Bajau the Sea Nomads

A year ago, we had a bonding moment with friends that I don’t get to see much often. While we're heading to the resort riding a jeepney, I’m just looking outside reading signs which I usually do until someone caught my attention. The jeepney stopped at the red light and from my view, I saw a kid carrying quite a lot of shoes. I quickly took a picture of it, now it’s mine.

The kid is known in the city as “Bajau” their origins are from the southern Philippines, skillful hunters of the deep sea giving them the title of "Sea Nomads." They're usually on beach resorts selling fish, shells, and accessories made out of pearls. They're also present at beach parks or at a wharf on their boat, hoping and waiting that someone will throw any amount of coin then they'll race against the current to get it before it reaches the sea floor, even dive in a few meters deep. An exceptional diver! There's a BBC documentary of a Bajau hunting fish under the sea for five minutes on one breath, God I can hardly reach 20 seconds underwater (watch it here http://bit.ly/WPYjY4).

Bajau is recognized as one of the ethnic tribes composing the Davao Region. We celebrate a thanksgiving along with the other ethnic tribes during the Kadayawan Festival every third week of August, the celebration may last for a month. It’s a colorful event showcasing different cultures from different tribes. There are street dancing participated by almost the entire region of Mindanao, beauty pageant, stage performance, and delicacies.

However, there is a sad truth about (some of) the Bajau. They're now on the streets begging and others tend to get aggressive, doing sick things like spitting and hitting people if not pleased. During a busy traffic, they'll run into the middle of the road, knocking on every car's window to beg. What if they'd get run over? This isn't about implying a bad image about them but it's what poverty and the lack of education have brought upon them. It’s sad to see them walking on the street carrying their babies in an improvised hammock-like-belt. It’s sad to see their youngsters wandering around selling stuff instead of going to school. And it’s sad to know that their parents, despite their capability to make a good living, would rather choose to beg as well.

I grew up knowing Bajau having an exquisite talent in music and dancing. During December, they'd go house to house caroling, playing upbeat tunes which rhythms will make you dance along with them unconsciously.

I hope one day the Bajau (particularly those mentioned above) will find its place in the community, something that they don't need to beg for a piece of coin not to sleep with an empty stomach. That their culture be preserved for the future generations to come. I myself had a Bajau classmate in college and she's exceptionally wise. She taught me how to work as online captcha decoder and during her spare time, she'd play BINGO at SM Mall.

Saw this on my timeline, reason why I wrote this blog.