultural expression of cultural hegemony,” Barnes said. “Why not us? Why not? Of course we should be in a video game title. Of course we should see ourselves reflected in every media. So we took advantage of the opportunity to make our star shine.”
The Civilization franchise has previously come under fire for its inaccurate cultural representation. Civilization VI featured Canada’s indigenous 19 century Cree leader Chief Poundmaker as a playable character, which a prominent Cree leader tells CBC, misrepresented their peaceful and anti-colonial culture.
A more Civilized approach
Since the release of the 1991 original, the Civilization franchise has sold over 70 million copies and depicted a huge range of different cultures. The series became far more culturally impactful than creator Sid Meier ever envisioned, he tells AP.
“We never realized people would take it as seriously as they do,” Meier said. “We always kind of felt, ‘Here’s a way that you can change history.’ Maybe we can make Stalin a good guy. But that might have been stretching things a little too far. We learned a lot as time went on.”
Like many indigenous languages, there are fears that the Shawnee language may soon become extinct. A major question hanging over Firaxis’ plans was whether or not Tecumesh could be implemented as a playable character. Academic advisors previously told the studio this was an ill-advised idea. Partnering with the tribe helped Firaxis determine what would make for a sincere depiction of the celebrated chief.
“Firaxis was asking questions about language we never would have thought to ask,” Barnes stated during the opening of language education center in northeastern Oklahoma, via AP.
“What I do know is that with the efforts we’re making here today, I expect Shawnee to be spoken in 2500.”