Hostile borders on historical landscapes : the placeless place of Andamanese culture

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of meanings attributed to contacts between Jarwas and non-Jarwas in the Andaman Islands. Unlike other Andaman tribal groups, the Jarwas are confined to a government-designated area of 765 square kilometres of forest reserve, which is only a fraction of their former tribal land. Since early colonial occupation, government parties have sought out Jarwas on the west coast of the island they inhabit, bringing them gifts to try to establish friendly relations. On the eastern side of Jarwa territory, on the other hand, the Jarwas raid settlements and occasionally kill settlers and police who venture into their territory. The paper addresses the issue of how the contact event on the eastern side is different in Jarwa eyes from what occurs on the western side. The boundaries are given meanings by the various outsiders and the Jarwas, and these meanings are not fixed. Although contact events are in tended to establish 'friendly' relations with 'hostile' Jarwas, no true relationship of trust and understanding has yet been established. This underlines the fact that meanings are bound by cultural, political and historical contexts.