Who are the Bajau sea nomads?

DW (English)

While some Bajau spend their lives almost entirely at sea, many opt for more grounded lifestyles near the mainland. But whether on water or land, these stateless nomads face a variety of challenges.

Transcript

00:00Living offshore in wooden houseboats or huts built on stilts,

00:05this seafaring community lives off what the ocean provides.

00:09The Baju are some of the last remaining marine nomads

00:13and many have spent their lives almost entirely at sea.

00:17Known for their extraordinary freediving abilities,

00:20they rely on this skill to hunt and feed themselves.

00:31Asli's family is among the last few who still live on traditional houseboats in this area

00:36as they cling to their marine nomadic lifestyle.

01:00For centuries, the Baju have been moving freely in the Sulu and Celebes seas.

01:13To them, borders were the furthest distance they could reach by fishing boat.

01:18But that changed after Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia established maritime borders.

01:30My name is Asli. I am from the Philippines.

01:35I am happy to be here because my family and I have been living here for a long time.

01:51Having originated from the Philippine part of the Sulu Sea,

01:54this group of Baju don't have identification documents.

01:59They lack access to healthcare, education, employment and other basic rights.

02:12Young children grow up learning the traditional hunting techniques

02:15passed down through generations following in the footsteps of their parents.

02:28The Baju who still live in open water usually only come ashore to trade for supplies.

02:35But many have given up on the nomadic lifestyle

02:38and now live in extended villages made of stilt houses

02:42close to cities like Sempona on the Borneo island.

02:47Most people here are elderly,

02:49but the Baju are well-educated and well-trained.

02:54Most people here are ethnic Baju with Malay citizenship

02:57because they were born in the country's maritime area before the borders were drawn.

03:04For the stateless Baju, their opportunities on land are limited

03:08to menial jobs like cleaners and porters.

03:12Without identity papers, they also live in fear of eviction.

03:16Rights groups have repeatedly called on the Malaysian government

03:19to grant these Baju people citizenship

03:22so that they can be treated fairly and have access to basic rights.

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