The Sentinelese

The Sentinelese live on the North Sentinel Island, just off the South Andaman island in the Indian Ocean - or about 600 km from Thailands west coast.

They are probably the "less known about" - but yet known - tribe in the world. I found it interesting that their huts in the interior of the island have never been visited by anyone from the "civilized world". The tribe simply refuse contact with other than their own people, even they accept gifts such as coconuts when given to them.

Indian authorities have strictly forbidden visiting the island. Their authorities reason may not be the same as your reason. There are claims that they are cannibals.

A helicopter flying over the island to check the situation after the tsunami of Dec 26, 2004 was attacked by a man shooting arrows, so the inhabitants (only a total of between 30 and 250 of them(!)) were probably ok. Rumours say that there is no way they had problems with the tsunami even though the island is very exposed. They could certainly feel something bad was coming. Who knows. Satellite images before and after the tsunami indicate that the reef surrounding their island once turquoise now has turned sand-colored. Seems the reef has been filled with sand. Let's hope fish is still available enabling them to live on. Other tribes in the area have been taken to the mainland, but not the Sentinelese. They'd never go.

Here's one of the most interesting site I found about the Sentinelese. Includes a few videos of the tribe. One of them is really cute, showing a woman pulling a man ashore after considering his interested for the visitors being exaggerated or dangerous.

This link is also good - or you might like this one