27 Years Ago A Woman Contacted The Tribe That Killed John Chau, And Her Encounter Was Completely Different
The world is a mysterious place with so many vibrant and varying cultures. However, in this day and age, when everything is controlled by technology, it is easy to contact anyone from anywhere in the world. With over 7 billion people on this earth, there are still some native tribes that do not support nor understand our modern living ways, and their secluded lives remain untouched. Despite all of this, one human trait remains the same, and it is the need to explore and unravel the unknown. So it only makes sense that humans sometimes do all they can to get in touch with all the uncontacted tribes in the world, just to see how different they are from us.
In 1991 one woman did the impossible by contacting the most isolated tribe in the world – the Sentinelese
Madhumala Chattopadhyay led an extraordinary expedition with one goal – to contact the Sentinelese tribe and reveal what life is like for these most secluded people, who are known to be dangerous and aggressive. In one interview Madhumala later explained “Never ever in my six years of researching along with the tribes of Andamans did any man ever misbehave with me. The tribes might be primitive in their technological achievements, but socially, they are far ahead of us.”
The tribe is located on the Andaman Islands, in the Indian Ocean
They are a part of Andamanese people, which also includes such tribes as the Onge, Shompen, and Jarawa. Even though people live relatively close to each other, their communication with the modern world is drastically different. The Jarawa tribe is known to be one of the most civilized of them all, yet the Sentinelese are considered to be the most dangerous and isolated.
Visiting the Sentinelese island is not only considered dangerous but it is also illegal
Due to various examples of failed friendly contact, the government of India has decided to leave the tribe alone. Now, visiting the North Sentinel island can also be deadly to the tribe since visitors can bring various bacteria, that the tribe members are not immune to.
Recently, the media widely reported the death of a young Christian missionary named John Chau, who tried to enter the premises of the Sentinelese tribe resulting in his tragic death. This horrible event proved once again that the Sentinelese are not here to make friends.
And even though one successful expedition led by Mr. Pandit was already covered by the media, only a few know the incredible achievements of Madhumala Chattopadhyay.
Image credits: Probashionline
Since she was a 12-year-old girl, Madhumala was determined to meet these indigenous people of Sentinel Island. After she finished school at the top of her class, she started studying anthropology at the University of Calcutta. She later explained to her parents that studying anthropology was her ‘passport to the Ongers’, which is one of the Andamanese tribes.
Madhumala is one of a few people who managed to have friendly contact with the Sentinelese
Her secret? Coconuts. The moment her boat reached the territory of the Sentinelese tribe, every person on her team started throwing coconuts, to show that they come in peace. It didn’t take long for the tribe to come closer, and even start picking coconuts out of the water. Soon after, Madhumala threw even more coconuts, and she was quickly able to get into the water with the tribe. To this day it is considered to be one of a few successful contacts with the native tribe. It is believed that the presence of a woman was the key to a successful contact. Madhumala has since revisited the tribe, and this time they were even more enthusiastic, they even climbed into the boat to pick the coconuts themselves.
Madhumala has also visited other Andamanese tribes, her closest contact was with the Jarawa
Image credits: Probashionline
In 1991 she went with another expedition and was the only woman from the outside world ever to visit the Jarawa. To not scare the native tribe, Madhumala first stayed on the boat, but soon after the Jarawa women noticed her, they started yelling “Milale chera” which would translate to “friend come here,” they even did an impromptu dance to show their joy of seeing a woman in the team. After the woman came closer to Madhumala, they started examining her hair and skin. Nobody expected the scientist to do what she did next. To show her support and friendship, Mudhamala embraced one of the tribe’s women, which resulted in a happy reaction from the tribe.
The Jarawa are one of the friendliest tribes, so the woman quickly accepted Madhumala and even let her hold their babies and help them with their chores. The anthropologist was the only person invited inside the tribe’s huts and even shared food with them. Madhumala also became their doctor as she would help the indigenous people with their wounds.
