CalaquendiElves

CalaquendiElves is a nonstandard term that would refer to the Calaquendi, or Elves of the Light, within Tolkien’s legendarium. In canonical usage, Calaquendi denotes those Elves who beheld the light of the Two Trees of Valinor and who eventually resided in the Blessed Realm. They are contrasted with the Moriquendi, the Elves who never beheld that light.

Origin and makeup

The Calaquendi comprise the Elves who reached Valinor and witnessed the Trees’ light, including the Vanyar and the Noldor, and, after the journey to Aman was completed, some of the Teleri. These Elves learned and used Quenya as a ceremonial and scholarly language in Valinor. Their status as bearers of the light gave them a distinct cultural and metaphorical prestige within the Elven-kindred.

Culture and attributes

Calaquendi are typically portrayed as more learned and long-practiced in crafts than other Elves. The Noldor are especially renowned for smithing, lore, and metallurgy; the Vanyar for their devotion and restraint; the Teleri who joined Aman in the later voyages were known for their seafaring culture. In Middle-earth, many Calaquendi took part in the early struggles against Morgoth during the First Age and helped shape the broader history of Elves and Men.

Legacy

The Calaquendi’s time in Valinor and their subsequent actions in Middle-earth forever shaped Elven politics, languages, and arts. Their legends underpin much of the moral and historical framework of Tolkien’s world, including the distinction between those Elves who beheld the light and those who did not.