About the Bajau
Bajau is the name of an ethnic group living in Sabah. They are in fact native to southern Philippines, but due to conflicts in the Sulu Archipelago, many Bajaus have moved to live in Malaysia in the last fifty years, particularly to Sabah, where they are now the second largest ethnic group after the Kadazans, forming 13.4% of the population. The Bajaus have also migrated to Sulawesi and Kalimantan in Indonesia.
Bajaus are often called Sea Gypsies, even though this term has also been applied to other non-related ethnic groups that practise a similar lifestyle elsewhere in the region.
Just like the term Kadazan-Dusun, the term Bajau is also an umbrella term to describe several groups of closely related peoples. They share close similarity to the Sama people, so much so that there is also the term Sama-Bajau people. The one difference is that the Sama people are more likely to dwell inland whereas the Bajaus are sea-oriented, living in boats and leading a nomadic lifestyle. However, in this modern age, the traditional differences are fast fading.
The Sama-Bajau peoples speak ten closely related languages or dialects which are within the Sama-Bajau subgroup. The Bajaus themselves do not call themselves Bajau, but refer themselves to their own subgroups, usually related to the name of the places where they live. It is most likely that the British administrators who give the term Bajau to this group of people. In the same way, the British labelled the Samah people Bajaus, and entered that as their race on their birth certificates. Many Bajaus are beginning to identify themselves as Malay, so as to gain access to the special privileges accorded to Malays. This is especially true of the many illegal Filipino immigrants.
Traditionally, Bajaus are nomadic, seafaring people. They either live on stilt houses over water, or directly in boats called lepa-lepa. The boat-dwelling Bajaus spend their whole time in their hand-made boats, coming ashore only on special occasions such as for funerals.
Many Filipinos who are illegal immigrants in Sabah are from the Bajau ethnic group. This includes the huge settlement of illegal immigrants on Pulau Gaya.
Most Bajaus are Muslims adhering to Sunni Islam of the Shafi'i school. The Bajau subgroups include the Ubian, Samah/Sama, Simunal, Samal, Banadan, Tando' Bas, Ungus Matata, Tolen, Palao, Tabawan, Banguingui and Sikubung.
Bajau Dances
Famous Bajaus
- Mat Salleh, famous Sabah warrior that fought against the British
- Tun Datu Mustapha, the first Yang di-Pertua Negeri as well as Chief Minister of Sabah
- Tun Said Keruak, Chief Minister and Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah from Kota Belud
- Datu Mohd Salleh Tun Said, Chief Minister of Sabah, son of Tun Said Keruak
- Tun Sakaran Dandai, Chief Minister and Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah from Semporna
- Osu Sukam, Chief Minister of Sabah from Papar
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