Members of Ancient Tribe Escape Tsunami Mon Jan 10, 3:07 AM ET World - AP Asia
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/tsunami_india_royal_couple By NEELESH MISRA, Associated Press Writer
PORT BLAIR, India - The last few dozen remaining members of an ancient indigenous tribe in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands said they raced up a mountain to escape a devastating tsunami — and avoid extinction.
The tribe was once the largest in the region with an estimated population of 10,000 in 1789. The government says only 43 Great Andamanese remain. The tribal king put the number at 50, 10 of whom are his children.
"No one was hurt. Everyone is all right," Jiroki, the king of the Great Andamanese tribe, said from a hospital in Port Blair, the capital of the Indian-administered territories.
Rescuers last week brought the remaining Great Andamanese tribespeople to Port Blair in the wake of the massive Dec. 26 earthquake and resulting tsunami.
"The water was rushing up very fast. It seemed to be following us," his wife, Surmayee, recalled. "We stayed in the forest for five days. There was some rice. We ate that. Then there was nothing, so we went hungry."
Speaking in broken Hindi, India's national language, Jiroki and Surmayee said that when the earthquake jolted their homes in a forest on Strait Island, in the south of the archipelago, they ordered the tribe to flee.
"I am the king. They follow what I say," said Jiroki, wearing a red T-shirt and shorts. "We asked the wireless operator to send a message to Port Blair. But the machine and battery had been flooded by the water. They were spoiled."
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