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This Ancient Tribe Has Been Isolated For 55,000 Years, And What’s Happening To It Now Is Heartbreaking
53Kviews
Haroldas Katilius Community member
Andaman island, a territory of India, is home to the most ancient tribe, the Jarawas. For 55,000 years this tribe was completely isolated and untouched by modern civilization – up until now.
The Jarawa’s lifestyle, which has been shaping since the beginning of humankind, has been greatly interrupted. The Jarawa people wear t-shirts, use hammers, and scissors. Documentary filmmakers Alexandre Dereims and Claire Beilvert treat this cultural shift as a warning sign. The filmmakers launched a documentary “We are Humanity” to send a powerful message directly from tribe members. The Jarawas don’t want to be part of the modern world. However, they are constantly approached and even harassed by people who trespass on their protected territory. It is believed that as a result, this ancient tribe may become extinct in less than 10 years if the Indian government doesn’t take action to protect this indigenous group of people.
Scroll below to see the video on the dangers modern civilization poses for the Jarawa way of life and take action by signing the petition!
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Andaman island, a territory of India, is home to the most ancient tribe, the Jarawas
For 55,000 years this tribe was completely isolated and untouched by modern civilization
Image credits: Claire Beilvert
However, the Jarawa’s lifestyle, which has been shaping since the beginning of humankind, has been greatly interrupted
Image credits: Claire Beilvert
These days, Jarawa people can be seen wearing t-shirts, using hammers, and even scissors
Image credits: Claire Beilvert
Documentary filmmakers Alexandre Dereims and Claire Beilvert treat this cultural shift as a warning sign
Image credits: We Are Humanity movie
It is believed that this ancient tribe may become extinct in less than 10 years from the intervention of the modern civilization
Image credits: We Are Humanity movie
Watch the video to get informed on the dangers modern civilization poses for the Jarawa way of life
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What do you think ?
stellermatt 7 years ago
just leave them the f**k alone, then they wouldn't have to fight to survive. They've left us alone.
diane a 7 years ago
keep modern people away from them - they have no immunity too modern diseases
Load More Replies...
Cassie 7 years ago
Sadly, this tribe resides on an island where other groups of people also live, hence the road through their territory. Contact has been made to the point of them wearing manufactured clothes and using manufactured tools. The only way to truly protect them would be to remove all other populations from that entire island to give them the room they need to grow. As long as other peoples live there, there will be contact and poaching of the natural resources. The Sentinelese on North Sentinel Island are better protected because they are the only population on that island. They are in a far better position to remain untouched.
diane a 7 years ago
I like that the Sentielese are pretty much legally allowed to kill any outsiders who come near them and have an exclusion zone
Load More Replies...
Martha Meyer 7 years ago
Who are we to tell them what tools to use, what to wear and generally how to live? It should be their choice! The government must however take steps to prevent them from being exploited and it should provide health care to them as well.
Jo Choto 7 years ago
It is quite possible that the Jarawa are happy to adapt and take on some modern conveniences that make their lives easier. It should be up to them if they want to stay with their traditional ways or if they want to blend into a more modern lifestyle. It's nobody else's business.
Robert Kabakoff 7 years ago
I would vote for antibiotics, a release from damaging superstition, dentistry and refrigeration for example. Spare me the holier-than-thou judgments from your laptop.
Load More Replies...
Daria B 7 years ago
I am conflicted on what to think when it comes to preserving ancient tribes. Part of me thinks it's interesting and amazing. And that a culture should be safe from extinction. But this sentence "These days, Jarawa people can be seen wearing t-shirts, using hammers, and even scissors", it makes me question how humane it really is to keep people from modern inventions that make life more comfortable. If they feel bettwe using those tools and wearing clothes, why not let them... There's a reason why most of the world doesn't live un caves anymore, and no, it's not "westernisation" of the world.
Volodymyr Syzonenko 7 years ago
Finally, a sane perspective. I bet none of the people here will switch places with them for any prolongued time to fully enjoy their lifestyle. IT does not mean they have to loose their culture to use modern stuff
Load More Replies...
Arietis 7 years ago
I get why people think they should be left alone, their culture unchanged. But if I found out there was a more advanced civilization with far superior technology - maybe with knowledge on how to cure cancer, clear the oceans of plastic or travel into space as convenietly as crossing the Atlantic by plane - and they kept themselves hidden from me because they wanted to preserve my way of life, I'd be f*****g pissed. Keeping them secluded from the modern world feels like we're looking at them like some kind of endangered animal in a free range zoo. We're more advanced so we get to decide what's best for them, they're too primitive to handle knowledge about the outside world. That just doesn't feel right. They should be able to decide for themselves and to do that, they need information. If they decide they want nothing to do with us, that's their right and choice. And if they wanted to experience modern society, that's their right and choice as well.
Full Name 7 years ago
Not sure how I feel about this. If they are using scissors and wearing tshirts, then obviously they like some of what we have to offer. To treat them like they don't exist isn't really the solution either. Maybe it's best to let them know what the rest of the world has to offer and then leave it at that. Let them choose over the years if what they want. To ignore them and deny them modern medicine and educations if they want, just because they're so quaint, is f****d. I saw leave it up to them. It's arrogant for any of us to tell them what to do.
Light 7 years ago
If matters like incest, rape, murder or any form of what the outside world view as against human right happens in their tribe should the outside world intervene or not? I always wonder if we need to let them be and assume it as their way of life. Just curious.
