Sir Vijaya Puram (Port Blair): For the first time in India’s electoral history, 19 members of the Jarawa Tribe from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been added to the electoral roll for the Special Summary Revision-2025, as announced on Friday. Vinayak Chamadia, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of South Andaman, stated that this inclusion was part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation program. The special revision will continue until November 28.
Chamadia highlighted that this milestone was achieved under the guidance of Keshav Chandra, the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Arjun Sharma, the District Election Officer of South Andaman, marking the tribe’s first-ever participation in the election process. The 19 Jarawas are from the Jirkatang area of South Andaman, and the revision took place directly in their hamlet.
He emphasized the administration’s efforts to include as many Jarawas as possible in the electoral process, noting that the tribe inhabits the western coast of Middle Andaman and the South Andaman Islands. The first friendly contact with the Jarawas occurred in 1974, after which they became non-hostile towards the Contact Team, who bring gifts like coconuts and bananas.
The Jarawas remain a nomadic tribe, relying on hunting and gathering for sustenance. They hunt wild pigs and monitor lizards using bows and arrows, with iron-tipped arrows. Unlike other tribes such as the Onges and Andamanese, Jarawas do not use dogs for hunting. Men fish with bows and arrows in coastal waters, while women use baskets to catch fish. Mollusks are a significant part of their diet, and they gather fruits, roots, and honey from the forest. They construct temporary huts for shelter and use simple rafts to navigate creeks and streams. According to the 2001 census, the Jarawa population is approximately 240.