The rich culture and traditions of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands

INTRODUCTION
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of India's most valuable resources owing to their
strategic location and abundant natural resources. The island have a mixed culture
characterised by the two distinct native populations. They are the Negroid and the Mongoloid
settlers of the island. The mainstream culture was brought about by the early settlers from
Indian mainland. The culture of indigenous people of islands are most significant aspect of
the island. The inhabitants of the Andaman are of Negroid origin who were migrated from
Africa thousands of years ago. The main groups of Nicobar tribes are the Nicobari
(Nicobarese) and Shompens. Connecting the legends and theories by the historians, it is
known that the islands have always been inhabited by indigenous tribes like Andamanese,
Onges, Sentinelese, Shompens, and Jharwas, which managed to survive during the course of
time and even today are very much a part of the islands.
Today the culture of Andaman and Nicobar is a blend of various religions, languages and
ethnic groups. Port Blair, the capital city of the island has a cosmopolitan with people from
different part of the world. All the people live here peacefully maintaining the unique culture
of the territory. All the fairs and festivals are celebrated here with great unity and enthusiasm.
Festivals of every religion are equally.
One of the most unique offerings from the islands of Andaman and Nicobar is its tribal
culture, exotic flora and fauna. Baratang Island in Andaman is the only place in India with
mud volcanoes. India’s first commercial seaplane was launched here. To preserve marine life,
commercial fishing is banned in Andaman. The world’s largest sea turtle named
‘Leatherback’ is found here.

HISTORY

During the medieval period, the islands were a part of the Chola dynasty, whose rulers used it
as a naval base to carry out expeditions to foreign lands. At the end of the medieval period, it
became the colony of the Danish and later the Britishers. Britishers used the islands to put the
political prisoners in Cellular Jail, which is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Andaman
and Nicobar became a part of the Republic of India in 1950 and was made a Union Territory
in 1956. 

THE PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE

The people of Andaman and Nicobar  are divided mainly into two categories
indigenous tribal people and outside settlers. Both classes have different traditions and
cultures, which creates a beautiful combination.
The indigenous tribes are mainly hunters or horticulturists and do not have much
contact with outsiders. The present culture is mostly influenced by the outside settlers
who have a high standard of living. The most spoken language in Andaman and
Nicobar Islands is Bengali. Hindi is the official language and spoken widely after
Bengali. English is the second official language for communication purposes.
Other languages include Tamil, Telegu, Nicobarese, and Malayalam, which are spoken
by very few people. The people lead a very simple lifestyle. Most of the population is
engaged in Agricultural, Forestry and Fishing activities. There are less advancement
and development in the region in terms of jobs, resources and healthcare facilities.
Hunting is the common activity of the indigenous tribes. Some are also involved in
horticulture activities. Men and women both take care of all the household activities,
though hunting is reserved mainly for men.

THE TRIBES OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS

The Archipelago is home to 6 tribes. The 'Negrito' tribesare nomadic hunters by

occupation who are believed to arrive from Africa 60,000 years ago. The 'Mongoloid'
tribes arrived from Malay-Burma coast several thousand years ago. The Great
Andamanese suffered most due to the presence of outsiders.
Around 99% has been wiped out by the British. The Jarawa tribe lives entirely by
hunting, gathering, and fishing. The Sentineles are themost isolated of all the tribes.
The Shompen are isolated tribes of Great Nicobar Island who are hunter-gatherers.
The Nicobarese, unlike other tribes, are mainly horticulturalists.

Andamanese
At one point, the Andamanese were the most popular of the Andaman tribes. In the Battle of
Aberdeen in 1859, the British - armed with their guns, first arrived to colonize lands that
previously belonged to the Andamanese.
They were recently located on Strait Island where they benefit from the rights of being a
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group - a title they would not have received if their population
had been scattered across the numerous islands.

Sentinelese
Very little is known about the Sentinelese as they have vehemently refused all attempts of
contact from the rest of the world and insisted on remaining isolated. They occupy North
Sentinel Island and are known to be hostile to anybody attempting to associate with them.
Multiple fly-bys and other attempts to make friendly contact with them have been made but
they have refused to let outsiders get close to them. The exact number of Sentinelese people
is unknown as long-term contact with the tribe has been virtually impossible.

Jarawa
 The Jarawa is the Andaman islands tribe that has been most receptive to outside contact.
They have been known to voluntarily seek medical assistance in cases of emergency. There
are around 200-400 Jarawas who subsist on fishing, hunting and foraging. There are records
of regular contact being made with the Jarawa since the 1970s. The Great Andaman Trunk
Road - commonly known as NH 4, was constructed on land that previously belonged to the
Jarawa. This move almost forced them to regularly interact with the other residents of the
islands.

