GREAT ANDAMANESE TRIBES

GREAT ANDAMANESE TRIBES

TOPIC: Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Context- Anvita Abbi’s book’ Voices from the Lost Horizon’ encapsulates the worldview of the Great Andamanese tribe through its stories and songs, capturing a culture that is now extinct.

Concept-

About Tribes of Andaman Islands:

• The Andamanese are the various indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands, part of India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory in the southeastern part of the Bay of Bengal in Southeast Asia.
• The Andamanese peoples are among the various groups considered Negrito, owing to their dark skin and diminutive stature.
• The Andamanese peoples included
  • the Great Andamanese and Jarawas of the Great Andaman archipelago
  • the Jangil of Rutland Island,
  • the Onge of Little Andaman,
  • the Sentinelese of North Sentinel Island.
• These tribes are the result of the first human migration out of Africa 70,000 years ago.
• Today, only roughly 400–450 Andamanese remain, with the Jangil being extinct.
• Only the Jarawa and the Sentinelese maintain a steadfast independence, refusing most attempts at contact by outsiders.
• The Andamanese are a designated Scheduled Tribe in India’s constitution.