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Kabila

Who are the Sentinelese?

The Sentinelese are an indigenous people who live on North Sentinel Island in India's Andaman Islands. They are hunter-gatherers who reject contact with outsiders. Their numbers are unknown, with estimates ranging from about 50 to 200. Indian law forbids anyone from approaching the island.

North Sentinel Island is a small forested island in the Bay of Bengal. The Sentinelese hunt, fish and gather, and make canoes for the shallow waters near the shore. Their language is not understood by outsiders, and even the name they call themselves is not known.

They have consistently made clear that they do not want visitors, often by aiming arrows at approaching boats and aircraft. Indian government teams made gift-giving trips for some years, including a peaceful encounter in 1991, and then ended the visits.

India protects the island under a 1956 regulation for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Going within five nautical miles of it is prohibited. The Sentinelese are listed as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, and the official policy is to watch from a distance and leave them alone.

The rule protects both sides. The islanders could be wiped out by an ordinary infection to which they have no immunity. In 2006 two fishermen who drifted ashore were killed, and in 2018 an American missionary who landed illegally was killed.

Words used here

Uncontacted peoplesVoluntary isolationParticularly Vulnerable Tribal GroupHunter-gathererFirst contact

Sources

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