Utunu is very much my soul’s reflection – he is how I would view myself if the world were different. And when I finally ‘discovered’ him, I knew that he fit – he is my one and only fursona.

Utunu is a male anthropomorphic African wild dog, with the typical coloring of that species apart from his blue eyes. He is quick and agile, he relies on this speed, his wits, and his ability with the spear to protect himself, rather than brute strength. He is a primitive tribal warrior who hails from a simpler time, when the world is young and nature ascendant. He lives a life of innocent happiness, unburdened by the trappings of civilization. He represents the desire I’ve always had for a world like that – sparsely populated, a forest primeval, where Utunu and his mate(s) and fellows can exult in their joie de vivre.

Utunu is fascinated by the world in which he lives, and loves to travel and explore. Although a hunter and a warrior, he will not initiate aggression – he only kills when necessity calls for it. He is wary of strangers, but is open and friendly once he determines they are not a threat; these reactions are quite evident to those around him since he does not hide his feelings – it never occurs to him to be deceitful about anything. He is also a sexual creature; he considers the pleasure and intimacy of others’ company, whether male or female, to be simply one of many celebrations of life, a view shared by his tribe. As far as his possessions and accoutrements go, he has two gold earrings in his left ear and wears a necklace of beads, teeth, claws, and feathers with a jade stone. He is never without his spear, and he wears a leather loincloth (something he will often leave behind when hunting because it gets in the way) not for modesty purposes but for convenience of being able to carry smaller items within it (it has a couple pockets on the inside). He also owns (and plays) an end-blown bone flute that he carved himself; he has become exceptionally skilled at its use and has a particular knack in creating music that tells a story or evokes a strong emotional response, although, with the exception of his soulmate Kikivuli, he rarely plays for others.

The name ‘Utunu’ is Swahili; it originates from the word ‘tunu’, which means something rare, treasured, or precious. The ‘u’ prefix indicates a more abstract noun concept, so in this case ‘rarity’ or ‘preciousness’. It represents the importance the character has to me, and my happiness at having finally realized my alter-ego.

Both the thumbnail and reference pictured here were created by the amazing Eskiworks!