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Sunday, February 3, 2008

The Bajau: people @ the sea



The Bajau are people who live in the sea. They are widely spread in Southeast Asia.
The Bajau have a common bond with the Bugis. According to the legend, the princess of Gowa was lost at sea, but then she was found by the Bajau. In gratitude, the King let the Bajau live in Sulawesi & the surrounding waters.


At one time all Bajau famalies lived in boats - a bido or soppe.
They were nomadic, moving in groups of 20 to 30 bido to different locations, selected for their abundance of fishes. Today, there are smaller version of the boats, the lepa. Lepa are carved from meranti wood & are about 7 metres. Most Bajau live live in coastal villages nowadays, but there are still some who live in their lepa, moving within geographically confined areas.

An average day begins just before dawn by looking for fish.
Women & children search for tripang (sea cucumber), often catching them by hand or spear. If the waters are rough, the men employ a form of of kite fishing to catch garfish (julung julung). The men also dive for large oysters. Many of these men can hold their breath up to five minutes. They use goggles made of palapi wood & discarded glass.

Around mid-morning, most families will gather to eat - mostly freshly caught fish fried with chillies, rice or sago. The afternoon is spent preparing fish for sale. The money is used to buy essentials such as rice or cooking oil. At the end of the day, a trumpet is blown to recall any boats still @ sea. It calls for the wind to take the weary fishermen back back home for dinner. As the sun sets, women prepare the evening's food while children play in sampans (small canoes). If the weather is good & the sea is calm the Bajau would continue fishing into the night. The Bajaus move around to avoid over-exploiting rescources. By placing their oars in the sea, the Bajaus are able to detect differences in tides & currents & places where fishing might be lucrative.

Living a life on the sea is not easy.
Some Bajaus have abandoned their traditional lifestyle & have settled in coastal villages. Many, however, have found it difficult to adjust in the villages. The future of the Bajau depends on them knowing that their knowledge & tradition should be encouraged & that they have they have much to contribute in safeguarding Indonesia's extensive coastal environment.




bok woon










[11:12 AM]


Posted at 11:12 AM, 2 Comment(s)


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