PROBASHI- A Cultural News Magazine Volume 2 Issue 2 | Page 7

Probashi-Cover Story

Creating Anthropological History

come back this time to stay and
the tribes were about to fight a
losing battle for their survival.

Archibald Blair, a capable naval
surveyor conducted the first topocum-hydrographical survey of the
Islands from Dec 1788 until April 1789
and reported suitability for human
settlement. Blair's report differed
from all previous accounts wherein
he described the natives in a much
favourable light than other observers
in the past. Port Blair is named after
him.

territory of the Jarawa tribes who
initially
resisted.
However
outgunned they shifted deeper into
the forest. After seven years of
occupation the British left the
Islands in 1796, unable to
withstand the severe living
conditions and malaria. But this
seven year British presence
introduced diseases which the
tribes were not immune to. The
worst effected was the Jarawa
tribes who died in large numbers.
For next sixty years the British
would not return to the Andamans,
leaving the tribes to remain in
peace and continue their huntergatherer lifestyle.
However events in Delhi were to
change the life of the tribes in the
Andamans forever. The mutiny of
1857 left a large number of
mutineers in the hand of the British
who decided to transport them to
the Andaman Islands and a penal
colony was setup. The British had

Ironically name of some of the Islands in the
Andaman Archipelago were given in honour of
the perpetrators who colonised the locals both in
mainland India and in the Island.
Austin I & II: Named after H Goswin Austin who
held charge of the Andamanese Homes that housed
the aborigines collectively called Great
Andamanese
Bingham Island: Named after Lt Bingham who
was killed by the tribes in the early days of the
settlement
Buchanan Island: Named after Capt Buchanan
who explored and surveyed the Islands in 1788
Colebrooke Island: After Lt Colebrook, the early
surveyor of the Islands
Havelock Island: Named after Brig Gen Henry
Havelock who broke the siege of the Residency at
Oudh during Mutiny
Hobday Island: After Mr Hodbay, an officer of the
settlement
Kyd Island: After Capt Kyd who was employed in
surveying the Islands
Mayo Island: After Lord Mayo, the Viceroy if
India who visited the islands and was murdered by
a Wahabi at Hope Town Jetty
Neill Island: After Brig Gen James Niell who took
revenging operations in Kanpur during
besiegement of the Residency at Lucknow
Nicholson Island: After Brig John Nicholson, who
inflicted cruel punishment against the sepoys of
the 66th Native during Mutiny of 1857
Outram Island: After James Outram , Chief
Commissioner of Oudh
Paget Island : Named after Lt Gen Edmund Paget
for suppression of the Mutiny of Barrackpore
Henry Lawrence Island: Named after Sir Henry
Lawrence who was in the Residency of Oudh at
the time of siege.

The first victim was the Great
Andamanese tribe, the most
numerous in number in the Islands.
The British knew that they had to
keep a stranglehold on the
dominant tribe, if they had any
hope of maintaining a permanent
presence in the islands. Thus
started what the British termed
“the taming process”, comprising
appeasement and terror. Terror
included providing opium, raiding
their
settlements,
assaulting
women and taking the Great
Andamanese
prisoners.
Appeasement efforts included )