Barundi

Last Updated: 09/08/2025

Name: Barundi

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Near-Human/Alternative

Homeworld: Barundi

Coloration: Blue

Biology: The Barundi were a humanoid species with the same general frame and height as the average Human (if not slightly shorter), though many of their features were more-or-less “disproportionate.” They had thin torsos, biceps, and thighs, with much larger calves and forearms, as well as big extremities, their hands displaying five fingers while their feet had at least two toes (potentially up to five, though they’re seldom illustrated). The species was varying shades of blue, usually on the darker or grayer side. They also possessed black hair, but only on their chest, forearms, and shins. There were no apparent visual differences between male and female Barundi, both possessing the same build, with females potentially lacking breasts.

Barundi heads were bulbous, with large chins and foreheads, contrasted by scrunched noses and eyes, the latter being solid red or orange in coloration. Burundi had pronounced lips and wide, naturally downturned mouths filled with large, white teeth and pointed upper fangs. On the sides of their head, beneath the bulge of their cranium, were pointed ears. Extending out from the upper backs of their head were four cylindrical tube-like growths that were either a type of blunt horn or bundles of brown brown hair. The species was naturally relatively nimble and strong. While there is no known documentation of the species speaking Basic, they could pronounce the dialect of the “Thelvin Order.”

Lore: As of the Battle of Yavin, the species was still considered to be on the primitive side of the social spectrum, found on the Outer Rim planet of Barundi. This planet was also home to a religious organization known as “The Thelvin Order of Barundi,” who greatly influenced the locals, teaching them their language and bringing them into the folds of the Order. It would seem the organization took advantage of the Barundi to an extent, using them to guard their various holy sites. This included at least one offworld site found on an unidentified planet in Wild Space, where a small community of Barundi were relocated.

There, these Barundi protected a holy item known as the “Yavin Vassilika” for quite some time, eventually coming to revere it as a deity. Though taking on the appearance of an ornate Corusca gem, this object actually contained a key to the ancient Sith Massassi Temples found on Yavin 4. It would seem the Thelvin Order eventually abandoned these Barundi, or potentially just knew that required little to no monitoring, as they had been forgotten to time by the beginning of the end of the official Imperial Era.

The Yavin Vassilika, now little more than an object of legend, became known to various groups in 1 BBY, creating a race between the Hutts and the Rebel Alliance to secure it. Bounty Hunters and Agents of the Rebellion alike would arrive on this undisclosed world, where they would initially encounter resistance from the local Barundi tribe. Their existence was an intriguing obstacle, though they were eventually overcome by the influx of visitors, and the decorated gem was seized by members of the Alliance, who would proceed to shatter it to many’s dismay, revealing the secrets it contained. Following this pivotal event, it is unclear what happened to the natives, now lacking a cultural purpose and facing a broken faith.

Nothing is known of the status, stage, or existence of the Barundi on their homeworld, and it’s equally possible that they were much more advanced or entirely extinct. Given the glimpse we’ve seen of the offshoot community (which was heavily influenced by the Thelvin Order), the species seems to value harmony, forgoing individuality, at least outwardly, as the entire community dressed essentially identically, wearing loose brown loincloths secured below their chests alongside thick cloth anklets. Given their primitive status, they also wielded primitive weapons consisting of nothing more than sticks and stones. Their aforementioned adherence to internal “harmony” was strict but simple, with many ways to violate said harmony requiring reprimand.

Those who brought “unhappiness” to the community were, specifically through disrupting the uniform harmony and peace, were immediately subject to extreme punishments. Generally, these would be death sentences, or as the Barundi referred to these executions, “Assisted Reincarnation,” where the soul could be harmoniously reborn. Punishments were generally carried out using “blunt weaponry” actually just consisting of bouquets of flowers and poisonous thorns. Some acts, including treating the Yavin Vassilika with violent intent, whether in word or action, would instead warrant a punishment ritual known as the “Cleansing of the Soul.” Naturally, much of these inward practices were also carried out on outsiders who knew nothing of their many unspoken rules and rituals.

Continuity: The Barundi are exclusive to Star Wars Legends.

Unexplored: As mentioned above, we know very little about the greater Barundi species as a whole. As such, this section will primarily address the species not found on the mysterious planet that also housed the Yavin Vassilika. So for starters, when did the species first develop sentience, what sort of creature did they evolve from, and how advanced were they when they were first discovered? Who first discovered the Braundi? Was it explorers from the Galactic Republic, the Thelvin Order, or someone else? When did the Thelvin Order first establish their influence on Barundi, is it true they’ve been there for many thousands of years? Did their influence ever wane over the years or did they remain established even after the fall of the Republic and even Galactic Empire?

If they really were that ancient of an order, then when exactly did they take a group of Barundi from their homeworld and deposit them with the Yavin Vassilika (and how did they get their hands on the Sith gemstone/key in the first place)? Were they simply a group of baseline Barundi for the time who potentially did not advance over the next millenia due to religious constraints or societal failsafes put in place by the Order? Is it possible they were advanced when they first arrived but slowly devolved after being left in isolation for such a long time? Or are the Barundi as a whole a relatively newly sentient species and they were actually moved there much more recently than we were led to believe?  Do the Barundi on Barundi know of or remember their isolated counterparts? And had the Thelvin Order abandoned them entirely, or were they intentionally left to their own devices?

Back on Barundi, how well known were the local species on a galactic scale? How advanced were they and were they suppressed by the Thelvin Order? Were they members of the Galactic Republic and represented on the Senate? Or were they allied with any other major groups, factions, governments, species, or influential individuals? Were the species known for anything in particular? How widespread was their reach and is it possible there were actually a number of known or unknown groups of Barundi spread out across the galaxy? And were the major population(s) of the species ever affected to any notable extent during any of the “modern” major galactic eras? Additionally, it’d be worth exploring other general worldbuilding aspects concerning this species such as their history, architecture, arts, exports, economies, politics, governments, societies, cultures, philosophies, religions, traditions, cultural practices, habits, diets, languages, etc.

Additional Notes: Hmmm… this species is going to need a major rework should they ever make it into the current Canon. I’m not one to be overly focused on questionable choices regarding fictional alien species, but yeah, I know this one has not gone over well, especially given that they share a name with more than one real world ethnic group. Still, the idea that we’ve only ever seen a small, far-removed, hidden subsect of a species and not the much bigger actual population is fairly fascinating, and maybe they can do something with that idea in the future should an author choose to tackle the Barundi in Canon.

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