Image credits: Probashionline
Even though Madhumala made major progress in contacting the world’s most isolated and unique tribes, there are only a few people who consider her as one of the best anthropologists of our time. Madhumala currently works in a central government ministry in Delhi, she handles routine government files, and only a few know the true impact she had in the outside world’s contact with the Sentinelese and Jarawa tribes.
If you want to learn more about the Sentinelese, make sure to check out our video about them!
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Share on FacebookWhy can't we just leave them alone? Without curiously exploring them? Bringing our bacteria, our way of living, our religion, whatever. Disturbing their isolation. Eventually bringing the wish for "better" or just other life to them. There are various examples of our influence on old tribes which did not end well. I fear the lately death of the unfortunate missionary will increase the attempt of various "adventurers" trying to get on this island on their own, just for a bit of fame. Please. Leave. Them. Alone.
And a really good anthropologist should/would know that contact to an indigenous tribe has influence on them, and that leaving them on their own is the very best for them.
Load More Replies...The part that mentions how culturally advanced these tribes are because they treat women with respect makes me think that this is only proof that it's unnatural to treat womem like shite for the mere reason of being female. It makes me really curious, though. All of the advanced societies in the world from either continent had (or still have) a point within culture where women are discriminated against, one way or another. Even without direct influences from abroad. Makes me wonder why and how it happens.
Maori had always been like that pre-British influence. They had had female chiefs, homosexuality was fine, and they accepted identifying as the other gender. It was only when the brits came stated that it was punishable that it was all affected.
Load More Replies...I did not know Christian missionaries were still trying to civilise the world, any death is sad but I don't agree with what he was trying to do.
I live in the Czech Republic which is said to be the most atheist country in the world. I remember finding a website of an American Christian couple (they were friends with my American high school teacher) where they explained why they're in Prague and what they're trying to do. It basically said that the Czech Republic is a beautiful country but sadly is underdeveloped and behind because we're not mainly Christians. It still makes me angry to this day.
Load More Replies...Shouldn't we be concerned if she had spread diseases that they had not been exposed to? I realize this was a while back, but still...
Just let these tribes be. Every time "civilised" people had encounters with isolated tribes it ruined the indigenous people and they suffered the consequences. It's a good thing that the Indian governement protects the Sentinelese. As for the fool that was killed by the Sentinelese: serves him right. It is illegal to visit the island and he was warned.
While I understand your point of view, I agree with Daria B. Mrs Chattopadhyay is well educated and she knew what she was doing. And about imposing their lifestyle - well, I agree that if two cultures meet, they always impact each other. However, there IS difference between observation and impacting your lifestyle. If we did not interact with other tribes, we would never know anything about them. If I understand correctly, she restricted any invasive actions to minimum - she was rather watching and trying to understand. Maybe she affected them somehow - but her influence was minimal. And we know so much more, thanks to her.
Load More Replies...You forgot to mention that currently Jarawa are an (almost) extinct tribe and it took building a road on island to do that. Even the best intentions of anthropologists will not protect them from human greed. It's better not to create a career around exposing distant tribes. It should be more responsible.
No sympathy for Chau. If they shoot arrows at you and chase you off, take the hint and don't return. His zealotry cost him his life. Just leave them be.
Absolutely agree- plus he endangered them by exposing them to possible viruses that could have seriously damaged them. Who knows? He might have actually done so...there's no way to know if they are now suffering from an outbreak of the flu- it's not as if they're going to report it to the world
Load More Replies...How was she able to avoid possibly exposing them to dangerous diseases?
We've got to leave this people alone. Physical illness is not the only disease we will spread to them.
But pollution will get to them anyway through water and air, while sickness might reach them through the marine wildlife. Sooner or later they will be affected.
Load More Replies...Just what was it that she learned that was important enough to risk the natives lives? That they like coconuts? It's like someone coming into your house uninvited. What part of leave be alone is not being understood?
