[greeferweq]

The andamanese and I presume also the nicobarese were recently shown to be rather good proximates for the ancestral south indians (asi). All native indians of today have asi ancestry and I guess one could include all the middle-easternes, most europeans and a big percentage of africans. One shouldn't forget east-asians as well.

So most people on this earth carry asi ancestry in varying proportions and one could claim that from a gentical identification standpoint they currently fare better in India than the aryans (ani) do - who are also practically extinct on a regional basis.

However the andamanese and the nicobarese only number in the hundreds today. It's doubtless that they constitute an important part of human variation.

1. Should the world work to preserve this people (or peoples)?

2. How should this be done more concretely? Should their living culture and way of life be preserved as well? Can the two sides of the coin - genetics and culture - be partly separated in such a preservation effort with good results?

2. Should their living culture and way of life be preserved as well or should one focus on only one side of the coin and let them have the fruits of modern society while still preserving their genotype? To which extent would this be possible?

3. Should such a preservation effort lead to the conclusion that all main genotypes should be preserved in some way?

Obviously one could claim that it's only natural that mixed peoples grow stronger numerically and powerwise as time goes by while the unmixed weaken and eventually die out but that development is very ancient in India and has been driven to it's extreme so the question is whether one should let it reach it's natural end or not?

Personally I want them to be preserved and I believe that it's necessary to increase their numbers to the thousands or tens of thousands to ensure this as well as making sure that they are spread out on more islands or locations on these islands. I realize though that an even larger andamanese population might cause different ecological as well as political problems.

Also, interfering a lot with another populations destiny might be considered wrongful by some but it could also be considered very humanistic since it would be a question of ensuring their survival. However if a larger andamanese population would need to be demographically controlled in some way - that would certainly be controversial.

One could of course also choose to see the tamils as the close-enough descendants of the nicobarese who are at the same time more prepared for a "modern" life on an overcrowded planet. However one could also claim that it is the other populations who need to shrink so that we all can live from what nature offers in a non- processed way.

[Zebrabitch]

I think we should let evolution do it's thing, humans are too ready to meddle in processes which produce the best results when environmental stress is at it's highest. Remove stresses and we remove the impetus for evolution.

Besides, it wouldn't work.

[Elelaytet]

I sideshot is that I think they should be prioritized for full genome studies. I wonder sometimes whether geneticists and genetic companies don't want the whole story or simply are bad at choosing testing strategies.

[NvrNoNowX]

I sideshot is that I think they should be prioritized for full genome studies. I wonder sometimes whether geneticists and genetic companies don't want the whole story or simply are bad at choosing testing strategies.

Agreed. But to artificially support ANY population is counterproductive in the end, IMO.

[QYD8eQ8F]

Andamanese and Nicobarese aren't exactly related. Andamanese are Negritos, Nicobarese are Austronesians like Philipinos.

[Kryfamid]

Andamanese and Nicobarese aren't exactly related. Andamanese are Negritos, Nicobarese are Austronesians like Philipinos.

The term Negrito itself is loaded. Aeta of the Philipinnes are not closely related, nor do they look exactly likethe Andamanese. Even among the Andamanese, the Great Andamanese and the Jarawa show some small differences.

[Bletlemof]

interesting thread, yes they are indeed very unique, I would hate to loose such people, God knows how have they survived for so long

[M1iFiNmC]

Species and ethnicities dissapear when they are capable of surviving and thriving. That's just how life goes. Useful lesson for western countries with low birthrates and high immigration waves, you will dissapear if you don't save yourselves.

[Geetiill]

I think they should be in isolated zones and allowed to practice their indigenous culture without interference. Much like Star Trek's prime directive.

[wheettebott]

idk but the way you worded that title sounds disrespectful to me. like you are equating them to some endangered species like a rhino or a rare tropical bird or something.

anyways no. its up to them to protect their cultural ways, not us. if they can't then they get swallowed up by the dominant cultures in their region, just like everywhere else. thats just the way things go. i think that is the natural progression of things. a stronger or more advanced civilization comes along and they either fight them to keep their heritage intact or they assimilate to gain a more equal fitting, or they die out.