Onge
The Onge tribe resides in Little Andaman and is also friendly to outsiders. They are semi-
nomadic and depend on hunting and foraging for sustenance. They have been regularly
contacted since the 1950s and have since accepted gifts like sugar, tobacco and clothes,
among others. Lack of land for hunting has led to some sections of the Onge tribe settling
down in one location and practising agriculture. There are around 100 remaining Onge, while
the rest have fallen prey to epidemics like measles.

Shompen
First contacted in the 1840s, the Shompen are one of the most populous tribes of Andaman
Nicobar island. There are around 200-300 Shompen who mainly reside on Great Nicobar
Island. They have not been very receptive to the outside world, so there is no knowing how
many have survived epidemic outbreaks, COVID-19 etc. They are primarily hunter-gatherers.

CULTURE OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR

The culture of Andaman and Nicobar is diverse and comprises various native communities
and descendants of people who arrive at the island during the medieval period. Some native
communities are Negrito in Andaman, Shompen, and Mongoloid Nicobarese. Apart from
these indigenous communities, Bengalis, Tamils, and Christians reside here and add the
essence of their traditions to the culture of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
Many festivals celebrated in mainland India are also observed in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, such as Durga Pooja, Diwali, Shivratri, Ganesha Chaturthi, Guru Nanak Jayanti,
Holi, Christmas, and Ramzan. In addition to these mainstream festivals, many annual fairs
are also organized for the amusement of tourists, such as the Island Tourism Festival, Beach
Festival at Corbyn’s Cove Beach, Monsoon Music festival in Port Blair, and a 3-day
Andaman Film Festival.  
Music and Dance is an important part of Andaman’s culture. The Andamanese have their own
folk music, which is a reflection of the rich heritage.
What makes their music unique is the originality in the genre. They do not follow any style or
let it get influenced by western culture. All tribes have different songs of their own.
All their songs are accompanied by a dance. The oldest traditional dance of the region is
Nicobari. The Nicobari tribe performs this dance form during the Ossuary Feast. It is the way
of showing respect to departed souls.

ART AND HANDICRAFTS OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR

The art and craft of Andaman and Nicobar islands have their admirers across the world for
finely crafted and creative artifacts. Tourists always take away shell made items, handmade
bamboo products, cane items, wooden decor products, palm mats, and a lot more as
souvenirs.
The people of Andaman and Nicobar islands are experts in wood, cane and bamboo works.
The main handicrafts are created from raw materials like Padauk, Badam, Gurjan, Canes,
bamboo coral, shells, driftwood, seaweeds, which are found in abundance.
Woodwork and carpentry are local crafts. Wooden articles include furniture, marblewood,
Paduak, and Chui. The driftwood is converted into decorative art objects. On some islands,
the wooden statues of couples, animals, and birds are also made by the locals. Their bamboo
and cane works include exquisite items like cane baskets, furniture, etc. Another important
handicraft is Shell craft, which includes ashtrays, lamps, jewelry, etc.
The tortoise shell is also used to make boxes and decorative items. Handicrafts from coconut
shells are also made. Basketry and Mat Making are important traditional crafts of Nicobar.
Mats are made with Pandanus leaves and coconut stems. Another functional craft including
the making of crossbows.

FOOD OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR

The cuisine of Andaman and Nicobar has Bengali influence as this community is a majority
demographically. Due to this, tourists will find fish curry and Macher Jhol majorly in all the
restaurants. Besides the Bengali cuisine, you can relish seafood like Grilled Lobsters,
Coconut Prawn Curry, Tandoori Fish, Chilli Curry, Amritsari Kulcha, and Barbeque Food. In
addition to food, the restaurants and the cafes serve some soul-refreshing mocktails and
cocktails that are hard to resist. The eating joints comprising beachside shacks and restaurants
host some happening parties where you will groove to the beats while delighting your taste
buds.

LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS

INTRODUCTION
A group of 36 exotic islands, Lakshadweep is a Union Territory spread in an area of 32
square kilometers in the Arabian Sea. An interesting fact about the UT is that its Sanskrit and
Malayalam translations mean a hundred thousand islands, and in the olden times, it was
called Laccadive islands.

