mirialans – Write Better Star Wars

It’s never specifically addressed. However, fans have speculated that it may either serve a religious purpose, like many real-life hair coverings, or it may have something to do with the fact that they are Jedi. Very few Mirialans do cover their hair (Barriss and Luminara are some of the only ones we’ve seen), and since Mirial is a very religious society with a distinct caste system it could be that Mirialan Jedi are seen as a sort of priest to other Mirialans and thus may have special dress customs. Additionally, the coverings may be to protect or hide the extrasensory organs that Mirialans have on their heads, which would especially benefit Mirialan Jedi because of how noisy and crowded Coruscant is. (This may also explain why we see Barriss with her covering off in her quarters.)

Hope that helps!

~ Jacen

Pantorans’ tattoos symbolize lineage—individuals tattoo simple symbols to show their family affiliations. Mirialans get tattoos to show that they have completed a test or task, or have reached a certain level of mastery over a skill; these tattoos are usually geometric and repeating, and they hold meaning in subtle changes in placement on the cheeks and forehead (though it is not known what these placements mean). For both species, an individual may have no tattoos at all, but naturally this is more common in Mirialans.

I think you could feasibly combine them, either by having the character wear a combination of tattoos from both cultures or by having them somehow mix the two styles. Try searching for examples of tattoos from both species for inspiration.

I hope that helps, and good luck!

~ Jacen

Tag: mirialans

Is it ever stated why Mitialans (namely Bariss Offee and Luminara Unduli) cover their hair most of the time? If not, do you have any theories?

I have a character I’m working on who has a Pantoran father and a Mirialan mother, and I wanted to mix the two’s tattoo styles for the kiddo. Question is, would that be feasible? Like, what do each species’ tattoos mean, and would it make sense to combine them?