Deadly isolation: Danger on the mysterious island of North Sentinel!

Deadly isolation: Danger on the mysterious island of North Sentinel!

The isolated Andaman Island North Sentinel is a place that only a few have ever entered and could leave even less alive. The case of the US citizen John Chau, who was killed by members of the Sentinelese tribe in autumn 2018, illustrates the deeply rooted rejection of the islanders to all contact with the outside world. Chau had illegally reached the island to convert the Sentinelese to Christianity, which not only led to his death, but also caused the risk of endangering the people by introducing new diseases. This is one of the greatest fears for the Sentinelese, who are still one of the most isolated communities in the world. The Indian government respects its desire for seclusion and forbids access to their island to less than five kilometers to protect it, reports OE24

The Sentinelese come from the first Homo Sapiens groups, which wandered from Africa to other parts of Africa 60,000 years ago. Today an estimated 150 Sentinelese live on the island, which is located about 50 kilometers west of Port Blair, the capital of the Andamanes, and has an area of ​​around 75 square kilometers. Your lifestyle as a hunter and collector is still intact, although you feed on the resources of the forest and sea. They produce jewelry from leaves and other natural materials and use metal that you can find from shipwrecks or washed material, so Survival International .

cultural isolation and dangers

The Sentinelese reject any contact with outsiders and have aggressively attacked intruders over the years. In 2004 a Sentineleser was photographed who shot a helicopter with an arrow. In 2006 two Indian fishermen were killed after they fished illegally near the island. These incidents show that despite the efforts to protect this unique culture, wild and illegal fishermen, a constant threat to the safety of the Sentinelese. The Indian authorities are aware of the problem and have tried to better enforce the protection of the island in the past, but the situation remains tense.

The Sentinelese have repeatedly made it clear for decades that they want to be left alone, while neighboring indigenous peoples were decimated by illness and violence after British colonization. Initiatives to get in touch with the Sentinelese, such as the attempts to offer gifted survival aids, were hired in the 1990s when health risks were recognized. Today all visits are limited to monitoring security forces to maintain their seclusion. The Indian government has set up a buffer zone around the island, reports Survival International .

global perspectives on isolated peoples

The situation of the Sentinelese is not unique. In voluntary isolation, numerous indigenous peoples who avoid contact with the outside world to protect their cultures also live in voluntary isolation. These communities, such as the Mashco Piro, occasionally demand help, but are very endangered by the influences of civilization and the associated diseases. The WWF is committed to the preservation of indigenous territories in which these groups live, and emphasizes that first contact can be fatal for many of these peoples because it endangers their way of life and cultural identity. The Amazon rainforest is considered one of the best preserved rainforests on earth and requires special protection against external influences, according to the assessment of the WWF WWF Deutschland .

In summary, the case of the Sentinelese shows both the challenges of isolated cultures and the responsibility that we bear towards the earth compared to the last remaining untouched peoples. It remains crucial to respect your wishes and protect your habitats.