The death of a language means the passing of many things — a way of life, a cultural identity, a repository of indigenous knowledge. Language is not merely a mechanical means of communication but a medium that shapes the very way we think; as the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein observed, the limits of one’s language are the limits of one’s world. The outpouring of nostalgic sorrow and ruminative melancholy over the death at 85 of Boa Sr — the last speaker of the Bo, one of the ten languages of the tribes that populated the Great Andaman archipelago — is recognition that the passing of this grand old lady represents the irreplaceable loss of a part of the world’s heritage, the passage of the remnants of a living culture into memory. It is a reminder of the fragility of the indigenous people of the Andaman islands and the importance of protecting their lives and their culture — which dates back an estimated 70,000 years — from further degradation in the name of ‘upliftment’ and ‘civilisation.’ The dwindling numbers of indigenous people, most of whom were either killed by British colonisers or died through diseases imported by settlers, is reflected starkly in the population of Great Andamenese, down to around 50 from an estimated 5,000 a century ago. Once in residence along the length of the Great Andaman region, they now live in tiny Strait Island, largely deprived of their cultural and linguistic identities.
Only three other tribes survive in the Andaman islands: the 250 or so Jarawas, who resisted contact with outsiders until two decades ago and whose way of life is threatened by the ‘friendly contact’ promoted by the Great Andaman Trunk Road that cuts through their forest homeland; the Onges (around 100), who live in a remote pocket in the Little Andaman; and the Sentinelese, who have fiercely resisted outside contact, and whose numbers and language remain unknown. The Andamans is celebrated for being a storehouse of faunal and floral diversity but its linguistic and cultural diversity has largely been neglected. The languages or dialects of the Great Andamanese are regarded as one of the five language families in India; if Onge-Jarawa is derived from a separate linguistic ancestor as some believe, then this remarkable region would have contributed to two of six language families. While the study of language and cultures is a matter for academics, the effort to preserve them is a political enterprise, a process that requires empowering indigenous communities to protect their ancient traditions and tap into local resources in an autonomous and sustainable way. In the Andamans, more than elsewhere, we need to protect the future of the past.
Keywords: Austrian philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, culture, Andaman islands, Great Andaman Trunk Road, cultural development
Sincere thanks for reporting this incidence.
It is sad that today Shiv Sena gets more media attention than such social loss.
Hope the scarcity of comments here does not mean that people haven't noticed.
Sad indeed.
I would like to thank the editors for bringing such a relevant issue to the limelight, an issue often sidelined by the mainstream media. The passing away of the last speaker of the Great Andamanese language is a symbolic end to the cultural diversity of the tribe. The event should act as a wake up call to the Indian Government in Andamans to the threat of modern civilization to the native tribes of Andamans. One of the other tribes of the island, the Jarawa, is facing neo-colonial style subjugation at the hands of the island's administrators and the settlers from mainland. They have been made prisoners in their own land. The Andaman trunk road will cut through their meager territory and bring them even close in contact with the settlers. Reports and video evidence show that the 'friendly contact' initiated by Govt. has made the tribe tobacco addicts, so much so that they beg to the settlers and tourist for it. We have made beggars of a vibrant tribe.
The Andaman is a bio diversity rich region and the vast variety of language spoken by its tribes speaks volumes about its bio-cultural diversity. The modern civilization has a lot to learn from the sustainable way of life followed by the native tribe. They are also citizens of the Indian Republic and their rights needs to be protected
Orientalists have talked about the affinity between Sanskrit & European langauges. But the Govt. is not making efforts to save Sanskrit, a language of our ancient culture.
Are we improved version of our forefathers at all? In race to improvement through modern ways of thinking and living, are we not giving up on good things about our forefathers - love of language for instance, patience and tolerance towards other regional languages?
It is high time for India to recognize the aspirations of people living in a distant land of Andamans. The people there must also get a chance to proclaim themselves as the proud citizens of India.
The death of a language is itself a blow to the cultural remnants and has a socially deplorable effect on the generations to follow. The society is build by its people. The society is remembered by its history. The government of India must strive to protect the keepsakes which can be used to understand the culture and traditions of a tribe very different from us.
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