The culture of Campbell Bay is a fascinating juxtaposition of ancient indigenous life and mainland Indian settler traditions.
* **Indigenous Tribes:** Great Nicobar is home to the Shompen (a semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer tribe living in the deep forests) and the Nicobarese. Contact with the Shompen is strictly regulated to protect them from outside diseases and cultural erosion. * **Settler Culture:** In the late 1960s and 1970s, the Indian government resettled families of ex-servicemen (primarily from Punjab, Maharashtra, and southern states) in Campbell Bay. This has created a miniature, pan-Indian cultural tapestry where diverse mainland festivals are celebrated locally.
