The Particularly Vulnerable Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

This article gives a gist of the presentations and interactions held at two days’ national seminar organized by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) on 27-28 June, 2018 in respect of Vulnerable Tribes (PVTGs) of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The two days’ seminar hosted the well known anthropologists from the Anthropological Survey of India which has established an office at Port Blair and concerned policy makers and administrators.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is home to 4 Negrito and 2 Mongoloid tribes. The Great Andamanese, the Onge, the Jarawas and Sentinelese belong to the Negrito origin. The Nicobarese that belong to the Mongoloid origin have, to a larger extent, accepted the challenge of change and adopted post-agricultural phase of human development. The members of the other Mongoloid community, the Shompen, still shy away from outsiders. The anthropological and archaeological research claims that the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar remained abode to these tribes for centuries and particularly the Jarawas, Onge, Sentinelese and Great Andamanese are thought to have travelled to these islands some 60,000 years ago from Africa. It is believed that the first tribe to come in contact with Indian settlers was the Great Andamanese followed by the Onge and finally Jarawa. Despite some efforts on the part of Indian government, the Sentinelese seem to be wary of the outsiders’ contact. 

Great Andamanese

As per one study, in mid 19th century there were 5,000 members of the Great Andamanese community. However, they came in conflict with the British settlers as the tribe defended its territory from invasion when the British established the penal settlement in the Andamans in 1858. Their conflict with the British settlers and many other calamities brought their population down to about 50 individuals in just a century and a half. As a result of such catastrophes, the various linguistic and tribal divisions among the Great Andamanese effectively ceased to exist by the turn of 20th century. Their linguistic diversity also suffered as the surviving population intermingled and some of them intermarried with Burmese and Indian settlers. By the later part of the 20th century, the majority of the Great Andamanese had become extinct.  

Presently the Government of India has re-settled the Great Andamanese in Strait Island, a short distance from the Port Blair. They are totally dependent on the administration for food, shelter and clothing. 

Onge

The Onge tribe of the Andaman Islands too faced the devastating effects of the British occupation of the Islands. The 2011 census estimates their population to 101 persons where as the research shows their population was 672 in 1901. The Onges originally lived in the Hut Bay and Dugong Creek but the Tsunami killer waves moved them further interior to the forests. Their traditional knowledge that tells of the ground shaking and a great wall of water destroying the land seems to have alarmed them of tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The Onges survived the disaster by taking shelter in the highlands deeper in the forests.

It is believed, among other causes the decline of the Onge population is also due to changes in their food habits brought about by their contacts with the outside world. This tribe considers remarriage a taboo but with the intention of increasing their population, they seem to have agreed to remarry. It is hoped that the remarriage among them would save them from extinction. 

Jarawa

For a larger part of history the Jarawas had shunned contact with the outsiders. Owing to this, very little is known about them apart from the fact that they use rafts, live in oval huts and are excellent swimmers. They initiated their first contact with the settled populations in 1997 when they emerged from the jungle close to Kadamtala in Middle Andaman. Since little was known about them, the petrified villagers fed them bananas and coconuts and sent them back to their habitats. Since 1998, they have been increasing contact with the outside world but it’s also posing danger to their survival due to the risk of disease. 

The 2011 census estimates their population to be between 250-400 individuals. They live in parts of South Andaman and Middle Andaman Islands. There are some indications that the Jarawas trace their ancestry to the Jnagil tribe that is presumed to have become extinct by 1931. The Andaman Trunk Road that runs through the Jarawa territory and reserve of 1,028 square kilometers of dense evergreen forests has increased their contacts with the outsiders. 

Sentinelese

The Sentinelese are among the last people to remain virtually untouched and uncontacted by modern civilization. The information known about the Sentinelese is based on observations through the contact missions that were undertaken in late 20th century by the Government of India. It is believed that this tribe obtains subsistence through hunting, fishing and collecting plants. There is no evidence of any agricultural practice and also no evidence of fire making. They are called Sentinelese as they live in Sentinel Island. The Sentinelese, thought to number 40, through a median of around 250, and up to a maximum of 500 based on the survey conducted from a distance and also certainly does not represent an accurate figure. They have rebuffed all the contact with the modern world and fire a shower of arrows at anyone who comes nearby. They are believed to be the last pre-Neolithic tribe in the world to remain isolated and appeared to have survived the 2004 Asian Tusnami. 

