Social Identity and Mental Well-being among the Jarawa and Onge Tribes of the Andaman Islands

Abstract

The Andaman Islands, located in the Bay of Bengal, are home to some of the most ancient and relatively isolated tribal communities in the world. Among these, the Jarawa and Onge tribes stand out due to their small population size, distinct sociocultural systems, and continued reliance on a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. The Jarawa, numbering approximately 430 individuals (as per the 2011 Census and Anthropological Survey of India updates), inhabit the western forests of South and Middle Andaman Islands. The Onge, whose population has dwindled to around 120, reside primarily in the Dugong Creek area of Little Andaman Island. These communities are officially classified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) due to their declining demography, subsistence economy, and limited interaction with the mainstream population. Geographically, the Andaman Islands are characterized by tropical rainforests, coastal ecosystems, and limited infrastructural penetration. This natural isolation historically shielded the Jarawa and Onge from external influences, enabling the preservation of unique cultural identities. However, over the last few decades, increased contact due to road construction (e.g., the Andaman Trunk Road), tourism, and welfare interventions has led to significant psychosocial stress, cultural disruption, and threats to their mental well-being. This study aims to explore the relationship between social identity and mental well-being among the Jarawa and Onge tribes through a multidisciplinary lens, drawing on insights from tribal psychology, medical anthropology, and public policy. It uses secondary data from the Anthropological Survey of India, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and research conducted by scholars such as Verrier Elwin, Madhumala Chattopadhyay, and N.G. Chellappan. The paper examines how these tribes construct their social identity through kinship systems, oral traditions, ecological interactions, and spiritual beliefs, and how these factors contribute to emotional resilience in the face of rapid socio-environmental change. The study also investigates psychological stressors, including forced cultural adaptation, dependency on welfare supplies, disease exposure, and restrictions on traditional movements. While access to modern health services and ration systems has brought certain material benefits, it has also inadvertently weakened traditional roles, healing systems, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. Indicators of psychosocial distress among the Onge, such as increased alcohol use, child malnutrition, and episodes of collective grief, reflect the fragile balance between preservation and imposed change. By contrast, the Jarawa community, though also affected, has maintained a comparatively stronger resistance to external influences, partly due to their strict protection regime under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956 (ANPATR). The article underscores the importance of culturally sensitive mental health frameworks, which recognize indigenous social identity as central to well-being. It advocates for non-intrusive, community-driven engagement models that support traditional livelihoods, enable youth empowerment, and minimize psychological trauma through respect for tribal autonomy. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on tribal welfare policy, identity preservation, and mental health inclusion within India’s diverse socio-cultural landscape.