Pewnkah was a widely used derogatory term meaning "low-life." When D'Argo and Lo'Laan Tal had settled on Havenik and begun farming, a merchant in the market told them that the way he stayed "well-respected is not to deal with filthy alien pewnkahs!" D'Argo reacted by beginning to enter a state of hyper-rage before Lo'Laan calmed him down. ("A Many-Splendor'd Thing") Later, when Lo'Laan was pregnant with Ka Jothee, Tijo commented that "this good Sebacean woman's gotten 'erself knocked up by this filthy alien pewnkah Luxan type gennleman, she 'as!" ("Brotherly Hate")