Knowledge News

Tribes of Andaman Islands: Let us meet our fellow Indians who live beyond the Kala Pani

New Delhi: Once upon in time, nobody knew who and what were there in the Andaman Islands. Then with time, the region became accessible to the outside civilisation. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist places in India. But we still do not many things about the place, especially what lies in its dense forest-covered islands where tourists, even local people do not go.

By local people, we mean the immigrants who settled in Andaman. There are two types of people in that place: One is the immigrants, and another is the original inhabitants of the islands, the indigenous people. It is they who know the deepest mysteries of Andaman. Before 1858, only the indigenous people used to live in the Andaman Islands. In the post-1857 Sepoy Mutiny era, the British administration established the Penal Colony in Andaman. Since then, people have gone from outside to live in the Islands.

Andaman and its indigenous people

Great Andamanese

Before outsiders decided to live in Andaman, the Great Andamanese was the largest tribe there. But several factors reduced their population, which as per the government, was 43 one decade ago. The Andaman and Nicobar administration has taken several steps to improve their living condition. The Great Andamanese is not a nomadic tribe anymore. They live on Strait Island and occasionally go hunting and fishing. On May 14, 1859, they fought against the British forces valiantly in the ‘Battle of Aberdeen’.

Today, they eat rice, dal, chapati and other modern food items and can cook food using spices. Of late, some of them have taken to cultivating vegetables and have also established poultry farms. Their traditional diet consists of fish, dugongs, turtles, turtle eggs, crabs, roots, tubers and also pork.

Onge

One of the oldest tribes in India, they currently live at South Bay and Dugong Creek on Little Andaman Island. They are a semi-nomadic tribe that belong to the Negrito racial stock. The administration has provided them with houses, food, clothes, medicine etc., but the tribe still depends on nature for food.

They mainly eat fish, turtles, roots, jackfruits etc. They have become adept in artistry and crafts and can make canoes. There is a primary school at Dugong Creek for them. The population of this tribe is stable and it is currently 94.

Jarawa

The Jarawas are possibly the most popular tribe in the Andaman Islands. They live on the western coasts of the Middle Andaman and South Andaman Islands. Unlike the Great Andamanese and Onges tribes, they have not warmed up to the outside world. Since 1974, the Andaman and Nicobar administrations have frequently sent teams to befriend the Jarawas.

The tribe is friendly with such teams that go with gifts like bananas, coconuts and other fruits. But they are hostile to other people, especially those who reside near their islands. The place they live has been declared a buffer zone to ensure that they do not become unwitting targets of large-scale tourism or commercial activities.

Jarawas hunt like a nomadic tribe with bows and arrows. Men catch fish with bows and arrows while women use baskets to do the job. They collect roots, fruits, and honey and build temporary huts. Also, Jarawas use crude rafts to travel.

Sentinelese

They live in North Sentinel Island and like the Jarawas, they are hostile to the outside world. Even though the administration managed to establish contact with them in 1991, the tribe is still sceptical about the outsiders including the contact teams.

They hunt with bows and arrows and have dugout canoes which they propel with long poles. As per a government report, men and women do not wear clothes. Since they seldom leave their island, very little is known about the tribe.