Walmartization of Andaman Tribals by Tourists and Evangelists

India’s tribal people, even those who are at the risk of going extinct, are under threat from Tourists and Evangelists. Throughout history, mindless tourists – seeking exotic joy – and evangelists seeking numbers have devastated entire continents and washed them clear of rich and substantive cultures into a large Walmart of one monotheistic clan.

The same combination of devastating camouflaging as altruists – Tourists and Evangelists – are now hitting the Andaman tribals.

Tribals in Andaman are of a very different race. They belong to the same race as the Africans – probably even pygmies. There is no certain theory on how they landed in there. And by some counts, only 200 of them are left.

Earlier there was a controversy of how the tour operators were using the Jarawa tribe people – in their nakedness – to dance infront of the tourists for money. They call it “Human Safari”, as if these tribals are some kind of animals.

This news created a big hue and cry. There are rules of how these tribes cannot be touched or communicated with by outsiders in an attempt to save them from complete extinction. Just because it sounds cool to some touristy idiot to see some tribal African looking half nude woman dancing in front of you, doesn’t mean that such people should be made into an exhibit and run down to extinction.

So Government has special laws.

And then come the Churches and Evangelists, who are above law even. So, they not only get the tribals in Andaman out in their finery – all the leaves filled garlands and their upper naked bodies – but have them dance Bollywood style to their own Western tunes.

I have nothing against Bollywood dancing or Western music. There is a beauty in all of that. JUST LIKE there is a LOT of beauty in tribal culture. Its authenticity and nature-hugging simplicity and even naivette has a tenderness that should be nurtured and protected at all costs.

Over-riding such culture with your own power-backed pop stuff makes the latter look extremely ugly and pathetic.

This creation – ENTIRE creation came from ONE source, which was subtle – while Creation was Gross (Matter). That is known scientifically. Before creation, there was complete equality, but Creation points to diversity. Diversity makes Creation what it is. Anyone who wants to impose supremacy of a gross thing over everything else, is doing grave harm to the very essence of Creation.