Sama-Bajau peoples
The Sama-Bajau people, often referred to as "sea nomads" or "sea gypsies," are a predominantly nomadic ethnic group primarily residing in the waters of Southeast Asia, particularly around the Sulu Sea. Known for their remarkable fishing skills, many of these individuals have historically spent their lives in boats or stilt houses, only coming ashore for trade or burials. They have no specific homeland and are believed to have been displaced to the sea by more dominant groups, leading to a lifestyle that is heavily reliant on the ocean for sustenance. Estimates of their population range from around half a million to possibly one million, yet their lack of citizenship complicates accurate census counts.
Culturally, the Sama-Bajau are diverse, with various tribes and local dialects, and the majority identify as Sunni Muslim. Family life is central to their communities, often structured around clusters of relatives living in close proximity on the water. While many still adhere to traditional seafaring practices, recent generations are increasingly seeking land-based employment and adapting to modern lifestyles, which raises concerns about the preservation of their unique cultural identity. Climate change and external pressures have further impacted their historical way of life, prompting a shift toward land-based activities like farming. The rich traditions, vibrant clothing, and rituals that define the Sama-Bajau culture face challenges in the face of these changes.
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Sama-Bajau peoples
The Sama-Bajau are mostly nomadic peoples who live almost exclusively on the waters in Southeast Asia. They are also known as the Badjao, Badjau, Bajao, Bajaw, Samals, and the Sama Dilaut, but they are most often simply referred to as the Bajau. Outsiders will often call them Sama, as this is the name given to their ethnic grouping. Many of the Sama-Bajau use this name for themselves, while others use one of the forms of the name Bajau. They are also known as "sea gypsies" or "sea nomads." This is because some of them literally spend the majority of their lives on the ocean, either in boats or on houses raised on stilts in shallow areas near land. They are experts at fishing and have supported themselves almost entirely with this skill for centuries. In recent times, some Sama-Bajau have begun to come ashore, living on land and working as farmers and cattle ranchers. Others continue to live at sea but have taken jobs on land.
Background
The word Bajau, or any of the spelling variations, means "man of the seas" in the native language of this people. Historically, they have had no specific homeland, though it is believed they may have once lived on land in the South Sea Islands or Sumatra. Some anthropologists believe they may have been driven to the sea by a more dominant tribe that took over their land or by a population that expanded until the area where they lived could not sustain them. In the twentieth century, they were considered refugees, and they were refused access to land in several Southeast Asia countries, forcing them to continue their existence at sea. For centuries, they rarely came ashore except to trade and to bury their dead on burial islands.
It is unknown exactly how many of the Sama-Bajau people there are. They generally have no citizenship papers. Babies are often born on the family's lepa-lepa, a low flat houseboat, or in their homes built on stilts out on the water, where there is no government authority to count and record them. It is estimated that there may be a little more than half a million Sama-Bajau, though some experts estimate this number could be as high as a million. Their lives can be difficult and dangerous. They are subject to the whims of the weather and the size of fish populations. In addition, the area where they fish is poorly patrolled by any legal authorities, which makes it a popular hunting ground for modern-day pirates.
Sama-Bajau children rarely attend school. Instead, they are taught to fish and hunt for octopuses and other sea creatures. Children as young as four spend their days in handmade boats called pirogues, which are made from hollowed-out logs. While they do play in the water, they also use spears, nets, and their bare hands to catch fish to help feed their families or to trade for rice and other necessities they cannot obtain from the sea.
Entire villages will sometimes move to find a new location where they can fish. The Sama-Bajau are particularly interested in a type of sea creature called trepang (a sea cucumber). Part of the same family as starfish and sea urchins, sea cucumbers got their name because of their resemblance to the vegetable. They are considered delicacies and highly sought after in Asia and other areas of the world. The Sama-Bajau people dive and harvest these valuable marine animals to trade for rice and other necessities.
While most of the Sama-Bajau live on the sea, some moved to land, where they took up farming or cattle ranching about two hundred years ago. They mainly reside on the island of Borneo and in parts of Malaysia. Sama-Bajau farmers primarily grow a crop called copra, which is the part of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted.
Overview
The majority of the seafaring Sama-Bajau live in and around the Sulu Sea, which is located to the southwest of the Philippines and northeast of the Sabah region of Malaysia. The Sama-Bajau make up the second-largest Indigenous population in the Sabah region. However, the population is essentially a fractured group of tribes with no central authority or political cohesion. The majority of them speak some form of Siasi Sama, with many local dialects among the various tribes.
Many Sama-Bajau still live on flat houseboats, with one end covered with either a wooden roof or poles to hold up various fabric coverings. The other end is open to the sea air. In good weather, the family gathers, naps, cooks over an open fire, and eats here. Those who do not live in boats often live in raised houses on stilts. This is the case whether the home is built on land or at sea. The house is generally one large rectangular room with belongings stored around the perimeter. The family lives, eats, and sleeps in the center area. When the houses are built over the water, a network of wooden planks approximately 8 to 10 inches (20.3 to 25.4 centimeters) wide will connect them to the other houses in the turnpuk, or community cluster. These clusters are often made up of other relatives, as family life is important to the Sama-Bajau.
The vast majority of the Sama-Bajau identify as Sunni Muslim. The clusters in which they live are sometimes also their faith parish, which is associated with a mosque. Often, the mosque is built over the sea, and the Sama-Bajau worship there on Fridays and holy days. Some Sama-Bajau also believe in spirits, including those that reside in nonliving objects. They use mediums to help them connect with these spirits, and they will sometimes "send" a bad spirit out to sea by placing it in a boat and setting it adrift.
Large numbers of Sama-Bajau continue to live as their ancestors have for centuries. However, because of climate change's impact on the seas, some members of the younger generation began seeking employment on land instead of relying totally on the sea for subsistence in the early twenty-first century. Others joined those who took up farming. As more Sama-Bajau adopt Western styles of dress and purchase commercially made boats, experts fear that the colorful clothing, seagoing lifestyle, and rituals of these people may soon fade from existence.
Bibliography
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