A Bakuran was a Human from the planet Bakura. Due to their relative isolation, and decades of independence from the Galactic Republic, they developed a culture distinct from the rest of the galaxy before their conquest by the Galactic Empire.
Most Bakurans were descended from the Bakur Mining Corporation's colonists, who arrived on Bakura in 150 BBY. Soon afterwards, the Bakurans became independent of corporate control, setting up a Bakuran Senate and electing Prime Ministers. The descendants of Deredith Arden, the leader of the Bakur Mining Corporation's expedition, were the heads of the Bakuran government. The first major crisis in their history was a droid uprising in 97 BBY.
They were used as a base during the Clone Wars by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, but only for a short period of time. They remained neutral during this conflict, more concerned with internal disputes. By 1 ABY, these disputes left Bakura open to conquest by the Galactic Empire. Though there was a short period of resistance, the Bakurans were subjugated until 4 ABY, when they joined with forces from the Alliance to Restore the Republic to expel both the invading Ssi-ruuk and the Imperial forces during the Invasion of Bakura.
The Bakurans became supporters of the fledgling New Republic, but reasserted their idependence by 18 ABY. Even then, they supported the New Republic during the Corellian Crisis, sending the Bakuran Defense Fleet to fight on the New Republic's side during the Battle of Centerpoint Station. Though they also fought a renewed Ssi-ruuk offensive alongside the Galactic Alliance during the battle at Bakura, the Bakurans continued their tradition of independence.
Due to the isolation of their homeworld, Bakurans had little contact with nonhumans other than the Kurtzen, Bakura's indigenous people. This, combined with the invasion of the Ssi-ruuk, brought out an unfortunate xenophobic streak in many Bakurans, especially towards the most alien-looking nonhumans. Bakurans were also uneasy around droids, as a result of the droid uprising in 97 BBY.
Most Bakurans followed the teachings of the Cosmic Balance, a religion that held that every action in the universe had an equal and opposite reaction elsewhere (for example, if one person's life improved, another's life would have to become worse.) This also led them to be suspicious of the Jedi order, whose power they believed created an imbalance in the universe which required great evil to correct it.
Bakurans were noted for their starship and repulsorcraft innovations. It was repulsorlift factories which initially attracted the Empire to take control of Bakura. Repulsorcraft were so ubiquitous on their homeworld, that even ordinary furniture was replaced by repulsor chairs.
- Heroes & Rogues
- The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook
- The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- Cracken's Threat Dossier
- Gundark's Fantastic Technology: Personal Gear
- The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons
- C-3PO: Tales of the Golden Droid
- The Essential Chronology
- Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds