Car Nicobarese/ Pū

Car Nicobarese (ISO-639-3 code: caq)

Introduction

The speakers of this language call themselves (no as)‘Tarīk’, literally meaning ‘Car Nicobarese’. They inhabit the Car Nicobar Island of the Nicobars. The population of this island as per 2011 Census is 17841. Their physical characteristics and cultural traits ascribe to them as members of Mongoloid stock of human race. They live in villages spread across the island’s shore. Fishing, hunting and farming constitute their major sustenance activities. Besides, by selling their farm produce they practice cash economy also. Socially, they are organized into different clans called Tuhēt and within the clans they follow a collective economy. Three streams of religious practices, namely, Animistic, Christian and Islamic, are in vogue among them, with Christianity having a major sway. Their indigenously acquired skills and knowledge systems enable them to lead a healthy and self-reliant life. For interpersonal communication they use mother tongue among themselves and other ethnic Nicobarese, and Hindi language with any non-Nicobarese.