Who are the Wookiees
Wookiees are the only sentient species native to the planet Kashyyyk. We are a humanoid species in that, like humans, we have one head, a torso, two arms and two legs. And, like humans, we are descended from arborial primates.
Scientists from other species have suggested that Wookiees are not native to Kashyyyk, but instead came from some other planet. This view has become popular within certain elements of the Empire who would like to strengthed their own territorial objectives toward control of Kashyyyk. The fact is that all of our folklore, our written history, our archeological evidence, and other scientific evidence verify that Wookiees evolved on Kashyyyk. In addition, to this date there has been no verified evidence produced that proves that Wookiees evolved somewhere else.
What Wookiees Are Not
Wookiees are not beasts or animals. This stereotype has been perpetuated by those who want to denegrate the Wookiee people and justify oppression of our species. Wookiees are a highly evolved, intelligent species and deserve the respect that should be given to any such species. The fact that we have fur on our bodies should not be used as a way to make conclusions about our species.
Wookiees are not primitive. Again, this is a stereotype based upon a lack of understanding and used to justify the Empire's treatment of our people. Wookiee culture is highly sophisticated and we are a technologically-advanced species. The fact is that unlike other species, we have chosen to use technology on our own terms. We value our environment and have ensured that we live in harmony with the natural world, rather than destroying it. Another popular misconception is that all technology used by Wookiees was developed by other species. This is, of course, untrue. We have our own technology, just like any other intelligent species. We also have learn to use and modify technologies from other cultures.