PeachPossum 7 years ago
For anyone to determine if human rights are being violated, they would have to practically live among them to do so. The islanders won't let that happen. Besides, as a society, they would have their own laws and punishments for violators. What the outside world considers wrong may not be considered wrong among the islanders. Incest for example is taboo in Western culture, but among ancient Egyptians and 19th century royal Hawaiians, it was perfectly acceptable, if not necessary to keep the bloodlines pure. The morals of the outside group have no jurisdiction here.
Load More Replies...
Miklós Nagy 7 years ago
Sadly now they won't die from some basic illnes at the age of 30 because civilization gives them modern medicines?
Miss Cris 7 years ago
They don't die at 30. And we didn't in the past, before modern medicines. It was in middle ages and before SOAP that western people died younger, but even in prehistory we lived at 70 or 80 or more. Only people living in spoiled places, by the westerns, are poor
Load More Replies...
stellermatt 7 years ago
just leave them the f**k alone, then they wouldn't have to fight to survive. They've left us alone.
diane a 7 years ago
keep modern people away from them - they have no immunity too modern diseases
Load More Replies... Cassie 7 years ago
Sadly, this tribe resides on an island where other groups of people also live, hence the road through their territory. Contact has been made to the point of them wearing manufactured clothes and using manufactured tools. The only way to truly protect them would be to remove all other populations from that entire island to give them the room they need to grow. As long as other peoples live there, there will be contact and poaching of the natural resources. The Sentinelese on North Sentinel Island are better protected because they are the only population on that island. They are in a far better position to remain untouched.
diane a 7 years ago
I like that the Sentielese are pretty much legally allowed to kill any outsiders who come near them and have an exclusion zone
Load More Replies... Martha Meyer 7 years ago
Who are we to tell them what tools to use, what to wear and generally how to live? It should be their choice! The government must however take steps to prevent them from being exploited and it should provide health care to them as well.
Jo Choto 7 years ago
It is quite possible that the Jarawa are happy to adapt and take on some modern conveniences that make their lives easier. It should be up to them if they want to stay with their traditional ways or if they want to blend into a more modern lifestyle. It's nobody else's business.
Robert Kabakoff 7 years ago
I would vote for antibiotics, a release from damaging superstition, dentistry and refrigeration for example. Spare me the holier-than-thou judgments from your laptop.
Load More Replies... Daria B 7 years ago
I am conflicted on what to think when it comes to preserving ancient tribes. Part of me thinks it's interesting and amazing. And that a culture should be safe from extinction. But this sentence "These days, Jarawa people can be seen wearing t-shirts, using hammers, and even scissors", it makes me question how humane it really is to keep people from modern inventions that make life more comfortable. If they feel bettwe using those tools and wearing clothes, why not let them... There's a reason why most of the world doesn't live un caves anymore, and no, it's not "westernisation" of the world.
Volodymyr Syzonenko 7 years ago
Finally, a sane perspective. I bet none of the people here will switch places with them for any prolongued time to fully enjoy their lifestyle. IT does not mean they have to loose their culture to use modern stuff
Load More Replies... Arietis 7 years ago
I get why people think they should be left alone, their culture unchanged. But if I found out there was a more advanced civilization with far superior technology - maybe with knowledge on how to cure cancer, clear the oceans of plastic or travel into space as convenietly as crossing the Atlantic by plane - and they kept themselves hidden from me because they wanted to preserve my way of life, I'd be f*****g pissed. Keeping them secluded from the modern world feels like we're looking at them like some kind of endangered animal in a free range zoo. We're more advanced so we get to decide what's best for them, they're too primitive to handle knowledge about the outside world. That just doesn't feel right. They should be able to decide for themselves and to do that, they need information. If they decide they want nothing to do with us, that's their right and choice. And if they wanted to experience modern society, that's their right and choice as well.
Full Name 7 years ago
Not sure how I feel about this. If they are using scissors and wearing tshirts, then obviously they like some of what we have to offer. To treat them like they don't exist isn't really the solution either. Maybe it's best to let them know what the rest of the world has to offer and then leave it at that. Let them choose over the years if what they want. To ignore them and deny them modern medicine and educations if they want, just because they're so quaint, is f****d. I saw leave it up to them. It's arrogant for any of us to tell them what to do.
Light 7 years ago
If matters like incest, rape, murder or any form of what the outside world view as against human right happens in their tribe should the outside world intervene or not? I always wonder if we need to let them be and assume it as their way of life. Just curious.
PeachPossum 7 years ago
For anyone to determine if human rights are being violated, they would have to practically live among them to do so. The islanders won't let that happen. Besides, as a society, they would have their own laws and punishments for violators. What the outside world considers wrong may not be considered wrong among the islanders. Incest for example is taboo in Western culture, but among ancient Egyptians and 19th century royal Hawaiians, it was perfectly acceptable, if not necessary to keep the bloodlines pure. The morals of the outside group have no jurisdiction here.
Load More Replies... Miklós Nagy 7 years ago
Sadly now they won't die from some basic illnes at the age of 30 because civilization gives them modern medicines?
Miss Cris 7 years ago
They don't die at 30. And we didn't in the past, before modern medicines. It was in middle ages and before SOAP that western people died younger, but even in prehistory we lived at 70 or 80 or more. Only people living in spoiled places, by the westerns, are poor
Load More Replies...
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