The Primitive Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The Andaman islands are inhabited by the pure Negrito blood, members of perhaps the most ancient race remaining on the earth and standing closest to the primitive human type. These unique foragers are surviving at present at the different stages of life and civilization. The Sentinelese are perhaps the most isolated community in the world while the Great Andamanese are perhaps the smallest community in the world. The Onges are perhaps the happiest looking people of the world and the Jarawas are unpredicted people. On the other hand in the Great Nicobar Island Shompens are the primitive tribes who still live semi-nomadic primitive life. Their camping in difficult and remote terrain in the island makes it difficult for us to contact them in an easy way. The tribal areas were the last to come under the British power because of their difficult terrain and inaccessibility in mainland India but with reference to the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the aborigines were the first to come under the British influence. Prior to independence the British and Japanese policy of isolation left the tribals to themselves and almost no effort was made to develop them except some efforts to contact and befriend them mainly to gain security, peaceful colonization and administration. After independence several welfare schemes have been undertaken for the protection, survival and growth of the primitive tribes of the isles. This book portrays all these in befitting manner.