Commentary (continued)

From Yves Balmer

The Andamanese Negritos teach us that there exists an alternative, completely different way of life. Now, of course, any reference to the Andaman people will make no sense at all, as long as we are convinced that modern societies represent the summit of evolution and that everything in our present world is fine... But is it really so? Is it not that industrialization has brought about a worldwide imbalance that increasingly threatens the survival of mankind itself? Within less than 300 years, we have managed to consume a large amount of the planet's resources, to increase deforestation, to diminish soil fertility, to enhance drought and desertification and modify the earth's climate. Of course, we have also achieved remarkable successes in science, technology, and medicine. If I suffered from toothache or had broken my leg, I would be far better off in Europe than on Sentinel Island. The fundamental problem of our world is that it is not sustainable. We are destroying the basics that sustain life on earth - in other words, we are sawing off the branch on which we sit. In this, the Andaman people have a lot to teach us. They have managed to survive tenthousands of years on a limited area of land, by taking from Mother Nature only what is required to live and leaving the environment intact for the next generation.

Yet, the Andamanese are no angels: violence is also part of their culture. Aggressions, however, are mainly associated with the defense of territory. Just how vital this is for their survival is shown by the near extinction of the Great Andamanese tribes. Viewed in this way, their aggressiveness can be called life sustaining.

Another problem that many people in modern societies complain of is the lack of time: we involve ourselves to such an extent in so many things that there is hardly time for leisure or for the cultivation of human relationships. The Andamanese, in reducing their material needs to a minimum, have plenty of time, and especially time for celebrating life.

When George asked me to take over the video section of his web side, I accepted without any hesitation, despite of my poor technological know-how. Better than any written text, the videos will show you the uniqueness of the Andamanese Negritos. You will be able to admire their solid self-confidence, their spontaneity, the elegance of their body language, their amazing vitality, and maybe you'll find yourself thinking, "What if I were one of them?" Is there not some degree of the wild woman or wild man slumbering in each one of us? If George Weber's website can contribute to helping us appreciate how exceptional the Andamanese culture is, then it will have more than fulfilled its purpose. <<< back