American missionary John Allen Chau was killed by a secluded tribe on the isolated North Sentinel Island in November 2018, after visiting the island with the intent of converting its inhabitants to Christianity.
When Chau first arrived on North Sentinel Island, he attempted to speak the language of the tribe and recite worship lyric to the people in an effort to gain their trust. However, when this method proved unsuccessful, Chau decided to return the next day to continue with his efforts. This attempt ended in disaster. Dozens of tribesmen shot at Chau with arrows, killing him.
In the days before his final excursion, Chau wrote in his journal, “Please do not be angry at them or at God if I get killed, I love you all.”
The group that had trained Chau for his mission, All Nations, has come forward supporting him, calling him a martyr. Pam Arlund, the director of training for All Nations, stated that, “John was not reckless or extreme at all, and he had put together a very responsible plan,” and,“He had counted the costs and knew that he might lose his life. But he had also put plans in place to protect the North Sentinelese. That’s because he loved them.”
The North Sentinel Island is home to 50-100 indigenous people. The islet, ranging around 23 miles in diameter, is not commonly traveled to. Chau is not the first man to be attacked on the island, and the Sentinelese people who inhabit it are said to be unwelcoming towards outsiders. In 2006, two Indian fishermen were killed when the vessel of their boat broke loose and drifted out to sea, according to Survival International, a tribal rights advocacy group. The tribe fired arrows at a helicopter that had been sent to retrieve the men’s bodies. As for Chau, Indian authorities reported that it would take a few days to fully recover his body.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Samantha Miller of Damascus High School