BADJAO-NOMADS OF THE SEA

JAYCEL CASTRO-presenter
Culture of Badjao

Badjao is derived from Brunei Malay word "bajaul" which means to fish.

One lifestyle, making use of small wooden sailing vessels. Their village is in the southern Philippines, on
a little stretch of beach on Sarangani Bay, which is just a few miles south of General Santos. Traditionally
Badjao had no permanent dwellings and lived on their boats throughout the year.

Badjao was displaced by wars and the death of their traditional fishing culture. Their homeland has
been taken away from them and their culture is gradually slipping away. Amongst themselves, they’re
known as Sama Laus (Sea Sama) and are found living on houseboats where they make their livelihood
solely on the sea as expert fishermen, deep-sea divers, and navigators.

Mode of Dressing

Regarding about their background on culture, beliefs and costume, many Badjao of the east coast retain
their seaborne lifestyle, together with remnants of traditional pre-Islamic beliefs. Focusing on their
mode of dressing the traditional attire of a Badjao is the “patadjong.” It has many uses. They are made
large enough to fit any person and are used by both men and women as a skirt or gown tucked at the
chest level. It can serve as head cover, waistband, sash, blanket, hammock, shoulder bag, cradle, pouch,
hood, or pillow.The women’s “sablay” is a loosed sleeved blouse reaching down to the hips. A “simpay”
(band) forms the front opening and extends to the back from a small collar. A woman’s typical
accessories are jewelry and colored combs. The bracelet is the most popular ornament. Other pieces of
jewelry are the pendant, earring, ring, necklace, and anklet.

Badjao believes that they are descended from loyalty that is why they are a colorful, festive and musical
people. Also why they wear such richly colorful clothes, often made by hand from traditional dastar
fabric. Brides and grooms wear even more colorful clothing at their wedding. The more highly regarded
a woman is the more brightly and colorfully she will be dressed. She will also receive many water buffalo
which, to the Bajau, is a special animal that usually forms part of any woman’s dowry. Arranged
marriages are common. Marriage by kidnap and elopement are also still quite frequent.

Dances

As Filipinos, we are all know for being talented and competitive that shows the true blood of a Pinoy.
Dance or dancing is one of those talents that we have, where we can prove to the world that we can
sway with every beat of life; fast or slow. Even the youngest or the eldest on us can move with music;
even the richest or the poorest can move along in every single beat. And we are all proud of having
different dances even in indigenous places.
Just like other ethnic groups have, Badjao tribe from Zambales also have their own cultural and
traditional dance. And as I am reading some articles about them, I’ve discovered that ‘Igal or Pangalay or
Janggay’ is the dance they’d adopted from the Samal group of Sulu. This dance was usually and
commonly performed by female Badjao. The dancers should bunned their hair though sometimes
accepted to be hang loose. And to add twist to the traditional Pangalay they use ‘janggay’ and wear to
their hands to enhance and magnify the dancers’ hands while dancing this traditional dance of them.
‘Janggay’ is a metal fingernails or claws; this was used as an extension of their fingernails to give
emphasis to the movement of the hands of the dancers. This was accompanied by drums or gabbang
played by male Badjao.

This traditional dance of them shows their confidence that even the indigenous group of people can be
known for their talents and competitiveness.

Language

Language is somewhat a necessity of mankind. It serves as an identification of people on where they

Of the more than a hundred languages being spoken by the different ethnolinguistic groups of dwellers
in the more than seven thousand and one hundred islands comprising the Philippines, I’ve focuses and
pay for attention to the Badjao’s language because of curiousity.

Sinama is the language of Badjao that is being used on their way of communication. The Sinama has a
seven classifications based on their mutual intelligibility. The seven Sinama languages are Northern
Sinama, Central Sinama, Southern Sinama, Sinama Pangutaran, Mapun Badjao West Coast of Sabah and
Badjao Indonesia. These classifications are rarely recognized by Sama themselves who instead classify
their Sinama by the village or island it originates from.

Superstitious Beliefs

Badjao or Sea Gypsies have strange beliefs. Believes indigenous Badjao recognition of their master and
having wisdom is the most beautiful way to having a good life.They also believe that where the spirits of
the dead are kept in a grave and every period of Shaaban, the soul is allowed their master to come back
to our world.

They also believe that the dead can communicate with the living through the ritual ceremonies of
celebration, worship, and exorcism. As a welcome, people were cleaning graves and conduct prayers. A
ritual allegedly accepting tribe, the Badjao throwing newborn in the deep-sea and re-ascent of the older
men in the baby.
Literature

Badjao are widely known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes seas, the Badjao are scattered
along the coastal areas of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and Coastal municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur in
the ARRM. Thay are found living on houseboats where they make their livelihood solely on the sea as
expert fishermen, deep-sea drivers and navigators. Unique to their cultural rituals is the concept of life
and their relationship to the sea. A newly born infant is thrown into the sea and members of the clan
dive to save the newborn. Orher traditions such as marriages are prearranged by the parents for their
sons and daughters , the process similar to other ethnic groups. In that, a dowry is often presented to
the parents of the woman a man wishes to marry. And only the Badjao leader can consecrate a
marriage. Therefore a leader is chosen based on individual inherent virtues, wisdom and “charisma” and
male ability to attract followers.

Due to the ongoing conflict in the region between revolutionary muslim groups and the government,
many Badjao have migrated to Sabah in Malaysia , Sulawesi and kalimantan in Indonesia. As a result ,
they now comprise the second largest ethnic group in Sabah, despite the fact that many of them are
illegal immigrants. There, the badjao speak nearly ten languages of the Sama-Bajau subgroup of the
western Malayo-polynesian language family.

QUIZ

Instruction: Fill in the blank with a correct answer.

1. The __________ lyrics are verses from the Qura. It has a traditional and melancholic tone where
Badjao beleves that it can heal an epidemic.

2. Badjao came from a Bruenei Malay word ___________ which means to fish.

3. ___________ is a kind of carabao found in Southeast Asia serves as the best dowry for Badjao.

4. _____________ refers to the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. It is also called as a month of
separation as the word means to disperse.

5. _____________ is a traditional outrigger boat from the island of Mindanao made by Sama-Bajau.

6. _____________ are one of the Sabah's most iconic textile wors as a headdress by many indigenous
people like Badjao.

7. Badjao are also known as___________________.

8. ______________ are made large enough to fit any person and are used by both men anwomen as a
skirt or gown tucked at the chest level. It can serve as head cover, waistband, sash, blanket,
hammock, shoulder bag, cradle, pouch, hood, or pillow.

9. _______________ refers to the traditional dance of Badjao usually performed by female.

10. ______________ is the language of Badjao that is being used on their way of communication.