Bajau people

The Bajau or Bajaw ( bædʒɔ ː or bɑ ː dʒaʊ ), sometimes described as Bajao, Badjau, Bajau, Badjaw or Badjao, are an indigenous ethnic group of the Malay Archipelago. Due to their way of life in boats they were among the sea nomads. Meanwhile, many Bajau have abandoned the pure life on the sea in whole or in part. However, they maintain a sea connected lifestyle that finds its expression in the use of small wooden sailing ships, such as the Lepas, perahu and vinta.

Due to the escalating conflict in their original habitat in the Sulu Archipelago and by disadvantages in the education sector and the labor market in the Philippines, the majority of Bajau migrated over the last 50 years after Malaysia. Currently, they represent 14% of population is the second largest ethnic group in the state of Sabah. Groups of Bajau have also migrated to Sulawesi and Kalimantan in Indonesia, with detailed knowledge of their local distribution are not known.

• 5.1 has been handed down convictions
• 5.2 Fisheries and Marine Technology

• 6.1 Malaysia

Ethnological demarcation

Until the second half of the 20th century it was assumed that all the sea nomads of Southeast Asia have a direct ethno-linguistic context. The new research shows that three main groups can be distinguished with their own cultural and linguistic characteristics:

• The Moken and the related to them Moklen the Burmese - Thai Mergui Archipelago,
• According to the Orang, also called Sea People, a colorful mix of ethnic groups originating from the coastal waters of south-eastern Sumatra, the southern Johor, Batam and the other Riau Islands of Indonesia,
• According to the Bajau of the Sulu Archipelago, Ostborneo, Sulawesi and the islands of eastern Indonesia.

Except for a small overlap in the Moken and Urak Lawoi, a subgroup of the Orang sound, the three groups are found in different geographical regions.

Designation

Just as with the Kadazan - Dusun is the term " Bajau " is a collective term that is used to describe several closely related indigenous groups. The Bajau groups merge culturally with the Sama, thereby better term actually "Sama - Bajau " would be. Historically, the term Sama was used for the sedentary on the mainland Sama - Bajau, and the term was reserved for the Bajau sea connected, living on their boats and nomadic groups. However, this distinction disappears now, because most of the Bajau have given up life in the boat in favor of Pile dwellings in the shallow coastal waters. Today is the distinguishing feature between the Bajau and Sama their poverty.

The Sama - Bajau peoples are assigned within the Sama - Bajau subdivision of the Malayo - Polynesian Western language family about ten languages.

The term Bajau or Badjau is used exclusively in the Indonesian language area.

History

The origin of the word " Bajau " is not sharply outlined. It is agreed that the people of this nation are indeed referred to by the term Bajau, have themselves never called that. Rather, they call themselves with the names of their tribes, which in turn are based on the current or original settlement sites. Your wording with the term Bajau is accepted by the different groups, however, as they have realized that they are similarities in vocabulary and general genetic traits such as dark skin color to own - although here are the Simunuls with her lighter complexion an exception.

The British administrative staff in Sabah named the Sama generally as " Bajau " and wore this in their birth certificates under the category " race" one. To get political reasons and to allow access to the privileges of the Malays, many of them started to call themselves as Malays. This is often the case for Bajau migrants from the Philippines.

Most of the time in its history were the Bajau a nomadic, sea -propelled people who earned his living by trading and fishing. The in their boats ( lepa lepa - ) living Bajau saw themselves as non- warlike people. They stayed near the coasts built there stilt houses. Despite evidence that they originate from the southern coasts of the Philippines, report the legends of Sama in Sabah, that they are descended from the members of the Royal Guard of the Sultan of Johor and after they had been driven here by a storm on the east coast of Borneo found a new home. Another legend tells that the Bajau escorted the bride of the Sultan, but the bride was later kidnapped by the Sultan of Brunei. The fact that the languages ​​of the Bajau - Sama languages ​​belong to the Malayo -Polynesian family of languages ​​, however, is the evidence that the anthropological roots of Bajau are in the Philippines. However, the legends show the historical influence of the Malay living environment.

Traces indicate that the Sama more than 300 years ago by the Riau Archipelago, particularly of the Lingga Islands, arrived. Some are of the opinion that the migration of the Sama to Northwest Borneo started already more than a hundred years earlier and is linked to the trade relations with the Sultanate of Brunei. As the influence of the Sultanate of Johore waned and the Bugis had drawn the political power, fled the Sama to the West Coast North Borneo and placed themselves under the protection of the Sultan of Brunei. For this reason, the Sama are of the Kadazan - Dusun tuhun Sam or tulun called Sama, which means "the people of Sama ". It is believed that the Sama did not belong to the royal family, but devoted workers, craftsmen, boat builders and farmers were fleeing the ethnic cleansing in Johor, as the Bugis took power.

The number of Bajau who are born at sea and live there continues to decrease, partly due to the controversial government programs of the State Government of Sabah, which promote a settlement of the Bajau on the mainland. Currently, a huge settlement of Filipino Bajau in Pulau Gaya exists off the coast of Sabah. Many of the residents are illegal immigrants. Many work as assistants in the near Kota Kinabalu With the island as a base.

The Indonesian government is trying to locate living within their territory Bajau ashore. Although many Bajau decide against it, because it would require a far-reaching renunciation of their tradition, but others take advantage of the opportunity to give their children an education.

Discrimination of Bajau (mostly by the dominant Tausug, which they consider to historical reasons as " inferior" and partly also by the Christian Filipinos ) forced to have and the continuing violence in the Muslim part of Mindanao, many Bajau to begging or to emigrate. Most commonly it to move it to Malaysia or Indonesia, where they are less often exposed to discrimination.

