Another American influence on social media has done something stupid – and incredible disrespect – abroad.
In March, YouTuber is named Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, who sets under the name Neo-orerientalist, tried to communicate illegally with a protected group of native people called Sentineles, according to a statement by Survival International, an organization that is advocated by the rights of indigenous and tribal people. Sentineles are one of the most elected natives in the world, according to the organization, which means that contact with outsiders could lead to the spread of devastating diseases within their communities.
Sentineleys live on the wooded island of the northern sentinel size of Manhattan in the Indian Ocean and violently resists contact with all foreigners. After repeated attempts to contact the Sentineles in the 70’s, the 80s and the 90s ended with violence -in some cases and deaths -the Indian government ceased to try to make friends with them, according to Survival International. Currently, it is – and unambiguously – delicious to visit the island of North Sentinel.
But it seems that it did not apply to Polyakova, which landed on the island long enough to leave the coconut and can of the car, and luckily saw any of Sentinele. Indian authorities have arrested him, and YouTuber is now facing a possible prison.
“In a reckless attempt to draw attention to social media, his illegal actions could erase the entire Sentinelese tribe by introducing new diseases such as flu to which they do not have immunity,” Survival International Statement.
In fact, contact with outsiders has previously decimated the isolated indigenous community. The population of people, who inhabited the nearby little Andaman Island, rejected by 85% After the arrival of British colonists and Indian settlers, according to Survival International. The great Andaman peoples suffered even more drastic consequences: their population rejected by 99% After forced contact.
Polyakov could also kill himself. Even if he gets a prison sentence, his violation will still have a happier end than that of John Allen ChauA missionary from the USA, who illegally visited the island of North Sentinel in 2018 in an attempt to evangelize his inhabitants, and finally killed Sentineles.
Very little is known about Sentineles. What we know comes from the observation of the ships that float outside the Sentinelese Sagittarius range, as well as very few interactions that did not degenerate into violence – like 1991, when the Sentineles accepted the gifts of Indian officials, explains the statement.
Sentineles seem to maintain their way of life in the rainforest hunting, gathering and fishing on boats like canoos, living in large utility huts or smaller temporary shelters. They also make bows, arrows and spears, International Survival reports. Different observers documented the presence of children and pregnant women, with a total population size estimated at about 150. However, we do not know what the Sentineleys are called alone or the island on which they live.
In the 19th century, the British officer led the party to the island, where they abducted two elders and four children. The older individuals died, after which the children returned to the island with gifts. Although we do not know the broad consequences of these actions, the children would probably have infected their community with foreign diseases. This, along with other experiences, could trigger an intergenerational trauma that strengthened the rejection of people.
“The Sentineles made it clear that they did not want to contact,” Survival writes in the international statement. “It’s a wise choice.”