The Keshiri are a race of near-human beings which, distinguished by their pale purple skin and white hair, are native to the planet Kesh. The Keshiri have a matrilineal society in which a family's property and status are passed on through the wife's side of the family. This stands in contrast to the fact that only males are allowed to ride the uvaks that are found in the mountains of Kesh. The Keshiri are nearly human in their physical appearance, and are noted for their physical strength and agility. Some 5,000 years before the Battle of Yavin, the Keshiri civilization was changed by the sudden appearance of the starship Omen and her crew, when the Sith crash-landed on Kesh. Although the Massassi warriors who served the Sith all died within days of being exposed to Kesh's environment, the humans adapted quite readily to their new home. Believing them to be the prophesied Protectors, the Keshiri helped the humans survive, in the hopes that the human Sith would defend them from the Destructors. The Sith began to assert their dominance, and although the Keshiri were not enslaved or forced into subservience, they were not allowed to intermingle and were kept out of most Sith dealings. A few gifted or loyal Keshiri were allowed to join the Sith, but these individuals were considered rare.