Recently, no converts to Christianity have returned from the Island of Saints: the world has known about the members of the tribe for more than a hundred years, but they categorically refrain from any attempts to establish contact.
Once part of the British Empire, the island is now an administrative part of India, and is home to the world's most famous little-known tribe, the Sentinelese.
The Saints are one of the most dangerous tribes in the world
They are not the only ethnic group that lives in isolation, we know of nearly a hundred tribes that live independently of civilization. Most are found deep in primeval forests or in the desert. However, the saints are among them It is considered a curiosity, where they will have the opportunity to establish contact. Their place of residence, North Sentinel Island, is easily accessible, but the tribe members choose complete isolation.
No one can set foot on the island protected by the tribeindex
On North Sentinel Island, one of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at least 15 to 20 people live their daily lives in complete isolation. We don't know exactly how many there arebecause more people never ventured to the beaches of the island, densely protected by vegetation, when they had a guest, and even then They chose the stock barrage instead Instead of communicating with curious visitors.
In contrast to other isolated peoples, who generally have no contact with the outside world because they either do not know about it, or They live in such an inaccessible environment, the Sentinelese are aware of the fact that there are other people living beyond the shores of their island. Over the past 150 years, they have made it clear on several occasions, most notably in the constant barrage of arrows with which they once frightened off a helicopter, that they have no intention of doing business with anyone. Even the inhabitants of the neighboring islands are afraid of them. If a ship or boat washes up near their shores, they kill its passengers without them batting an eye or asking.
For a long time it was believed that they were cannibals
For decades, the Guardians were believed to be cannibals, but it was revealed that they were not during the aforementioned raid that also hijacked a helicopter. Also for people who shot themselves They were given final rites and buried on the beachThis is what the helicopter passengers witnessed. Then they came to the island to take with them the bodies of the ill-fated sailors, but they did not succeed.
Saint Nicholas drives everyone away with arrowsindex
It was discovered by British colonial authorities in 1880 The tribe that lives on the island, which has an area of about 70 square kilometers, some of its representatives ventured to the shore to see the unknown sailors. The British resorted to the well-established tactic of getting to know each other, as they had done many times during their ocean voyages. A young naval officer, Maurice Vidal Portman, and two gunmen were sent from the ship to North Sentinel Island, but the guards retreated to the hides of the jungle. The English began a long search, It took several days for Portman's men to finally track him down To the tribe. An elderly couple and four children were taken on board the ship to the nearby Port Blair base.
Although Port Blair is only a few kilometers away from North Sentinel Island, the bodies of the two elderly guards were unable to fight off the bacteria of the unknown environment, so they gradually weakened and died in British captivity. After studying the four children, they were presented with gifts and then taken to the beach again at their homes. However, the gifts intended by the British as a friendly gesture did not please the Saints. The children immediately disappeared into the forest and were never seen again.
After a failed connection, you had to wait decades for someone to try again.
In the 1960s, the Indian government attempted to establish contact with the Sentinelese on several occasions, but apart from the fact that the natives took the gifts offered to them from the coast, no other results were achieved. The anthropologist leading the expeditions, T. N. Pandit, made contact with them with moderate success in 1970:
They do not like intrudersYoutube
“We were getting closer, keeping a safe distance from the shore, when more men armed with the usual weapons appeared and threatened to shoot us. … The men approached from all directions. Some were waist-deep in the water and threatened to shoot. However, we approached and some The larger fish towards them… This gesture somewhat softened their aggressive mood. Several of them lowered their weapons and indicated that we would throw the fish. Women also came out of the shadows… They were exactly like men in height and stature, but with softer lines, and had no weapons. There were about 20 children. We got closer to the beach and managed to catch some fish. Some men went there and took the fish. “They seemed grateful, but the hostile atmosphere did not subside.”
In 1974, encouraged, National Geographic film crews attempted to land on the island several times, but were met with intense hostility and were shot back with arrows each time.
Failed attempts to contact you
In 1981, the authorities were forced to conduct a regular rescue operation when the ship It ran aground on the island with 28 sailors on board. The captain desperately reported to the port that they were surrounded by guards armed with arrows and spears and were about to attack. For them, unlike the other two navigators In 2006, a rip current swept the island, They were lucky. The other two sailors were executed 20 years ago, and the helicopter sent to retrieve the bodies was hijacked by a hail of arrows. Then it became clear that the guards were not cannibals: The two bodies were buried Which the helicopter passengers also saw.
In recent decades, fewer people have ventured to the island, and attempts to build official contacts have been put on hold, not only because the islanders have each time clearly expressed their unwillingness to talk to anyone, but also because of the risk of infection. The last person to set foot on North Sentinel Island is… John Allen Chau converted to Christianity in 2018. He did not survive.
The man, who died aged 26, kept a diary of his journey. He knew the commissioner would die, but his faith gave him strength. the The Saints first checked his Bible, which saved his life, and then he came back again. He did not survive this encounter.
If you are interested in Christian converts and martyrs, This article is for us We recommend it to you.
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