Friday, July 01, 2011

Bajau Laut: Gypsies of the sea

I’m in the southeastern Borneo town of Semporna, the gateway to the paradise islands of Sipadan, Mabul and many others, all of which are great diving spots.

But I’m not here to swim in the crystal clear ocean.

I’m here to visit the Bajau Laut settlement built on stilts over the Celebes Sea.

Originally hailing from the southern Philippines, these seafaring gypsies have migrated south over the last few decades to the Malaysian state of Sabah and onto islands in Indonesia.

They make up around 13 percent of the total population in Sabah, and their numbers around the world are currently estimated at 400,000.

While their nomadic lifestyle has been curtailed, the Bajau Laut still choose to build homes over the water on stilts.

The stilt village I visit is a melting pot of migrants from other parts of Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. I even came across a little girl from North Korea, whose family had escaped via China and finally settled here.

On the shores off Semporna, the first stilt homes are well designed and have all the usual modern conveniences.

I strike up a conversation in broken English with a retired Malaysian army officer and he invites me into his home for a quick peek.

Aside from the beautiful ocean view on three sides, the home was decorated like any other Malaysian home.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Bajau Laut: Gypsies of the sea
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