Talakaveri

The Anthropological Museum, maintained by the Anthropological Survey of India on MG Road in Portblair, stands as India's foremost ethnographic repository dedicated to the material culture, survival tools, and heritage of the indigenous tribes of Andaman and Nicobar.

Established in 1975 76, this specialized cultural institution offers an invaluable educational window into the ancient nomadic traditions of the world's oldest surviving Paleolithic and Neolithic tribal communities without disturbing their protected habitats.

It's the home of authentic wooden outrigger canoes carved from single tree trunks, formidable Jarawa hunting bows and iron tipped fishing harpoons, intricate shell bead necklaces and bark chest guards, prehistoric stone microlith tools unearthed from ancient shell middens, and lifelike dioramas of traditional leaf thatched communal huts.

It represents a rich anthropological sanctuary where human evolution studies, indigenous botanical knowledge, oceanic survival adaptations, and respectful tribal advocacy unite in downtown Port Blair.

Located in the Phoenix Bay and Middle Point neighborhood, it sits 3 km from Veer Savarkar International Airport, 1 km from Aberdeen Bazaar, and 2 km from the Phoenix Bay Ferry Jetty.

The Six Indigenous Tribes of the Islands

The museum provides a comprehensive cultural breakdown of the six distinct indigenous tribes inhabiting the archipelago, classified into two major racial and geographical divisions.

The Negrito hunter gatherer tribes of the Andaman Islands include the Great Andamanese, the Onge of Little Andaman, the Jarawa of South and Middle Andaman forests, and the Sentinelese who live completely uncontacted on North Sentinel Island.

Truth is, the Mongoloid tribes of the Nicobar Islands comprise the coastal Nicobarese horticulturalists and the reclusive forest dwelling Shompens of Great Nicobar, each possessing unique spiritual customs, boatbuilding skills, and dialect traditions.

Key Gallery Highlights & Ethnographic Artifacts

Hunting Gear & Weapons: The galleries display authentic longbows made from tough chooi wood, barbed bamboo arrows, and turtle hunting harpoons used by the Jarawa and Sentinelese, demonstrating sophisticated indigenous metallurgy and woodwork.

Prehistoric Stone Tools: Exhibits feature quartz flakes, obsidian scrapers, and bone needles discovered during archaeological excavations of prehistoric kitchen middens across the Andaman coastline, dating back several thousand years.

Nicobarese Shamanic Art: Fascinating wooden spirit sculptures known as "Kareau", carved by Nicobarese traditional healers with animal and human faces to ward off negative spirits and protect coastal villages.

Visitor Experience & Research Library

The museum features an informative audio visual room screening short anthropological documentaries that explain tribal customs, traditional food gathering techniques, and government preservation policies.

An adjacent research library houses rare publications, field monographs, and cartographic surveys compiled by British and Indian anthropologists over the past century, available for students and scholars upon request.

A visit here is the most ethical and educational way to learn about the indigenous tribes of Andaman, creating meaningful context before you explore the islands. Combine your tour with the Samudrika Marine Museum and Cellular Jail for a well rounded Port Blair itinerary.