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THE SURVIVAL OF THE ISOLATED TRIBES OF THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS,
INDIA
Even though five isolated tribes indigenous to the Andaman and Nicobar
islands survived the South Asian tsunami, devastation to their habitat may
lead to their eventual extinction, experts believe. The Onge tribe, one of
the world's last hunter-gatherer tribes, fled to high ground before the wave
struck, but could now run out of food due to the amount of marine life
destroyed by the great wave and because their inland rivers have been
flooded by sea water.
The Onge - now numbering only 97
The first authoritative reports on
the fate of the five isolated tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, hit
hard by the Asian quake disaster, indicate that all appear to have survived.
The more numerous Nicobarese tribe, however, has suffered huge loss of life.
* The 270 Jarawa, who lived in complete isolation until recently, appear to
have escaped unharmed. They almost certainly were living in the forest when
the tsunami struck.
* Most of the Onge, who live in two government-built settlements, fled to
high ground as the sea level fell, and so survived. They are currently being
supported by a neighbouring community in a school house. Their awareness of
the ocean and its movements has been accumulated over 60,000 years of
inhabiting the islands. The Onge had already suffered a disastrous fall in
their population, from 672 in 1901 to barely 100 today. A new baby born to
the Onge tribe on 24 February brings the population to 97.
The Onge people, who like the other isolated tribes of the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands survived the tsunami of December 26, left their
coastal settlements when the water receded. They have set up temporary camps
in the forests of their island, Little Andaman. The tribe once inhabited the
whole of Little Andaman, but the island is now also home to thousands of
Indian settlers, and much of it has been deforested. The Onge have
complained that wild pigs, which a man must kill in order to marry, are now
scarce.
* Reports from overflights of Sentinel Island, home of the
most isolated of all the tribes, the Sentinelese, indicate that many have
been seen on the beaches. The Sentinelese fired arrows at the helicopter
overhead. However, confident assertions by the authorities that all the
Sentinelese have been accounted for are premature, as no-one has any idea of
their population (estimates range from 50 - 250), and landing on the island
is impossible.
* No reliable reports have yet been received on the fate of the 41 Great
Andamanese, but early indications are that they have survived more or less
intact.
* Similarly, there has been no reliable information on the fate of the
380-strong Shompen, an isolated tribe of Great Nicobar Island. It is hoped
that, like the Jarawa, the fact that this hunter-gatherer people live
primarily in the forests rather that on the coast will have helped them
survive.
The sixth tribe of the islands, the 30,000-strong Nicobarese, have suffered
much more. All 12 villages on one island, Car Nicobar, have been washed
away, and many are feared dead. Unlike the other tribes, the Nicobarese are
not hunter-gatherers but horticulturalists. They have largely
converted to Christianity, and are much more assimilated than the other
Andaman and Nicobar tribes.
Background
The Andaman Islands are home to four 'Negrito'
tribes - the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese. The Nicobar
Islands are home to two 'Mongoloid' tribes - the Shompen and Nicobarese.
The 'Negrito' tribes are believed to have arrived in the islands from Africa
up to 60,000 years ago. All are nomadic hunter-gatherers, hunting wild pig
and monitor lizard, and catching fish with bows and arrows. They also
collect honey, roots and berries from the forest.
The 'Mongoloid' tribes probably came to the islands from the Malay-Burma
coast several thousand years ago.
* Great Andamanese: The 43 Great Andamanese, already the most decimated
of all the Andaman tribes, were living in a government settlement on Strait
Island, but their village suffered serious damage in the tsunami.
The Great Andamanese population was estimated at 5,000 in 1848, but
plummeted following settlement by the British, who cut down their forest,
stole their land and killed their game. The British colonial authorities
established a 'home' in Port Blair where they kept captured Great Andamanese.
Of 150 Great Andamanese children born in the home, none survived beyond the
age of two.
In 1970 the Indian government moved the 30 surviving Great
Andamanese to a settlement on
Strait Island - they have been totally dependent on the authorities for
food, clothing and shelter ever since. Their population, however, has
started to increase once again.
* Onge: Population 97. Their forest home has been plundered by poachers and
loggers. They were settled by the Indian administration and are dependent on
food handouts. The 73 Onge living at Dugong Creek fled to high ground when
they saw the sea level fall, and so survived.
* Jarawa: Population about 270. Have only had peaceful contact with
outsiders for six years. They live on the west coast of South and Middle
Andaman, and are believed to have survived the tsunami. They are still
completely independent and live entirely by hunting, gathering and fishing.
The main threat to their existence comes from the highway running through
their territory: the Indian government was ordered to close this by the
Supreme Court in 2002, but it has ignored the order.
* Sentinelese: Population estimated at 50-250. The most isolated of all the
tribes, they have no peaceful contact with outsiders, and fire warning
arrows at those who approach. Their home, Sentinel Island, appears to have
been relatively unaffected by the tsunami, and some Sentinelese have been
sighted since the disaster. They are completely self-sufficient
hunter-gatherers.
* Shompen: Population 380. A relatively isolated tribe of Great Nicobar
Island, the Shompen are hunter-gatherers who have some, limited, contact
with outsiders. Overflights of their territory suggest their forest has been
little damaged, raising hopes that the tribe has survived more or less
intact.
* Nicobarese: Population 30,000. Unlike the other tribes, the Nicobarese are
largely horticulturalists. Most have converted to Christianity, and are much
more assimilated than the other Andaman and Nicobar tribes, but still
maintain their own distinct culture. The Nicobarese have also suffered much
more from the tsunami. All 12 villages on one island, Car Nicobar, have been
washed away, and many are feared dead.
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