> and what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us

Their first major contact with the outside world was in 1880, when a British colonial administrator kidnapped six of the Sentinelese, two of whom died from disease before they could be returned - and who knows what diseases the other four brought back with them when the British dumped them back on the island.

Sad and interesting how that single event from 140 years ago still shapes the tribes beliefs.

Based on reports from that era, the tribe was highly secretive and suspicious of outsiders long before this event happened. The first time a Westerner recorded encountering the island, they mentioned seeing signs of recent habitation, but finding no inhabitants, as if they had disappeared into the forest. Likely, they just didn't want to interact with strange intruders in their territory.

The US Civil War still has a very large impact on the culture of the South.

A single event that affects 3% or more of the entire population is pretty memorable.

>I'm fascinated by these people. They must have one heck of a culture to immediately resort to killing any stranger that lands on their shore. I wonder what religious beliefs they have and what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us.

Non-human animals regularly kill outsiders that have made incursions into their territory. Chimps for example will even 'invade' neighboring territory and attack to try and grow their territory.

Male elephant seals will attempt to kill other males that are 'sneakers' that attempt to reproduce with their harem.

'violent xenophobia' is instinctual, humans however try to rise above this in many societies but in primitive cultures outsiders represent uncertainty at best.

If past contacts lead to major disease outbreaks that’d be one hell of an incentive to kill intruders on sight. That’s a short story to pass on to the next generation as well.

I think you're over estimating how friendly other cultures are to outsiders. There are numerous, numerous cases of greed and ambition leading to the slaughter and enslavement of native peoples by invaders/conquerors. There are also multiple states in the USA where you'd be within your rights to shoot anyone on your property.

> There are also multiple states in the USA where you'd be within your rights to shoot anyone on your property.

in which US states can you legally use deadly force against anyone on your property (not in your house) without being threatened?

> There are also multiple states in the USA where you'd be within your rights to shoot anyone on your property.

Can you prove that?

The closest I can think of is Texas, but even there you'd have to meet the definition of "criminal mischief at night".

> There are also multiple states in the USA where you'd be within your rights to shoot anyone on your property.

Yikes, that doesn't sound right. Citation please?

That isn't horribly uncommon for people living in non-state societies when encountering people who don't speak the same language. It's really easy to dehumanize people you can't talk to and consider them giants or dwarves or goblins or whatever.

> what kind of society creates what seems to be extreme and violent xenophobia to us

A fish has no concept of water, it doesn't know it is in water, it doesn't know there can be existence outside of water, and it doesn't know it depends on water. You cannot possibly deem the culture extreme & violent when it is much like fish, that doesn't know of alternatives.

Most of all, fish will defend themselves against perceived existential threats - fish aren't xenophobic to defend themselves against sharks

To the extent that a fish can be said to have "concepts", I'm certain that a fish like a mudskipper or a flying fish can distinguish between being in water and being in air.

Does that not invalidate your argument?

All the cultures in the Americas that welcomed strangers were slaughtered by the Europeans beginning with Columbus which didn't get a lot of coverage in the stories they told my generation of American children - and these particular islanders had already had a bad experience in their first dealings with the British a couple of hundred years ago.

This is not xenophobia. It's self defense against idolatry and false gods.

They have to protect themselves from disease. If the wrong microbe makes contact, it could result in genocide.

I realize that they probably have seen some bad things happen from contacts with the outside but I doubt they have an understanding of germ theory of disease yet. I assume they have stories they repeat to one another, maybe songs or warnings they provide to one another to encourage this ruthless xenophobia. I'd love to know what those things are.

It's not hard to make a connection between "a foreigner shows up" and "people suddenly start dying of weird unknown diseases" when the entire population is small enough for everyone to individually recognize everyone else.

Do they actually know that though?

Yes? You don't need science or even literacy to tell your (grand)children that everyone who meets outsiders die messily (cf. All Andamanese except for 80-strong Jorwa(?) and this North Sentilenese tribe)

xenophobia? You're attributing 20th century concepts to a tribe with no hint of modern civilization. The history of humans is bloodier than you think.

Xenophobia is not a "20th century concept". Xenophobia has existed for as long as man has existed. Cavemen were most likely xenophobic towards other cavemen. Hell, for all you know, some of the Sentinelese might even be xenophobic to other Sentinelese that live on a different part of their island.

Animals of all types also exhibit xenophobia, even the ones that have "no hint of modern civilization".

You realize, of course, that you're in complete agreement with GP?