The Sentinelese: A Story of Isolation and Survival

The Sentinelese are the most isolated tribe in the world. They live on North Sentinel island located in the Bay of Bengal, India. They majorly feed on sea creatures, fruits, nuts, and other forest produce. Also, they are famously known for their hostility toward outsiders who pose to be threat to them. The Sentinelese leave in isolation, hence, there is no proper documentation that clearly explains their origin, way of life or their social structure. However, based on keen observation, the population on North Sentinel Island is estimated to be between 15 to 500 people.

As stated above, much is not known about their historical background, but it is believed that the Sentinelese have occupied the island for about 60,000 years. It is widely accepted that they are one of the earliest people in Africa to have inhabited the North Sentinel island. They voluntarily isolate and defend themselves from the outside world. But despite their constant rejection, their isolation was eventually disrupted by one of the earliest and the most significant contacts that happened in the late 19th century.

A British officer in charge of the Island tried to study the Sentinelese lifestyle all in the interest of science. The officer, M. V. Portman, with his team got to the island with the help of some trackers who were familiar with the area. These trackers were from different tribes than the Sentinelese, but they lived on nearby islands. When the Sentinelese became aware of the intruder, they fled their land, leaving only abandoned camps. The officers waited for days before they finally came in contact with an elderly couple and some children. On seeing them, the group captured them and took them to Port Blair, the regional capital. After few days of staying far away from their land, the couple fell ill and died afterwards, while the children were returned back to the island with gifts.

After the children’s return, disease took hold of the Sentinelese. They believed that the children had brought such disaster upon them after their contact with the British officers. Although the number that was affected by the disease is not known, however, the result was probably depressing, leading to their constant rejection of outsiders and their fierce protective nature against anyone that dares to cross their boundary.

Another notable contact with this tribe occured in 2004, tragically leading to the deaths of two individuals. Two Indian fishermen, Sunder Raj and Pandit Tiwari, were fishing in the Bay of Bengal when their boat accidentally drifted to the North Sentinel Island. The Sentinelese captured them, tied them up and eventually killed them. A few days later, a helicopter was sent out to investigate the matter, but after series of attacks with bows and arrow, the pilot had not choice than to leave to ensure safe landing. Although the bodies of the two fishermen were recovered and later buried, this incident highlights the Sentinelese’s commitment to protect their island and stay far away from outsiders.

Similar to this incident is the tragic event that happened in November 2018, when John Allen Chau, a 26-year-old American Christian missionary went to the island with the hope of preaching the gospel of Christ to the Sentinelese. While approaching the island, the tribesmen fired several arrows at him, with one of them hitting his Bible. Forging his way through, John finally made it to the island and made contact with the people. Unfortunately, he was killed and his body was dragged away. With several attempt, the Indian government tried to retrieve his body but all their effort yielded nothing, and they eventually stopped, knowing that such attempt would only lead to danger.

The Sentinelese made it clear for a long time that they do not want any contact with the rest of the world. They do this to protect themselves from any external influence, and, to them, it is a wise choice to be isolated. Their immune system is not strong and cannot fight against certain diseases like flu or measles, putting their health at risk. To them, this can wipe out their entire tribe, or lead to reduction in their population.

In an effort to protect them the Indian government declared in 1956 that the North Sentinel island should be reserved, and unauthorized bodies are not allowed to go there. Also, the government placed armed patrols around the island to prevent outsiders from entering. The main reason for this is to curb any further disaster and to also allow the tribesmen to be left alone if that’s what they want. Organizations like UNESCO and Survival International also recognize the Sentinelese people’s right to isolation and protection, allowing them to remain free from external influences and disturbances.

In conclusion, the Sentinelese’s history of violence against outsiders is a reminder of how important it is to respect people’s desire for isolation. Their wish to be isolated and to protect themselves from any external threats should be respected. It is important for both the Sentinelese people and outsiders to maintain distance.