Among the lush, dense rainforests in
an island off the coast of India, lies a native people so out of touch with
society that the entire tribe was nearly wiped out by a minor case of measles.
The Jarawa Indians of the Andaman Islands, at an estimated population of
250-400, are the only surviving and active Paleolithic tribe to this date. In
their prime, the hunter-gatherers were a thriving people, and part of a larger
class known as the Great Andamanese. For thousands of years, the ten tribes
that made up the Andamanese circle were the only inhabitants of the island.
However, this circle has since been decimated due to British settlement, and the
spread of opiates in the late 18th century; leaving the Jarawa the only
remaining ancestors of an ancient society. In recent years, the tribe has
become significantly more exposed to modern civilization through the
construction of the Andaman Trunk Road. Since its construction in the 1970's,
the Andaman Trunk Road has been a substantial source of tourism; allowing tour
buses to ravage the native's homeland in a process which is referred to as "Human
safari". In addition to invasion of privacy, the road has also allowed for
an influx of poachers and commercial exploitation of members of the pre-modern
society. This increased exposure, endorsed by the use of the Andaman Trunk
Road, puts the Jarawa at colossal risk for harm/disease. If allowed to
continue, it could lead to an overall extinction of the only remaining
Paleolithic people.
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