Imagine this scenario: an influencer on social media, 24 years of age, with a mission to create content, a GoPro in one hand and a drink in another, stepping on North Sentinel Island.
Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, a U.S. citizen, apparently had the bright idea of going to visit the utterly reclusive Sentinelese tribe. What followed was backlash, legal issues, and one extremely uncomfortable situation in the public eye.
So, What Went Down?
According to the accounts, this individual kayak trekked to the island, spent an hour blasting a whistle to get noticed (what), landed for five minutes, which was just enough time to leave a liquor can and a coconut, ‘capture some moments’ through his GoPro, and for him to disappear — poof.
Doesn’t it appear to be straight out of a poorly produced documentary?
Why Is this So Important?
It’s not only wanton — it’s irresponsible. And not solely for him. The Sentinelese tribe is one of the only folks still untouched by the modern world, residing on an island approximately the size of Manhattan. Their population is somewhere around 200, but no one really knows for sure — and that’s kind of the point. One thing is clear, they do not want any visitors.
International Survival groups which protects the rights of uncontacted tribes condemned the action of the influencer. In their view, such contact poses a tremendous threat because of the potential diseases this tribe does not have immunity against. In other words, it is more than just seeking attention, it is exposing people to risk.
A Look Forward to Court
So what about Polyakov now? The local authorities have him in custody pending further questioning after his appearance in local courthouse. And the best part is, this is not even the first time he tried. The officials claim he has tried two times before, the last time attempting in an inflatable kayak in October, only to be blocked by hotel staff.
This time? Unfortunately not.
As a matter of fact, no one is allowed to travel with in 5 km of North Sentinal Island, be it a foreigner or an Indian citizen. This is designed to prevent Sentinelese from any form of intereference, exploitation or anything worse.
A Tribe That Just Wants to Be Left Alone
There is more to the Sentinelese that is not known to most—they have actively protected themselves for centuries. They are huntergathers staying in small settlements, and by all accounts, seem to be using and living a very healthy lifestyle without modern technology, medicine, or even Instagram.
In fact, earlier invasive attempts -even from well intentioned strangers- have frequently concluded in disaster. And an American who attempted contact in 2018 ended up being killed. So yes, the warning signs in retrospect were omnipresent.
What did Polyakov have to justify himself? Naturally, many would expect him to say that he is a ‘thrill-seeker.’ But so many others are saying he is something different: irresponsible, reckless, and astonishingly lucky to navegar out alive.
Core outcome? Some places and people wont-be ever disturbed, and the world isn’t playground for content creation.
