The Moken People

On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The tiny Andaman and Nicobar Islands were in the direct path of the tsunami in which the quake generated. The waves reached as high as 167.3 feet. The death toll went up to 1,897 with 5,600 missing. However, when the relief workers finally made their way ashore, they realized that the death toll was skewed. The indigenous people on the Islands, known as the Mokens all survived the waves of death unscathed.

As the air fell silent as the earth did the opposite, the Mokens knew what was next. They knew that the Laboon, "The wave that eats people" was coming. They were completely aware that a titanic column of Ocean was going to wash over the island, cleansing it of all that was impure and evil. To heed the warning signs, elders told their children all to flee to higher ground. Meanwhile in the city of Port Blair, there were the casualties. As a result of a lack of legacy as well as the geographical layout, the residents were unaware of their impending doom.

Scientists have begun to open up their minds to this. The indigenous people have more to offer than one would imagine. It goes beyond folklore. The mythical beings may not actually be real, but the tell-tale natural cataclysms in which they represent are. A visible occurrence that is indicative of a tsunami is when the beach suddenly expands. The tides suddenly recede to the point where fish are left flopping and gasping for water. There have been incidents of clueless beachgoers seeing that as an opportunity to gather fish. It ended in tragedy.