Post by diane9247 on Apr 19, 2015 6:28:32 GMT
The last Bo on Earth.kmz (1.28 KB)
An ancient tribe became extinct after its last member died in 2010 on Strait Island of the Andaman Islands, India. She was Boa Sr, believed to be about 85 years old. Her husband died years ago and they had no children. The Bo probably came to the Andaman Islands about 65,000 years ago from Africa. The Bo language is thought to be about 70,000 years old and was one of at least 10 pre-colonial languages spoken on the Andaman Islands. According to Survival International, an advocacy group for native peoples throughout the world, the Bo were one of the oldest surviving human cultures on earth.
Professor Anvita Abbi (right) with Boa Sr in front of her house. Photo
Professor Abbi of Jawaharlal Nehru National University recorded Boa singing and speaking in the Bo language. You can hear them on the VOGA website, linked above. They were made during the last years of her life and include her fascinating account of the deadly tsunami of 2004:
Even though she was the lone member of her tribe, she is seen surrounded by villagers of the Greater Andaman tribe - also endangered - looking well loved and cared-for by her neighbors.
Boa (pink shirt) with her neighbors. Photo
An ancient tribe became extinct after its last member died in 2010 on Strait Island of the Andaman Islands, India. She was Boa Sr, believed to be about 85 years old. Her husband died years ago and they had no children. The Bo probably came to the Andaman Islands about 65,000 years ago from Africa. The Bo language is thought to be about 70,000 years old and was one of at least 10 pre-colonial languages spoken on the Andaman Islands. According to Survival International, an advocacy group for native peoples throughout the world, the Bo were one of the oldest surviving human cultures on earth.
Professor Anvita Abbi (right) with Boa Sr in front of her house. Photo
Professor Abbi - who runs the Vanishing Voices of the Great Andamanese (Voga) website - explained: "After the death of her parents, Boa was the last Bo speaker for 30 to 40 years.
"She was often very lonely and had to learn an Andamanese version of Hindi in order to communicate with people. But throughout her life she had a very good sense of humour and her smile and full-throated laughter were infectious."
She said that Boa Sr's death was a loss for intellectuals wanting to study more about the origins of ancient languages, because they had lost "a vital piece of the jigsaw".
"It is generally believed that all Andamanese languages might be the last representatives of those languages which go back to pre-Neolithic times," Professor Abbi said.
"The Andamanese are believed to be among our earliest ancestors." [Source]
"She was often very lonely and had to learn an Andamanese version of Hindi in order to communicate with people. But throughout her life she had a very good sense of humour and her smile and full-throated laughter were infectious."
She said that Boa Sr's death was a loss for intellectuals wanting to study more about the origins of ancient languages, because they had lost "a vital piece of the jigsaw".
"It is generally believed that all Andamanese languages might be the last representatives of those languages which go back to pre-Neolithic times," Professor Abbi said.
"The Andamanese are believed to be among our earliest ancestors." [Source]
Professor Abbi of Jawaharlal Nehru National University recorded Boa singing and speaking in the Bo language. You can hear them on the VOGA website, linked above. They were made during the last years of her life and include her fascinating account of the deadly tsunami of 2004:
Even though she was the lone member of her tribe, she is seen surrounded by villagers of the Greater Andaman tribe - also endangered - looking well loved and cared-for by her neighbors.
Boa (pink shirt) with her neighbors. Photo