No, it is more like coming to someone's house and knocking to the door. It's not like she forced them to interact - it was all along their choice, just as you do not need to open the door when somebody's knocking.
Load More Replies...Why can't we just leave them alone? Without curiously exploring them? Bringing our bacteria, our way of living, our religion, whatever. Disturbing their isolation. Eventually bringing the wish for "better" or just other life to them. There are various examples of our influence on old tribes which did not end well. I fear the lately death of the unfortunate missionary will increase the attempt of various "adventurers" trying to get on this island on their own, just for a bit of fame. Please. Leave. Them. Alone.
And a really good anthropologist should/would know that contact to an indigenous tribe has influence on them, and that leaving them on their own is the very best for them.
Load More Replies...The part that mentions how culturally advanced these tribes are because they treat women with respect makes me think that this is only proof that it's unnatural to treat womem like shite for the mere reason of being female. It makes me really curious, though. All of the advanced societies in the world from either continent had (or still have) a point within culture where women are discriminated against, one way or another. Even without direct influences from abroad. Makes me wonder why and how it happens.
Maori had always been like that pre-British influence. They had had female chiefs, homosexuality was fine, and they accepted identifying as the other gender. It was only when the brits came stated that it was punishable that it was all affected.
Load More Replies...I did not know Christian missionaries were still trying to civilise the world, any death is sad but I don't agree with what he was trying to do.
I live in the Czech Republic which is said to be the most atheist country in the world. I remember finding a website of an American Christian couple (they were friends with my American high school teacher) where they explained why they're in Prague and what they're trying to do. It basically said that the Czech Republic is a beautiful country but sadly is underdeveloped and behind because we're not mainly Christians. It still makes me angry to this day.
Load More Replies...Shouldn't we be concerned if she had spread diseases that they had not been exposed to? I realize this was a while back, but still...
Just let these tribes be. Every time "civilised" people had encounters with isolated tribes it ruined the indigenous people and they suffered the consequences. It's a good thing that the Indian governement protects the Sentinelese. As for the fool that was killed by the Sentinelese: serves him right. It is illegal to visit the island and he was warned.
While I understand your point of view, I agree with Daria B. Mrs Chattopadhyay is well educated and she knew what she was doing. And about imposing their lifestyle - well, I agree that if two cultures meet, they always impact each other. However, there IS difference between observation and impacting your lifestyle. If we did not interact with other tribes, we would never know anything about them. If I understand correctly, she restricted any invasive actions to minimum - she was rather watching and trying to understand. Maybe she affected them somehow - but her influence was minimal. And we know so much more, thanks to her.
Load More Replies...You forgot to mention that currently Jarawa are an (almost) extinct tribe and it took building a road on island to do that. Even the best intentions of anthropologists will not protect them from human greed. It's better not to create a career around exposing distant tribes. It should be more responsible.
No sympathy for Chau. If they shoot arrows at you and chase you off, take the hint and don't return. His zealotry cost him his life. Just leave them be.
Absolutely agree- plus he endangered them by exposing them to possible viruses that could have seriously damaged them. Who knows? He might have actually done so...there's no way to know if they are now suffering from an outbreak of the flu- it's not as if they're going to report it to the world
Load More Replies...How was she able to avoid possibly exposing them to dangerous diseases?
We've got to leave this people alone. Physical illness is not the only disease we will spread to them.
But pollution will get to them anyway through water and air, while sickness might reach them through the marine wildlife. Sooner or later they will be affected.
Load More Replies...Just what was it that she learned that was important enough to risk the natives lives? That they like coconuts? It's like someone coming into your house uninvited. What part of leave be alone is not being understood?
No, it is more like coming to someone's house and knocking to the door. It's not like she forced them to interact - it was all along their choice, just as you do not need to open the door when somebody's knocking.
Load More Replies...











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