Summary
Highlights
In November 2018, John Allen Chau, an American missionary, illegally traveled to North Sentinel Island with the intent of spreading Christianity. He bribed local fishermen to take him to the island, carrying gifts such as a GoPro camera, a football, and a Bible. His initial attempts to communicate were met with aggression, including an arrow hitting his Bible. Despite realizing the danger, his obsession led him to return to the island, where he was ultimately killed by the Sentinelese.
North Sentinel Island, part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is home to the North Sentinelese, believed to be direct descendants of early humans who migrated out of Africa 70,000 years ago. They have remained isolated for 10,000-30,000 years, never developing agriculture and maintaining a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, making them a Stone Age tribe. Historical records from the 2nd century AD describe the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as inhabited by 'cannibals,' a claim that has been disproven for the Sentinelese. The first documented contact with North Sentinel Island was in 1771.
In 1867, an Indian merchant ship ran aground on the island, and the survivors were attacked by the Sentinelese. In 1880, British officer Maurice Vidal Portman attempted to 'civilize' the tribe by kidnapping an elderly couple and four children. The elders died in Port Blair due to lack of immunity to common diseases, leading Portman to return the children. This incident likely introduced diseases to the island, contributing to the tribe's violent distrust of outsiders.
Various expeditions attempted to contact the Sentinelese. Triloknath Pandit commenced official anthropological visits in 1967, leaving gifts and observing their behavior. In 1974, a film crew faced arrows, and a pig left as a gift was killed and buried. A significant event occurred in 1981 when the merchant ship Primrose ran aground, exposing the tribe to iron for the first time, which they later incorporated into their tools.
In 1991, Indian anthropologist Madhumala Chattopadhyay led the first friendly contact, offering coconuts, which the Sentinelese accepted. A Sentinelese woman even intervened to prevent an attack on the team. However, subsequent expeditions returned to violence, leading the Indian government to adopt an 'Eyes-On, Hands-Off' policy after 1997, banning visits to the island. In 2004, after a devastating tsunami, a helicopter checking on the tribe was met with arrows, confirming their survival and continued isolation. In 2006, two fishermen who accidentally ventured too close were killed, prompting a 5 km exclusion zone around the island.
Observations and John Allen Chau's diary describe the Sentinelese as having heights of 5'3" to 5'5", dark skin, strong muscles, and no signs of obesity or malnutrition. They wear minimal fiber clothing and use bows, arrows, and spears. They build narrow wooden canoes but show little curiosity about exploring beyond their island. They are hunter-gatherers, consuming wild boars, fish, turtle eggs, fruits, flowers, and honey. Their language is unique and contains high-pitched sounds. They live in both large communal huts and small family huts. Estimates of their population range from 50 to 500. They bury their dead on the beach and tend to attack small groups of outsiders, while larger groups cause them to hide. They exhibit sustainable living practices, managing their resources without overpopulation or environmental degradation.
There are differing opinions on whether to attempt further contact with the Sentinelese. Some argue for introducing them to modern technology and development, while others advocate for protecting them through continued isolation. The latter argument highlights the severe health risks posed by diseases to which the Sentinelese have no immunity. Furthermore, past attempts to integrate other tribes, like the Jarawa in Andaman, have led to negative consequences such as obesity from processed foods, addiction to substances like tobacco and alcohol, and the loss of their traditional culture and lifestyle. The Great Andamanese Tribe, for example, saw their population drastically reduce after contact with the British, serving as a cautionary tale against forced integration.