The invisible people – how those outside history live on North Sentinel Island

The article explores the Sentinelese people, who live in complete isolation on North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal. It describes their hunter-gatherer lifestyle, their lack of contact with the outside world, and the reasons why any attempts at intrusion are forbidden.

The article 'The invisible people – how those outside history live on North Sentinel Island' focuses on the Sentinelese, one of the last fully isolated tribes on Earth. North Sentinel Island, part of the Andaman archipelago, is home to this people, whose population is estimated at between several dozen and 150 individuals. The Sentinelese live as hunter-gatherers, hunting wild pigs, turtles, and gathering honey and forest fruits. They show ingenuity by adapting metal from shipwrecks for spear and arrow tips. The article describes the tragic history of contact with the outside world. In 1880, a British expedition kidnapped a family, whose adult members soon died from diseases. In the 20th century, Indian researchers left gifts, but contact was not established. In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was killed while attempting to land on the island. The main reason for the strict ban on approaching the island is the Sentinelese lack of immunity to common diseases, making any intrusion deadly for them.