The islands are one amongst the most ancient places which a host to many tribal groups who belong to varied cultures and traditions. These tribes have been here since decades, and live a life in a very primitive manner. Many of these groups have their lifestyles completely depended upon nature thousands of miles away from the world's progress or any of the technological developments. They prefer or in fact choose to stay away from the modern civilizations and refuse for any interactions. These areas have hence been brought under the control of the Central Government to safeguard their culture and tradition and also to avoid any kind of hampering from the tourists or invaders. Also, this measure has been taken for the security of the tourists as well as there have been many life taking incidents where the tribes fearing from the invaders tried to attack them.
Let’s get a closer look upon each one of them. The tribes of Andaman and Nicobar has been segregated into to two groups based on their location namely- • Andaman Islands – Netrito tribes – the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese. • Nicobar Islands – Mongoloid tribes – the Shompen and Nicobarese.
Netrito tribes
Having their origins since 60,000 years ago from Africa. They are all nomadic hunters, hunting wild animals using up their flesh to fill up their stomachs and the rest parts as clothing and others. These tribes as mentioned above have been living in isolation since decades and hence do not even interact with another. One might infer that tradition and practices of one is quiet different from the others. Hence there even lies language barriers.
• Great Andamanese – Encroached by the Britishers during the colonial rule in India and hence destruction of a huge number of their population let to the decline of this tribe to a large extent. Their present status hold at mere 43. The second cause for the same is the Tsunami, after which they seeked Government help and now have been relocated in the capital city Port Blair.
• Onge- Another group with a very small population of 100 currently under the Indian Adminstration due to their loss of land and living by the poachers and floods.
• Jarawas – These are the most self sustained tribes who still refuse to come in any contact with the civilians or tourists but make their living through forests and oceans. There population holds at 270 but is under threat due to the highway that passes very near to their habitation i.e. west coast of South and middle Andaman.
• Sentinelese- More independent and violent group of tribes who hold the similar population status as the Jarawa but yes they are much more against the encroachers. There been incidents when these fired up fire arms onto the tourists who tried to approach them. Their population remained unaffected by the Tsunami and hence are secured. Also are rarely seen.
Mongoloid tribes
They came to our islands from the Malaya- Burma coast several thousands of years before and since then are surviving on the nature of the Nicobar Islands. They are known to be all non – vegetarian hunter gathers.
• Shompen – Having a still greater population than the Netritos as 380approx. Again isolated tribes but still allow little connections with the outsiders. Information about the is gatherers through any of the air means and hence have known the information that tsunami did affect their forests. But hoping that the tribe’s population still is intact.
• Nicobarese- these are the most civilized and social one’s who have very well accepted the friendship hand from the outsiders and many have also converted themselves to Christianity. Holding onto their own cultures they covered the many villages of Car Nicobar but tsunami washed off many leaving their many mates dead.
So this was a small description about the people named as tribes by us, who are so similar to us biologically but excessively different or can be said unchanged from their origins.