D'jarra

The D'jarra was a caste based system that the Bajoran people adhered to before the Occupation of Bajor by the Cardassian Union.

It was a strict, stratified social system that meant child was born in a specific caste which was based on their family and also determined their occupation in their lives. Certain castes were higher then others and the lower ranking castes were expected to show both respect and deference to the higher ranking ones.

Castes within the D'jarra
The Ih'valla caste consisted of artists and sculptors which were considered a high ranking caste within the D'jarra. In contrast, the Te'nari were considered a lower ranking caste. Another caste was responsible for the preparation of the dead.

History
The D'jarra based system was abandoned when the Cardassians occupied Bajor as every Bajoran was expected to fight for their homes; regardless of caste.

In 2372, when Akorem Laan returned onboard his Lightship from the Celestial Temple, he was accepted as the Emissary of the Prophets. Due to the age he lived in, he reinstigated the D'jarra based system which had been abandoned for decades. This caused a great deal of civil unrest as well as discrimination on Bajor. The return of the D'jarra also re-evaluated the Federations position on admitting Bajor as a member as the Articles of the Federation stated that there should not be any caste based system within a Federation member state. Fortunately, this was avoided when Akorem Laan was returned to his time and Captain Benjamin Sisko of Starfleet took the title of Emissary of the Prophets.