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A note left by the American missionary John Allen Chau, feared to have been murdered by members of the Sentinel tribe north of Andaman's Sentinel Island, reveals more details about the indigenous and Chau's efforts to know them. For example, it badigns a number to the Sentinelese – 250. It also provides details about their social hierarchy.
The detailed note, titled "Observations," was recovered by the Andaman police from the possession of a fisherman who filed it on the island, S. Jampo. The fisherman and four other fishermen were arrested for driving Chau to an island where foreigners, Indians and others are not allowed. North Sentinel Island is at least three hours by boat from the nearest village to Andaman. The note was shared with anthropologists hoping to give advice on finding Chau's body.
True, Chau 27, an adventurer who wanted to bring religion to the islanders, was not an anthropologist and his observations should be treated as those of an amateur. Some details of the little-known tribe are nevertheless interesting.
Read | An American killed by the Sentinels in Andaman may not have acted alone
According to Chau, on the morning of November 15, when he arrived on the island, he met a man who appeared to be the chief of the tribe.
The man had a white crown made of flowers (according to Chau). Missionary added that the man "has adopted a leadership position. … climbed a rock and shouted at me.
Describing how the Sentinelese speak, Chau, a native of Alabama, United States, stated that they "emitted high-pitched sounds … sounds such as the letters b, p, l and s. Nothing is known of the language of the sentinels. Chau guessed in his notes that members of the tribe "probably exchanged many insults" although the basis for this is unclear.
Chau also notes that he tried a few words used by the Jarawas, a tribe from the south and middle of the Andaman, but that the Sentinels did not seem to understand them.
Chau, the first foreigner to enter the island in 12 years, also describes the island's topography.
Describing the beach of North Sentinel Island, Chau writes that the sand is white but rude. He observed that the seabed leading to the beach consisted mainly of dead coral, but with a very clear bottom. "There is a beautiful surf beach at the entrance to the south side of the creek. Seen three perfect series of swells from 4 to 6 feet high … "reads the note.
Some of the huts each housed about 10 sentinels, including minors; and some could have had about 50, Chau noted. He estimated the number of Sentinels at around 250. In 2004, after the tsunami, the Indian government, which conducted an aerial survey of the island to check the islanders, estimated their numbers between 40 and 200. The inhabitants fired arrows from their bows to the helicopter too
Read | An isolated tribe kills an American tourist on an isolated island in the Andaman Sea. But who are the Sentinels?
Chau says that he saw no elderly Sentinel and guessed that it meant that they lived separately in another part of the island. The women booed when they saw him, he said.
One of the miners, about 10 years old, shot an arrow at Chau, but the Bible struck him and did not go past page 933. [19659002ThetipofthearrowwasmetalbutverythinandpointedChauguessedAgenerallyacceptedhypothesissuggeststhattheSentineleserecoveredwreckedshipsaroundtheislandtorecovermetalandmadearrowsChaualsowritesabouttheactionsoftheislanders"ThearmsintheairmeantunarmedandfriendlyPointingwiththehand/fingermeanspointingaplaceThearrowsinthebowmeantthatyouwerereadytoshootatyou"
First published: Nov. 30, 2018 08:24 IST
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