Introduction / History
The Sentinelese are also called Sentenelese, Sentineli, Senteneli and North Sentinal Islanders. They are to be found in the North Sentinel island of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. They are completely isolated from the rest of the world. The Sentinelese are one of the most (if not, as stated by some, the most) isolated people in the world.
It is difficult to discover how many Sentinelese tribes there are. In 2001 according to a census there were 39 tribes.
They have distinct features. They are dark in appearance with a peppercorn type of hair. They are tallish too.
Most Sentinelese hunt and gather. Some of them fish. They make largish houses with no side walls. Decorative materials are used.
The Sentinelese wear little clothing. During hunting they wear leaves and belts for example as protection. They use javelins and a flat bow with arrows as weapons. It is thought that they speak the language of the same name but little is known regarding it. They love coconuts and also have wild honey, nuts and fruit for food. Many of them eat raw animal meat.
Anthropologists discovered that the Sentinelese tribes frequently take part in music, dancing and celebrations showing their happiness.
With the death of infants, they are buried in graves with shells on the top of them. Next to embers in their houses, a stick like a five fingered hand is put almost vertical into the ground.
Since the late 1960s, the Indian authorities tried to make peaceful contact with the Sentinelese but they are hostile to people trying to contact them and replied with arrows and stones. The Indian government now leaves them alone and going to the North Sentinel island is not allowed. There appears to be no agriculture among them.
Their language is different to other languages in the Andaman islands.
Prayer Points
1. Pray that the Indian Government will allow Christians to visit the Sentinelese.
2. Pray that the Sentinelese will not be hostile.
3. Pray that God makes a way for the Sentinelese to be able to be receptive to the gospel message and that they will come to Jesus Christ.
References
www.indianetzone.com/9/sentinelese_tribe.htm
www.atlasobscura.com/places/sentinelese
| Profile Source: Anonymous |