‘They should choose their own destinies’: Manish Chandi on India’s isolated tribes
From above, the North Sentinel Island tribal reserve in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is a thick, unbroken patch of dark green — starkly surrounded by the shimmering coastal blue waters of its buffer zone. On these shores, Sentinelese people, who live in voluntary isolation protected by a strict government no-contact policy, spear fish, hunt […]
The isolated tribe of North Sentinel Island, located in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, consists of the Sentinelese people who live in voluntary seclusion as protected by a strict government policy of no-contact. The island’s residents survive by spearing fish, hunting turtles, and gathering mollusks in shallow reefs surrounded by mangroves. According to tribal expert Manish Chandi, he has observed the Sentinelese foraging and collecting these food resources during low tide on several occasions.
The Sentinelese are well aware of the nutritious and scarce resources in the mangrove habitats, which are scarce on and around the island. The island’s giant trees serve as its first natural defense against storms and also play a crucial role in holding the coastal soil together. The shore features sandy beaches, rocky shores, and coral reefs and mangroves that act as nurseries for marine biodiversity.
Despite the island’s importance as a biodiversity hotspot, Chandi notes that outsiders and government bureaucrats are often curious and ignorant about the islanders. This curiosity has led to a high level of misunderstandings and misconceptions about the Sentinelese people.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
