How have they remained out of the grasp of whitey for so long? There’s a few factors that have allowed them to continue their own lives in peace. Their island is too small to be of huge value to the imperialists, the ring of coral around the island makes it pretty difficult to navigate around and it has no natural harbours.

Their coral border also means the island has natural shallow lagoons teeming with sushi so the tribe themselves have never had to leave their idyll for food and can survive without interaction with anyone, thank you very much.

2004 saw the huge tsunami that devastated much of the region, but it didn’t dampen their spirits. Their island was pushed up with such force that they now have slightly more space to play with. A relief helicopter delivering food parcels was fired at by a Sentinelese archer, sending out the message that they still didn’t need us.

Here’s a shot of the warrior having a go at a chopper:

In 2006, a couple of drunk fishermen drifted too close to the island. Both were killed and buried on the beach, and an attempt by an Indian Navy helicopter to retrieve the bodies was thwarted by a hail of arrows.

Good on you Sentinelese. Keep doing it your own way, it’s obviously working. Modernisation is overrated.

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