Music of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Music of India

A Lady Playing the Tanpura, ca. 1735 (Rajasthan)
Genres
Traditional
Modern
Media and performance
Music awards
Music festivals
Music media
Nationalistic and patriotic songs
National anthem Jana Gana Mana
Regional music

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are part of India. Folk traditions of the area include that of the Moken sea-farers and various kinds of ritual tribal dance.

Andaman and Nicobar culture show a mix of the indigenous cultures of the Negroid and the Mongoloid settlers of the island, as well as a more mainstream culture brought down by the descendants of the early settlers in the island from the Indian mainland. The migrants also contributed to the culture of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The greatest feature of Andaman and Nicobar culture is the peaceful coexistence of these two strains of cultural lives. Cultural Patters of the Indigenous Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar

The most distinguishing aspect of Andaman and Nicobar culture are the culture of the indigenous people of the islands. Andaman and Nicobar islanders can be divided into two major groups. The inhabitants of the Andamans are of Negroid origin and migrated from Africa thousands of years ago, way back in the later Paleolithic age. The main ethnic groups are: Andamanese Onge Jarawa Sentinalese The inhabitants of Nicobar are equally old, if nor older. They are however of a Mongoloid origin. The main groups of Nicobar tribes are the Nicobari (Nicobarese) and Shompen.

All these tribes have continued with their indigenous culture at Andaman and Nicobar islands, and still continue to do so. The relative isolation of these tribes have helped to preserve these streams of Andaman and Nicobar culture.\