Celeste Witkins is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Dessert First Network video game Cowboy set in the 1850's in the Wild West. She is a teenaged ranch hand with African American and Native American ancestry. Her parents are runaway slave Floyd "Riding Night" Witkins and Native American royal Talisa "Rising Moon" Witkins. Originally created as a comic book, Cowboy's episodic and expansive construction more readily lends itself to a virtual interactive experience.
Created by Remington Cleve and Karen Brown, the character of Celeste embodies the vulnerability and anxious fury inherent to the human experience, more pointedly to the plight of minority women in America. Her being a teen compounds the stresses of daily life. Along with that comes dealing within complex power structures, misogyny, naiveté, expectations and tradition. The American West serves as the perfect backdrop in which to explore these issues.
The game follows Celeste from age 15 to 19. She helps raise horses on her family's horse farm, the Witkins Family Ranch located in then unorganized territory, now Oklahoma. Being the oldest of three children, her responsibilities include tidying the homestead, grooming horses and looking after her siblings, Tabi, 10, and Anina, 6.
Wahya Wuti[]
After witnessing her family being destroyed at the hands of Samwell Witkins, Celeste suffers a psychotic break resulting in a mental illness called dissociative identity disorder, also known as multiple personality disorder. The alternate personality refers to itself as Wahya Wuti (Wahya means wolf in Tsalagi and wùuti means woman in Hopi). Wahya Wuti is a boorish, outspoken and antagonistic to her host. Moreover she is an overcorrection into blind bravado to compensate for Celeste's insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. Although Wahya manipulates Celeste's emotions throughout the journey, Wahya serves as a protector, taking control of Celeste's body during dangerous situations. Eventually, Celeste tames the feral spirit and learns to summon Wahya when needed.
Celeste has a Battle Bar that fills with each successful enemy takedown. Once full, she can engage Wahya Wuti and her unique set of skills. As Wahya Wuti players will not be able to access their weapons as she only engages in hand-to-hand combat.
Description[]
Celeste is long, lean and tall, 5' 10" and strong.