Andaman and nicobar

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a cluster of some beautiful islands on earth

Andaman and Nicobar culture show a mix of the indigenous cultures of the Negroid

and the Mongoloid settlers of the island, as well as a more mainstream culture brought down by the descendants of the early settlers in the island from the Indian mainland. The migrants also contributed to the culture of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The greatest feature of Andaman and Nicobar Islands culture is the peaceful coexistence of these two strains of cultural lives. The inhabitants of the Andamans are of Negroid origin and migrated from Africa thousands of years ago, way back in the later Paleolithic age. The main ethnic groups are:
Andamanese Onge Jarawa Sentinalese

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a cluster of some beautiful islands on earth. They form an Indian State and the group of islands is mostly dependent on tour and tourism, and agriculture The aboriginal tribes of the islands still stay naked and move around. They are untouched from theoutside world. The Sentinelese tribe of Andaman Islands has no link with outside world and they do not wear any cloth. They account a very small popular of the islands but their life is a mystery. Sentinelese tribe of Andaman and Nicobar Island There is a dominant community as well of the islands known as Jarwas, who wear armband, necklaces, waistband, barks of trees and other traditional clothing and jewelries. A lot of changes have been seen on the islands and their lifestyle and culture, and now inhabitants do not restrict themselves to wearing coconut-leaf dresses and similar types of clothing. Now they wear modern clothing. Similar thing has happened with the Onges tribe that has now adopted traditional dress after leaving their no dress culture. TheShormpen individuals only cover themselves from the waist.

Christians, Sikhs and Hindus living on the islands wear their traditional and modern dresses like Kurtas, Dhoti, saree, salwars, Payjamas, t-shirts, shirts, trousers etc. They are well-connected with the outside world so they keep on changing their clothing like other modernpeople of India.

The festivals of Andaman and Nicobar Islandscount occasions like Durga Puja to Dipawali, and from Christmas to Janmashtami. The colorful riot of the nature brings a new zeal for the peasants in the Holi festival. Even>festivals in Andaman and Nicobar Islands also include Onam and Pongal which are celebrated with equal enthusiasm. The Island Tourist Festival which lasts for ten days is a grand festival which allures a large number of tourists every year. This festival is celebrated during the chilly winter season and thus in this period the Andaman and Nicobar island sees a large number of tourists across the world. The Island Tourism Festival is a mega event of this place where people from different schools assemble to perform. This is a unique place for the local people also as this festival gives the craftsmen a scope to explore their craftsmanship to the world.

Many people from various corners of the country visit Andaman to enjoy the festivals of the place.

Languages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands vary from community to community. Since the Union Territory is an abode to all types of communities, all the major languages of India are spoken here. The major languages spoken at Andaman and Nicobar Islands are listed below :

Hindi,Tamil,Telugu,English,Punjabi,Kannada,Gujarati,Malayalam,Bengali,Marathi,Oriya,Karen,Burmese Apart from the above, there are some triballanguages spoken around Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are :Andamanese Onge Sentinelese Nicobarese Jarawa Since the cluster of islands have people from various cultural backgrounds and communities, so different languages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are used. But the majority of the population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands speak Hindi. English is also spoken a by a large number of people along with their regional languages.

The main reason behind such vast diversity in Andaman and Nicobar languages is that the group of islands have people who have migrated from different states and communities to serve the punishment of "Kaala Pani" during the British rule. Thats how the Union Territory has people using different languages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

CANE AND BAMBOO Cane and Bamboo Work is carried on by settlers from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh . They are capable of making various items according to designs provided. Left to themselves, they generally copy designs from old catalogues. Beautiful hole cane baskets made out of thin cane twigs that are not split, are used by women for carrying market produce and for storage. A cheaper type is used by labourers engaged in construction work. Mention may also be made of the cane work done in the cellular jail. This is mostly furniture made to order. The total number of artisans engaged in cane and bamboo work in the Andaman is estimated at about 50. SHELL CRAFT A fairly large number of shell workers, organised as private units, function in the islands. Their products extend from cleaned and polished decorative shells to table lamps, ashtrays, jewellery and buttons. There is much scope for improvement and expansion of sales in this line; a number of finer objects, for example, can be made from the polished shells with their pearly shine. An interesting resource material is Tortoise Shell; large shells in beautiful shades are available here, and could be put to very imaginative use. Small boxes-round and square-as well as bangles made of tortoise shell would find customers quite easily, particularly in the west. So far, articles such as table lamps and some jewellery and decorative items have been attempted. COCONUT SHELL Not long ago, the local industries department at Port Blair initiated training in making articles out of coconut shells. The items, which include table lamps, finger bowls and other objects, have become quite popular. Jewellery made of coconut shell is another possibility, which may find an export market. OTHER CRAFTS One craftsman in Webi village, in the Middle Andamans, was engaged in hats of palm leaves and bamboo strips. Before he died, a few years ago, the All India Handicraft Board arranged to train some young boys under him, to keep the craft alive. Another who specialised in making walking sticks and billiard sticks out of marblewood, also trained a group of apprentices under the sponsorship of the handicrafts Board.

NICOBARESE DANCE

Nicobarese dance is performed by Nicobarese who live in the Island of Car Nicobar. Among the many fascinating tribal groups that inhabit the islands of Andaman and Nicobar, Nicobarese is the only tribe who has lived in isolation and have unique traditional tribal ways. They are not even remotely influenced by modern civilisation and education. The Festive Rituals Colourful tribal festivities are still observed in Nicobar Islands . The Nicobarese dance is performed during the "Ossuary Feast or the Pig Festival", which is dedicated to the departed head of the family. The occasion is observed with nightlong dancing in full moon light, under waving coconut palms. The dancers, dressed in coconut fronds, step gracefully in time, to traditional songs. The feast is followed by a pig fight in the morning.

The people of this Union Territory are deprived of many facilities till date and thus are living far behind the civilization. The food of the Andaman and Nicobar people are mainly the sea foods which are very common in this place. The people there are mainly non vegetarians depending primarily on sea foods. The food of the Andamanese mainly comprises of non veg items like meat. They also intake a lot of fruits that are found in abundance in the forests of Andaman andNicobar islands. Most of the peasants of the island were hunters at a time. As such they used to feed on flesh of birds and wild animals. For a long time, the usage of fire was unknown to them. Tropical foods are found in the hilly parts of this island. Mango, banana, orange, pineapple, guava are some common fruits that are found in the markets of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Due to the increasing attractions of the visitors towards this place many restaurants have grown up who are preparing delicious Indian, Chinese and Continental food items. But original Andaman foods could hardly be found there. The Andaman food prepared from fish are a very popular cuisine of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Since fishis found in abundance in the sea, so people of Andaman like to take more and more fish in their meal.

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