Ligonian The Ligonians were the humanoid inhabitants of the planet Ligon II . Although they possessed transporter technology , they were extremely antiquated in other ways and were not as technologically advanced as the Federation . ( ) By the 2320s , at least one Ligonian had participated in a Starfleet Academy wrestling match . ( ) Society . In 2364 , Captain Jean - Luc Picard of the stated " we are aware of many of [ . . . ] the achievements [ of Ligon II ] , and its unique similarity to an ancient Earth culture we all admire . " , thus implying social parallels between the Ligonians and ( a ) historical Earth culture ( s ) . Ligonians had a highly structured society and were an extremely proud species . They valued their honor above all else , and as such lived by strict codes of honor . They also valued patience highly and were always apprehensive about strangers . Ligonians generally resembled Human s of Sub - Saharan Africa n descent physically . In Ligonian society , the female s owned all the property and land . When a man married a woman , he gained control of her wealth , and it passed to him when she died . A man could take a number of wives , and similarly a woman could have a number of husband s . The favored spouse was referred to as the " First One " . If a man wished to take a new First One , the current First One had the right to challenge the newcomer in a fight to the death , although this was rare . Many Ligonian males wore necklace s consisting of a golden strap and a red jewel . Lutan ' s necklace contained a hidden transporter device . When he pressed the red jewel , he would be beam ed away by a Ligonian transporter beam . He used the device to escape from the " Enterprise " - D with security chief Natasha Yar as his hostage , exercising a form of counting coup . The necklace also had a ceremonial meaning . When Yareena , Lutan ' s First One , was killed ( and later revived ) in the fight between her and Tasha Yar , her mating agreement with Lutan had dissolved . She chose Hagon as her new mate instead and gave him the necklace , thereby stripping Lutan of all his powers and making Hagon the new ruler of Ligon II . Ligonians tapped together two carved ivory - like sticks to signal applause or approval . The standard Ligonian greeting consisted of both parties raising their hands to reveal that they were not concealing a weapon . ( ) While Jean - Luc Picard was a cadet at Starfleet Academy , he once wrestled a Ligonian and caught him " with a reverse body lift and pinned him down in the first fourteen second s of the match , " according to gardener Boothby , who was very much surprised by the feat at that time . Picard stated that it " was all in the legs , from all the running [ he ] used to do . " ( ) Technology . The Ligonian guards used long spears while guarding people or objects . As seen on the centerplace of Lutan on Ligon II they also used bladed weapons including axe s and knives and other hand - held weapons such as a crossbow . ( ) Apocrypha . Background information . An original story concept by the episode writers Kathryn Powers and Michael Baron named the Ligonians Tellisians , a reptilian species with a culture similar to the Japanese samurai . ( " " , p . 39 ) Many members of the production staff , including Tracy Tormé and Jonathan Frakes , objected to the casting of all the Ligonians seen in " Code of Honor " as racist , especially as they were portrayed in stereotypically " tribal " roles . ( " " 2nd ed . , p . 34 ; )