Children of Tama

• Also known as: Tamarian
• Appearance: Mammalian; large bony ridges across the scalp, nasal slits, elongated thumbs
• Biology
  • Neurological structure differs significantly from most known humanoid species (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
    • Less sense of self as independent entities than other humanoids (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
    • Results in deep identification with archetypal figures, perceiving themselves as embodying those figures while performing certain actions until said actions are completed (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
    • Sense of time less directly linear than most (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
      • Less sense of significance of the passage of time; fact of events more important than time spanned between events (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
• Culture
  • Tamarian language
  • Migratory society (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
    • Spread through home sector even before discovery of warp drive (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
    • As a result, proper handling of cultural contacts incredibly important (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
      • Cultural dialogue falls into two categories: harmonious coexistence or open warfare (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
        • Also partially a manifestation of mythological duality (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
  • Society largely based on mythological cycles (TNG: "Darmok")
  • Language reliant on historical or mythological references (TNG: "Darmok")

History

• First alien contacts included people of Shantil III (TNG: "Darmok"; TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")
  • Source of much of modern mythic vocabulary, as well as first technological exchanges (TNG Short Story: "Friends With the Sparrows")