Nicobarese

The term Nicobarese refers to the dominant tribes of Nicobar Islands. They mainly live in Car Nicobar. According to the 2011 census, their population is estimated to be about 22, 100 in numbers. Since they live in the adjacent areas of sea, they suffered the most due to killer tsunami waves of 2004.

The Nicobarese are mainly horticulturist and pig-herders inhabiting large permanent villages mostly close to sea shore. Though theirs are patriarchal families and as a rule live jointly, men and women enjoy equal status. The women have freedom to choose their husbands and after marriage they are free to live with either of the couple’s parents. 

Shompen

The Shompens practice hunter gatherer subsistence economy and inhabit the interior of Great Nicobar Island. The 2011 census estimates their population to 229 persons. For a large part of the history, they stayed away from the outside contact. The Shompens cast their vote for the first time when the Government of India set up polling station in their area in 2014.

Shompen huts are built to house 4 people, and villages are made up of 4 to 5 families. In keeping with the tropical climate of the islands, their traditional attire includes only clothing below the waist. With a view to protect the fast-depleting population of the Shompens, the Government of India has proposed granting their habitat the status of “unique human heritage” of the country.  

Safeguarding PVTGs of A&N Islands

Apart from scenic surroundings, the A&N Islands are known for the tribal inhabitants living for thousands of years. Their fast depleting population has become a cause of worry. While imposition of urban follies on these tribal groups is uncalled for, the policy makers suffer from the dilemma as how to tackle the issues concerning these PVTGs; whether to let them remain isolated or to assimilate them. It must also be underscored that no human society remains static. The socio-cultural changes take place; some at piecemeal while some others at rapid pace. 

With view to protect the PVTGs of A&N Islands, the Government of India has come up many policy level decisions such as inclusion of 1093 kilometers of additional forest areas into the Jarawa tribal reserve, notification of a buffer zone of 5 kilometers around Jarawa tribal reserve and prohibiting commercial and tourism activities therein. In tune with the Jarawa policy 2004, the A&N administration has operationalized an alternative sea route from Port-Blair to Baratang to lessen the burden of transport and communication on the Great Andaman Trunk Road that passes through the Jarawa forest reserve. In order to crack down upon the poachers and habitual offenders of the established norms, the A&N administration is strengthening the mechanism through the deployment of additional police personnel, faster means of communication and joint patrolling by police, officials of the forest department and Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAGVS) activists. This is being done in the coastal waters and adjoining lands. Government of India has already issued notifications in relation to ‘Policy for Shompens of Great Nicobar, 2015’ and addendums to the ‘Jarawa Policy 2004’ 

In order to provide healthcare facilities to these PVTGs in their own habitats, the mobile medical units linked with telemedicine system are being set up. This will prevent them from hospital induced cross infections and disease transmission owing to their low immunity.  Efforts are also being made to augment the food resources in the tribal reserve areas through disperse plantation of fruit bearing trees and by repopulating wild bores on a sound scientific principles. 

The PVTGs of A&N Islands have varying degrees socio-cultural atrophies, to a larger extent in the Andamanese and to the least in Sentinelese, on account of the intensity of their interface to the domineering geographies. The PVTGs of the A&N Islands represent the most primitive physical and genetic bearers of human history of evolution, migration and adaptation. These tribes bear the unique culture and indigenous knowledge of natural history and ecology of the islands; they are repositories of the historical remedy of the colonization and settlement of the A&N Islands. Apart from the above all, they add to the richness and diversity of India. Therefore, no stone should be left unturned in order to protect and preserve this populace of India. As envisaged in the Art. 29(1) of the Indian constitution, it is their right to be protected and their culture preserved.