“Island” by Sujit Saraf

Sujit Saraf has set his new novel in the Andaman islands, located in the Indian Ocean, far from the Indian mainland, geographically but also culturally. Island’s protagonist, Nirmal Chandra Mattoo is a middle-aged man, working in a shop in the capital, Port Blair,  selling counterfeit tribal artwork to tourists. 

A Kashmiri originally from Delhi, Mattoo arrived on the Andamans decades ago, as a young and promising anthropologist. Working for the Anthropological Survey of India as an eager 22-year-old, his career got off to a good start. He made some major breakthroughs focusing on the study, grammar and life of the indigenous tribes who live on North Sentinel Island, part of the Andaman archipelago. He is soon in the news and fast becoming a minor celebrity and a career as a famous academic awaits. But then, the 2004 tsunami, which ravaged the islands, upended his life and his career trajectory. In the wake of the tsunami, he is accused of a gross impropriety.  His life and reputation come crashing down, he’s fired from his job, blocked from pursuing his academic career, and cast aside, forced to sell fake tribal artifacts to survive.

Island, Sujit Saraf (Speaking Tiger, October 2024)
Island, Sujit Saraf (Speaking Tiger, October 2024)

His quiet, unfulfilled life is changed one day, when his expertise on the Sentinelese islands is sought out by a young missionary from America. The American desires to travel to the North Sentinel islands and preach the word of God, determined to, in his own words, save the heathens from their fate.

This is a dangerous journey; many fishermen have already been killed by arrows when their boats drifted too close to the islands. It’s not just dangerous, it’s illegal. The Indian government has banned all visitors to the islands, seeking to protect the indigenous tribes from disease spread by tourists.

The missionary is undeterred by Mattoo’s warnings of the risks in such a trip, as he believes the “power of God’s grace is sufficient” to keep him from harm. Mattoo initially refuses, for not only is it illegal, it’s a violation of all his anthropological beliefs. This is exactly the sort of trip and intervention by outsiders his former profession steadfastly opposes. Yet over time, his resistance wanes. Reluctantly, and driven by desperation, the need for money as well as a desire for redemption, Mattoo agrees to accompany the American.

On the trip, a great tragedy takes place, a tragedy that was forecasted throughout the book. There is a great scandal, leaving Mattoo worrying about his own safety and freedom. During the trip, we also learn more about Mattoo’s background, what happened during his own fall from grace and his own relationships with the Sentinelese.

 

If the story sounds familiar that’s because it’s based on the well-known tale of the American missionary, 26-year-old John Chau, who landed illegally on the island in 2018 after bribing local fishermen intent to convert them to Christianity and was promptly killed by an arrow.

Island isn’t a simple fictional retelling of a true story. It portrays what happens after the missionaries are gone, and the impact on those left behind to pick up the pieces. It also reflects on nationalism, colonization, the impacts of capitalism and development on marginalized communities. It also explores the limits of anthropological understanding, and how governments seek to protect indigenous communities, yet while doing so often harm these tribes who would rather be left alone.

Relatively short, Island is hugely engaging and can easily be read in one sitting. While the main story may be familiar, Saraf provides a rich portrayal of life in the Andamans and those who in the real life tale were overlooked. While for journalists covering the story of John Chau, the Indians living in the Andamans were just a backdrop, for Saraf, they are front and center.


Maximillian Morch is a researcher and author of Plains of Discontent: A Political History of Nepal’s Tarai (1743-2019) (2023)