Gypsy Life

It seems like the joyful shrieks of Bajao tribe children followed us all the way back to the mainland Hoga Island in Sulawesi. Charmingly endearing, their engaging personalities won us over from the beginning. The Bajao tribe is a fascinating community of sea nomads that was forced to establish a settlement in the middle of the sea by the local government. Born and bred at sea, they make a living from the vast resources the sea has to offer.

The sea was calm and the sky spectacularly clear as we embarked on our journey to the neighboring Kaledupa island. Soon enough, we glimpsed upon a cluster of wooden stilt houses in the middle of the sea. As we passed by the houses situated along the edges, we could see the Bajao children waving enthusiastically while gleefully calling out to us.

As the boat came up to the pier, we were greeted with pure rapture from the Bajao children. I don’t think any of us had felt such intense warmth and affection thrown at us from strangers. We were hooked by the dizzying display of absolute adoration. Once each of us stepped onto the pier, the Bajao children rushed to grab our hands and instantly intertwined our fingers together. Their excitement to show us around the village was contagious. Meanwhile, the adults were cautiously watching the scene from a distance. Their wariness was a sharp contrast to the fervid excitement of the children.

Engulfed by our personal entourage of Bajao children, we were led into the heart of the village. It felt remarkably surreal as we ambled along the wooden platforms that doubled as bridges linking one house to another. The aged Bajao women appear awfully robust as they went about their daily errands in wooden kayaks, rowing from one floating house to another. The men were out at sea either managing the seaweed farm that they had just built or hunting for fish.

The seaweed farms are a novel concept that a few families are adopting in an attempt to survive. Despite having ample trust in the ocean in providing for their basic needs, the Bajao tribe are now realising the constraints of their faith. Thus began the inception of the seaweed farm business. It is rather upsetting to learn the Bajao’s belief that in respecting the ocean, it will then, in return help to fulfill their needs is gradually ebbing away.

Naively succumbing to the demands of this selfish and materialistic world, I dread to think of the fate of the Bajao children as they strive to uphold their customs and traditions.