Maurice Vidal Portman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maurice Vidal Portman
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Portman with Andamanese chiefs c. 1880
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| Born | 21 March 1860 |
| Died | 14 February 1935 (aged 74) |
| Known for | Documenting Andamanese tribes |
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| Relatives | Edward Portman (grandfather) Emma Portman (grandmother) |
Maurice Vidal Portman (born March 21, 1860 – died February 14, 1935) was a British naval officer. He is mostly known for studying and writing about the Andamanese tribes. He did this between 1879 and 1901 while he was in charge of the Andaman Island Penal Colony.
Contents
Maurice Vidal Portman was born in Canada on March 21, 1860. His father was Maurice Berkeley Portman, and his mother was Helen Vidal Harris. His grandfather was Edward Portman, a well-known figure.
When he was 16 years old, Maurice joined the Royal Indian Marine. This was a naval force that served British India. For some time, he was in charge of the Viceroy's yacht, which was a special boat for important officials.
Stationed in the Andaman Islands
In July 1879, Portman was sent to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. He was given an important job: Officer in Charge of the Andamanese. He held this position for more than 20 years. His work involved managing relations with the local tribes and overseeing the penal colony.
Work in the Andaman Islands
During his time in the Andaman Islands, Portman spent a lot of effort documenting the local people. He took many photographs of the Andamanese tribes. Some of these photos were taken for the British Museum and the Government of India. These pictures helped people in other parts of the world learn about the Andamanese.
Contact with the Sentinelese
Portman also led an expedition to North Sentinel Island. This island was home to a tribe that had not been contacted by outsiders before. During this trip, the Sentinelese people ran away when they saw Portman's group.
Portman's party took six Sentinelese people – two adults and four children – to Port Blair. The goal was to learn more about them. Sadly, the two adults became ill and died soon after arriving in Port Blair. Portman then ordered the children to be sent back to their island. They were given many gifts to take with them.
Some people believe that the illness the children caught in Port Blair might have caused the Sentinelese to become hostile towards outsiders later on.
Impact of Diseases
During his time as an administrator, Portman saw how badly outside diseases affected the Andamanese people. Diseases like smallpox, which were common elsewhere, caused a lot of harm to the tribes. The Andamanese had no natural protection against these new illnesses.
Documenting Andamanese Culture
Portman also wrote two important books about the Andamanese people. One was called Notes of the Languages of the South Andaman Group of Languages (published in 1898). The other was A History of Our Relations with the Andamanese (published in 1899). These books shared his observations and studies of their languages and history.
He also collected many objects that showed the culture of the Andaman Islands. These objects are now kept in museums, including the British Museum. They help us understand the Andamanese way of life from that time.
Later Life
After working in the Andaman Islands for many years, Portman retired in 1901. He returned to Britain. He never married and did not have any children. He passed away on February 14, 1935.
