I deem it my pleasure to write the Editorial for the first issue of the Oriental Anthropologist (OA) to be published by the SAGE publications. After 18 years of uninterrupted publication ever since 2001, now in collaboration with the SAGE, the OA has been ushering into a new era. I take this opportunity to thank all the authors, who have ever contributed their valuable research papers for publication in the journal. I also thank all the Guest Editors, who from time to time, organized theme-based special numbers for various issues of the journal. The OA team assures all our past, present, and future contributors and subscribers that in association with the SAGE, the OA would achieve entirely new academic heights in publication of original research papers in social science in general and anthropology in particular.
Misadventure of a MissionaryIn November-December 2018, two incidents of great historical and anthropological significance took place in Andaman Islands that overshadowed any other news item, both at the national as well as the international levels. The first was that of John Allen Chou, 27-year-old crazy and imprudent American missionary, who was killed, in mid-November (precisely November 17, 2018), by the Sentinelese tribe who lived in the North Sentinel Island in Andamans. Despite knowing the fact that by the law of the land, it was strictly prohibited even for the personnel of the Indian Army or the Navy to reach even within 5 km waters of the island, least to talk about any ordinary citizens, tourists, or any crazy adventurer; Chou bribed and connived with the likeminded local fishermen to set his foot on the North Sentinel Island. The result was very obvious and least surprising for anyone who is aware of the affairs of Andaman Islands. Instead of listening to his cries for the gospel, for which Chou is claimed to have gone there, the Sentinelese killed him, as the reports suggest, and buried him along the beach.A 'killing' is always a sad affair and to be mourned; however, brouhaha over the killing of such a madcap, made by certain vested interests and also by certain sections of media, was more surprising than even the 'sad killing.' A section of foreign missionary and media depicted the unfortunate killing of Chou as a planned 'murder' executed by the Sentinelese-the tribesmen who have been living in the island for over 60,000 years in complete social and geographical isolation from the outside world. Ever since their known history, the Sentinelese Editorial