Demography and religion

The various sub-groups of Bajau differ in cultural, linguistic and religious terms. The religious expression ranges from strict adherence to Sunni Islam forms of folk Islam, to animistic beliefs with spirits and ancestor worship. The Christians are a very small minority.

Subgroups

The census in 2010 ( Census 2010) showed a population of 469 620 Bajau in Sabah. [Note 1] In Sarawak is one of a smaller subset of the Iban to the Bajau, but statistically not broken. Bajau in other states are without statistical significance.

In general, many of the sub-groups of Bajau on the area or the island where they live for many years are named. Although they are all alike called Bajau, each sub-group has its own language, culture and tradition. Nevertheless, individual subgroups understand the languages ​​of other groups. For example, some Bajau understand the Bajau Ubian language and understand the Bajau Ubian and Simunul and speak the Tausug language, which is called in Sabah also Suluk language.

List of Bajau sub-groups:

Religion

Claims to religious piety and education are an important source of individual prestige among the living on the coast Bajau. The title salip / sarip ( descendant of the Prophet Muhammad ) shows that its wearer with a certain prestige in his home village. Since can not access all Bajau on their mosques, they also make use of the religious institutions of the Arabs and Malays. Because of their nomadic lifestyle oriented to the lake Ubian Bajau are oriented on the little orthodox Islam, but practice a syncretic folk belief in the spirits of the sea - in Islamic terminology as Jinn known - are worshiped.

Culture

Bajau are excellent riders - this is their specialty in Malaysia, where the equestrian had never found widespread use. The Bajau are also famous for their skills in weaving and in various handicrafts.

In Semporna is listed by the local Bajau of the business acquired by the Tausug Pangalay dance. Based on this mentioned in Sabah Daling Daling - dance, the Bajau developed their own dance they call Igal Igal - and builds on the movements and costumes of the Daling - Daling. This dance is now part of all wedding ceremonies of Bajau in Semporna in use and has spread to Sandakan. Since 2000, this dance is used together with the Joget dance in the night wedding ceremonies of the Sama Bajau.

Handed down convictions

Many of the East Coast Bajau preserve along with their traditional way of life at sea and the remains of a traditional, pre-Islamic beliefs. Traditional Bajau communities are characterized by the association of a dukun ( shaman ) and the observance of taboos in the cultural environment and in dealing with the sea. For example, they celebrate a sacrifice to the sea god Omboh Dilaut when a particularly large Fang is introduced. In Semporna, on the east coast of Sabah, is held annually with the traditional boats of the Bajau the regatta lepa.

Within the community of Bajau only the shaman may tell their history.

In particular, the Bajau living on boats consult at least once a year in a public séance and nightly trance dances belonging to a community medium. In times of epidemics, it is the task of this media to distribute disease-causing spirits from the community. This is done by providing a "ghost boat " is sent from the anchor for the sake of community away into the open sea.

Some researchers suggest that travels the Bajau after Arnhem Land establish the origin of the stories about the mysterious Baijini in the myths of Australian Yolngu.

Marine technology and fishing

The small covered boats on which to spend the Bajau a large part of their lives, hot Lepas. On them live to about ten square meters, often an entire family. Several of these boats together form a village. They leave the Bajau practice only when it is absolutely necessary, for example, firewood or to procure material for tools. Even storms they do not drive on land, but only cause it to to seek shelter in the vicinity of islands in bays or mangrove forests.

The main food of the Bajau is fish in all variations. When hunting, they make a special valve in the bottom of their boats advantage to listening to the movements of schools of fish among them. Supposedly they are able to perceive the activity of the seabed and should have heard the tsunami of 26 December 2004 near.

The Bajau fishermen use wooden sailing boats ( perahu lambo ) for travel to Timor and Arafura Sea. The construction and launch of the handmade boats subject to traditional rites and to the satisfaction of the Bajau is the ships themselves spirit animates ( sumangaq ). According to an international agreement from 1974 may " traditional Indonesian fishermen " in the 200- mile zone of Australia fishing, which also includes the traditional fishing grounds of Bajau. However, the fishery has in this area, concerns about overfishing raised and led to the destruction of vessels, the Bajau.

Bajau are also known for their exceptional skills in freediving. Through physical adaptation they are easier to see under water and longer than other people to dive in a position. Often pierce Bajau in youth intentionally her eardrum to facilitate diving and hunting in the sea. Many older Bajau are therefore hard of hearing.

Personalities of the Bajau

Malaysia

• Mat Salleh - warrior and national hero, leader of the Mat- Salleh Rebellion against the North Borneo Chartered Company
• Tun Mustapha - first Yang di - Pertua Negeri of Sabah and third Chief Minister of Sabah
• Mohamad Said Keruak - 4th Prime Minister of Sabah and 7th Yang di - Pertua Negeri Sabah Kota Belud from
• Salleh Said Keruak - 9th Prime Minister of Sabah from Kota Belud
• Sakaran Dandai - 8th Prime Minister of Sabah and 8th Yang di - Pertua Negeri Sabah from Semporna
• Ahmadshah Abdullah - Yang di - Pertua Negeri 9 Sabah from Inanam
• Mohd Nasir Tun Sakaran - politicians from Semporna
• Mohd Shafie Bin Apdal - Malaysian Minister
• Osu Sukam - 12th Prime Minister of Sabah from Papar
• Pandikar Amin Mulia - Speaker of the Parliament of Malaysia
• Askalani Abdul Rahim - Ehem. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Semporna