Bajaus, Sea Nomads, People Who Spend Their Entire Life On The Sea

Sea nomads – I was taught that nomads that keep moving from one place to another they lead an interesting life.

But no  it isn’t true Because, I have just got to know about sea nomads. Really, how cool is that!! They are a set of nomads from Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia. They are called the ‘Sama Bajau’. They are the collective set of people that live their entire life on the sea. Don’t believe?! Ok, then you gotta read this further.

They are set of people that are also known to be sea nomads too.

They got this name because they live their entire life amid seas. Not a joke! They all call themselves ‘Sama Bajau’ and the name being derived from the name of the sea on which they have been living for life. The name of the sea is ‘Sama’ and that how they derived their collective name.

The Sama Bajaus, Sea nomads say that they are sick towards the land and so settled upon the sea.

They have been living been living for centuries from now on boats called ‘Lepa-lepa’. The Bajaus come ashore for selling the marine food make money and get things that they need. They are all generally known to follow the ‘barter system’, which involves exchange of things for others. In that way Bajaus get the food, utensils, water, fuel and other essentials of survival. And yes, not only for trade – but they also come ashore when their lepa-lepa (boats) have a problem.

1 – Favourite pastime–

Diving into the sea, almost every single day

2 – What do they get from the sea –

The men or the traditional hunter dive deep into the sea for about 100 miles and collect valuables like sea pearls, edible fishes, sea cucumber and so on.

3 – Sea Rituals –

The new born babies are said to be thrown into the sea soon they are born and one dives in to save them.

4 – Education –

Those children are not taught science or social but are taught fishing. You get to see almost every child with fishing net, trying to master the art of fishing.

5 – Sea adaptability –

All their bodies are so adapted to the atmosphere and the sea that, they feel just normal even after staying so long in the sea.

6 – Potassium Cyanide for fishings! –

Yes, the Bajaus use a chemical called Potassium Cyanide that help them catch fish and sell them when they are alive. But this is endangering many sea species.

7 – Live fish caught by Bajaus in demand –

The Asian restaurants specially offer the Bajaus fish that is a popular dish of almost every restaurant.

With all happies, the Bajaus face trouble with during the time of natural calamities relating to the sea, pirates etc.Having built up their lives so well amidst the sea, the Bajaus are recently facing issues with the Governments that are dragging them to the shore.

Sea nomads – This is such a cool one totally!! Life on sea.