History Of Lakshadweep 

The ancient history of Lakshadweep is not documented, hence only legends connect us to the
history and heritage of these exotic groups of islands. According to historians, these islands
got discovered when the search parties went searching for the last Kerala King Cheraman
Perumal, who went to Mecca via sea route. 
In the 7th century, a saint named St.Ubaidullah(r) fell asleep while praying in Mecca and
dreamt about Prophet Mohammad(s), who asked him to spread Islam to distant places.
Following this dream, St. Ubaidullah(r) went to Jeddah and took ships from there to travel
further. On his voyage, he got hit by a storm that wrecked the ship and he landed at Amini
island. He again dreamt of the Prophet, who asked him to spread the religion on this island.
St. Ubaidullah(r) started doing that, which infuriated the headman of the island. But nothing
could dampen his spirit, and he continued to do and even traveled to Andrott and spread the
teachings of Islam. He breathed his last at Andrott, where his grave is present and is a sacred
place today. 
Subsequently, when the Portuguese arrived, they started looting the islands to procure coir,
but the legends have it that the inhabitants fought bravely and ended the Portugal invasion.
Later, Chirakkal Raja took over the administration of the Amini group of islands, which got
passed on to Arakkal of Cannanore. In 1799, the islands got taken over by the British East
India Company. After the independence of India, in 1956 it was formed a Union territory and
in 1973 its name was changed to Lakshadweep.    

People and Language

With the exception of the peoples of Minicoy, most people of Lakshadweep are descendants
of migrants from the Malabar Coast of southwest India, who had arrived in the islands
sometime before the 7th century CE. After becoming established in the islands, these
migrant communities converted to Islam. Although Islam is the predominant religion in
contemporary Lakshadweep, vestiges of the religious and social orientation of the
original Hindu migrants are evident in the existence of a matrilineal kinship system and
castelike social groups.

Most of the Lakshadweep islanders speak Malayalam. Mahi (or Mahl), which is akin to
old Sinhalese, is spoken on Minicoy, however. Some people also speak Hindi. The
population is concentrated mostly on the islands of Andrott, Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Amini.

Culture Of Lakshadweep 
The culture of Lakshadweep is as vibrant as its beaches. The most popular folk dance forms
performed on special occasions and festivals are Kolkali, Parichakali, and Lava. Another
traditional dance form is Oppana, in which a lead singer sings a song and is accompanied by
a group of women, this is performed in marriages. Major events and festivals celebrated with
great zest in Lakshadweep are Republic Day, Independence Day, Muharram, Eid Ul Fitr,
Milad-ul-Nabi, and Bakrid.   

Art And Handicraft Of Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep is popular for coir products that can be taken as souvenirs and to adorn your
living space. In addition to the coir items, tourists can also get their hands on handmade
jewelry made of seashells, oysters, and corals. You can explore all these handcrafted items at
the shops or beachside stalls.  

Food Of Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep serves an elaborate vegetarian and nonvegetarian platter comprising many
drool-worthy coastal and authentic Keralite dishes. Some of the most popular dishes that are
worth trying are Mus Kavaab, Octopus Fry, Sannath, Maasu Podichath, Avial, Tuna dishes,
and Kadalakka. 
Tribes of Lakshadweep

Tribes of Lakshadweep amount to huge in number, with the Indian

government administering the union territory as a tribal dominating area, with hundreds of
sects surviving. Lakshadweep contains a major population dedicated to tribal section.
However, scheduled tribes are another sect that adds up to the population count. The major
tribal communities that dwell in Lakshadweep comprise Aminidivi, Koyas, Malmis and
Melacheris. All these tribes have their distinct status in the community. The excellent
craftsmanship of these tribal people has also made them popular across the globe. Looking at
the huge population of these tribal communities in Lakshadweep, the island can well be
referred to as a tribal dominating area.

Some of these communities own land on these islands while other work as labourers. The
majority of the tribal population in Lakshadweep follows Islam. Most of these tribes earn
their livelihood through fishing and cultivation.
Aminidivi Tribe of Lakshadweep: Aminidivis are considered to be the first group of people
to have initiated inhabiting these islands. They started living in an island called Amini and in
present times it teems with Aminidivi people. They are most recognised for their hand-made
crafts. They are also acknowledged for their different rituals and unique way of celebrating
festivals making their festivals a grand affair.

Koya Tribe of Lakshadweep: Formerly known as Tarawadis, the Koyas are the chief land
owning class of the society. They take into account by themselves as outstanding and
maintain distance from other communities.

Malmi Tribe of Lakshadweep: In past they were sailors of Koyas and helped them within
their sailing functions. They are able to pilot the vessel successfully than the other
communities.

Melacheri Tribe of Lakshadweep: Melacheris are considered to be the main working

community on the island. Their main profession is to gather nuts from coconut trees.