Uncontacted Tribe Kills Man who Refused to Respect Their Culture

John wanted to spread the word and love of God to the tribe

North Sentinel Island sits on an Indian archipelago on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengali. South Sentinel Island exists here as well. Home to a group of indigenous people in voluntary isolation from the surrounding world simply known as the Sentlinese, the island is protected from outsiders, often by force.

The Sentlinese have lived uninhabited on the island for more than 55,000 years, with the exception of a handful of occasions when contact was made to hand them gifts. There is no way to know the exact number of people on the island, although estimates range from 50 to 500 people.

The tribe has made clear they do not want external contact with outsiders. Such contact puts the tribe at risk because they lack immunity to germs and diseases. Poachers who steal sea turtles, fish, and coconut near the island also threaten their livelihood as they survive on a hunt and gather food system. Visits from outsiders put the tribe members, particularly women, at risk of human trafficking and exploitation.