North Sentinel. Why do we know so little about the inhabitants of this forbidden island?
The island of North Sentinel is inhabited by a tribe untouched by civilization, and every attempt to make contact with them ends in failure. Who are the Sentinels and what makes them unique? Why is the island a forbidding place?
Still in the 21st century, a small number of people have managed to survive, isolating themselves from globalized civilization. There are fewer and fewer of them, and with them more indigenous cultures and their languages are being lost. The Sentinels are unique in this regard. They have the island on their own, no one bothers them, and even contact with the islanders is forbidden by law.
Where is Sentinel Island located?
The small island of Sentinel is located west of the Andaman archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. The island has long been known to be populated, but was avoided due to the hostile attitude of the islanders. In 1947, it was theoretically incorporated into India under the name North Sentinel. In fact, however, the Sentinels still have full independence. The potential lack of important natural resources further promotes the isolation of the natives from forceful intervention. Since 2005, entry to the island has been banned by law.
