• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Explorer made doomed attempt to convert tribe on remote island before he was tragically killed

Home> Community

Published 17:15 8 Jun 2024 GMT+1

Explorer made doomed attempt to convert tribe on remote island before he was tragically killed

It is illegal to try and visit this tribe in North Sentinel Island

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

On 17 November, 2018, missionary John Allen Chau was killed while attempting to convert a tribe of people living on North Sentinel Island to Christianity.

The missionary thought that North Sentinel Island, and the tribe of people living in voluntary isolation there, might be 'Satan's last stronghold on Earth'.

The Sentinelese people living on the island have met attempts to contact them with hostility - as pretty much every time someone has tried to visit them, they've been attacked, and there are times when intruders on the island have been killed.

Since they clearly want to be left alone, the area has been declared a tribal reserve since 1956 and it's illegal to come within three miles of North Sentinel Island.

Advert

That didn't stop Chau, however, as he paid some fishermen to take him close to the island.

Writing in his journal beforehand he claimed that 'eternal lives of this tribe is at hand' and that he thought it was 'worthwhile to declare Jesus to these people'.

He also wrote that people should not be angry at anyone who might kill him, indicating that he knew his life would be at risk by trying to get to the island.

Chau knew it was illegal to try and contact the Sentinelese. (TODAY/YouTube)
Chau knew it was illegal to try and contact the Sentinelese. (TODAY/YouTube)

On 15 November, he got close enough to paddle himself the rest of the way in a kayak, and called out his name to the people on the island as well as telling them 'Jesus loves you'.

Advert

The islanders drove him away, but he later returned and made another attempt which was also unsuccessful.

Chau tried to sing songs of worship to the islanders and repeat their words back to them, and eventually arrows were shot at him - with one piercing even The Bible he was holding.

Despite all of this, he made another attempt on 17 November, and the fishermen who'd taken him to North Sentinel Island said they later saw people from the tribe burying his body on the beach.

The Sentinelese have made it clear in the past they don't want outsiders intruding. (Survival International)
The Sentinelese have made it clear in the past they don't want outsiders intruding. (Survival International)

Indian officials later made several efforts to recover his body, but all failed and it was decided not to trouble the Sentinelese more.

Advert

Chau himself was posthumously criticised for visiting the island and running the risk of spreading diseases among the Sentinelese which they would have no immunity to.

There have been accusations that the Sentinelese are a 'cannibal tribe', but past analysis of the bodies of people killed by them has indicated that they did not eat their victims.

Chau's family forgave the people who killed him, saying at the time: "He loved God, life, helping those in need and had nothing but love for the Sentinelese people.

"We forgive those reportedly responsible for his death."

Featured Image Credit: John Chau TODAY/YouTube

Topics: World News, Travel

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
11 hours ago
13 hours ago
a day ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Man who has spent years studying natural disasters reveals how likely an apocalyptic-level event really is

    The likelihood of a natural apocalyptic-level event wiping us all out has been revealed

    Community
  • 11 hours ago

    Man who visited all 197 countries in world says best he has been to has ‘everything you could want’

    The bloke has seen all sorts on his travels

    Community
  • 13 hours ago

    Images show inside of ‘Black Mirror style’ building that houses 20,000 people

    The place is like its own town

    Community
  • a day ago

    Real reason why Ancient Greek statues all have tiny penises

    Perhaps they're all growers, not showers

    Community
  • Video shows inside remote tribe where explorer went missing years before during research trip
  • Explorer wrote chilling letter before he was killed by 'cannibal tribe' on remote island
  • Woman living on remote 'paradise island' where Brits can move for free explains why people should live there
  • Donald Trump threatens 'levels never seen before' as he addresses Israel and Iran conflict