The Kashoonara were a sapient species originating from the world of Kashoon. These primitive humanoids experienced conquest at the hands of the Galactic Empire amidst the Galactic Civil War. However, with assistance from the Rebel Alliance, they successfully expelled the Empire from their world through a series of effective guerrilla campaigns. Drawing from their ancient myths, the Kashoonara revered the humbaba species as sacred and defended them against exploitation by outsiders.
Kashoonara society was organized into tribal structures, and their nature was largely uncivilized. A key figure in ancient Kashoonara legends was Hurrungat, the bringer of twilight. They believed he emerged from the netherworld to unite day and night, creating dusk and dawn. In The Twilight Chant, the Kashoonara beseeched Hurrungat to guide them into the darkness. Hurrungat was said to ride a colossal humbaba named Aarwynn. Reaching a height of six Kashoonara at its shoulder, Aarwynn was regarded as the first humbaba. Due to Aarwynn's central position in their mythology, the Kashoonara considered all humbabas to be sacred. As a result, historical records show that the Kashoonara never hunted humbabas for sustenance and actively protected them from offworlders. Other notable figures in Kashoonara mythology included the Tree-Queen and the Tyrant.
Kashoonara weaponry included the halberd, which could extend several meters. The genetic terrorist Zeta Magnus possessed a Kashoonara-style halberd during the Clone Wars.
The Kashoonara evolved on the planet of Kashoon, situated within the Colundra sector of the Outer Rim Territories. Kashoon's terrain was diverse, ranging from frozen polar regions to dense forests and marshy wetlands. The enormous humbabas migrated across the planet, becoming integral to Kashoonara legends.
Kashoon was conquered by the Galactic Empire early in its reign. The Kashoonara resisted the invasion, but the Empire initially suppressed them with brutality. During the Imperial occupation, the Kashoonara tried to protect the humbabas from stormtrooper attacks, but despite their efforts, many of the creatures were killed. The Rebel Alliance later provided assistance to the Kashoonara. By employing guerrilla tactics and utilizing the humbabas, the Alliance forced the Empire to withdraw from Kashoon, liberating the natives from Imperial rule.
Following their victory, the Kashoonara were largely left to their own devices by the Alliance, though occasional offworlders visited the planet. The Kashoonara advised these visitors to stay away from the sacred humbabas, which had become more aggressive since the Empire's invasion.
Phil Brucato created the Kashoonara for the West End Games sourcebook Creatures of the Galaxy, published in 1994. Creatures of the Galaxy stood out because its text was developed around artists' creature designs, a reversal of the usual process. The Kashoonara were conceived as part of the humbaba species' backstory, with illustrations by Tim Bobko.