Revision as of 16:01, 29 November 2018

The main tribes

A backgrounder

Why the Sentinelese choose solitude even 60,000 years on, November 26, 2018: The Times of India

The tribes of Andaman and Nicobar: names and population
From: Why the Sentinelese choose solitude even 60,000 years on, November 26, 2018: The Times of India

The tribes of Andaman and Nicobar: religion
From: Why the Sentinelese choose solitude even 60,000 years on, November 26, 2018: The Times of India

What are the original tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

There are six original tribes in this archipelago of 572 islands + spread over the Bay of Bengal from Land Fall Island in the north to the Great Nicobar Island in the south. Four of these — Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese — are Negrito, dark-skinned ethnic groups who inhabit parts of south and southeast Asia. Survival International, a rights group for indigenous and uncontacted peoples, estimates Negrito tribes arrived in the Andamans from Africa up to 60,000 years ago. There are also two Mongoloid tribes — the Shompen and Nicobarese — who likely came from the Malay-Burma coast and have lived on Nicobar islands for thousands of years.

Are they all hostile to outsiders?

The first modern settlement of outsiders was established in 1789 by Lt. Blair at Chatham Island, now part of Port Blair. The settlers faced hostility from the start. The most determined effort to push out the British was the 1859 Battle of Aberdeen. But locals with bows and spears were no match for modern British troops. When the Britishers arrived, there were more than 5,000 Great Andamanese. After the battle and “mainstreaming”, they number 44 today. The Onges met a similar fate; from 670 in 1900 their population has declined to 101 today. The Jarawas, hostile till 1998, have been relatively successful in maintaining their population. But experts believe their condition has worsened after increased interaction with outsiders. In 1999 and 2006, Jarawas suffered outbreaks of measles, which has wiped out many indigenous tribes worldwide. Tourism has also led to exploitation, including sexual abuse of Jarawa women. Experts say the Sentinelese could be hostile to outsiders because of similar incidents.

What is the religious composition of these tribes?

Of the six original tribes, the overwhelming majority follow their original religions, which are largely unknown to us. The Nicobarese are the only tribe that follow mainstream religions and Christianity is the most popular. Some experts believe that the success of Christianity could have been the trigger for missionaries like John Allen Chau, whose attempt to interact with the Sentinelese has received widespread criticism.

What is their population?

It is difficult to have a normal house to house census for remote and hostile tribes like the Sentinelese, and so estimates have a wide range. Official data from census 2011 estimates the Scheduled Tribe population of the islands at 28,530. The overwhelming majority are the Nicobarese. Among the six original tribes, the Jarawas are a distant second while the Sentinelese constitute the smallest group.

… and their fears

The main tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands… and their fears
From: November 24, 2018: The Times of India

See graphic:

The main tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands… and their fears