Pequeninos
The forest-dwelling "Little Ones" of the planet Lusitania.
The Pequeninos (Portuguese for "Little Ones"), also called piggies, are a sentient alien species native to the planet Lusitania, introduced in Speaker for the Dead. They are forest dwellers, technologically primitive but able to learn languages extremely quickly, and the human colonists nicknamed them "piggies" for their pig-like appearance.
Lore & Background
Their society is matriarchal and gender-segregated, and their belief system centers on the trees of the forests. When Pequeninos die they become trees: a death ritual creates "fathertrees", which fertilize the Pequenino females. The Pequeninos killed the xenologers Pipo and Libo in the belief that they were honoring them with this "third life", which humans lack. Because humans had already destroyed the Formics, the human colony on Lusitania is fenced in and contact with the Pequeninos is limited to a handful of scientists.
Reader's Guide
The Descolada virus, lethal to humans, is essential to the Pequeninos' life and reproduction. Ender Wiggin meets them as a Speaker for the Dead, explains that humans have no third life, and is asked to give the Pequenino called Human his third life as a fathertree.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are they connected to the Formic race?
The Formic Queen tells Ender that Lusitania would be an ideal place to restart the hive, as her race can help guide the Pequeninos.
Why do they matter in Speaker for the Dead?
Resolving misunderstandings with them is vital for maintaining peace between humans, Formics, and other species.
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Elsewhere in Ender's Game
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