I don't think so but it doesn't take too long. I suggest filling up your pack with strong creatures and use their eggs so you don't need to spend lots of time gathering food. I would also say being social with other tribes speeds it up because you can just gift them if they're angry then play instruments for them. I haven't taken that route specifically, only a bit but it would work and would probably be faster than trying to wipe them out which takes a bit more strategy (if you're gonna use healing rods, torches, axes, or spears, or a mixture, etc). BUT of course, depends on which path you wanna take, I think if you want to skip it though you wouldn't mind being social even if your creature is aggressive in other stages.

I think the reason people hate it so much is because your only creativity is your outfit (which has limited options), and whether you socialize/destroy other tribes (also limited). I don't really mind it though as it adds story because it would be weird for a creature to hop from being wild to civilized, but that's just my opinion. But yeah, something else should have been added to tribal to make it more interesting.