While some Bajau spend their lives almost entirely at sea, many opt for more grounded lifestyles near the mainland. But whether on water or land, these stateless nomads face a variety of challenges.
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00:00Living offshore in wooden houseboats or huts built on stilts,
00:05this seafaring community lives off what the ocean provides.
00:09The Baju are some of the last remaining marine nomads
00:13and many have spent their lives almost entirely at sea.
00:17Known for their extraordinary freediving abilities,
00:20they rely on this skill to hunt and feed themselves.
00:31Asli's family is among the last few who still live on traditional houseboats in this area
00:36as they cling to their marine nomadic lifestyle.
01:00For centuries, the Baju have been moving freely in the Sulu and Celebes seas.
01:13To them, borders were the furthest distance they could reach by fishing boat.
01:18But that changed after Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia established maritime borders.
01:30My name is Asli. I am from the Philippines.
01:35I am happy to be here because my family and I have been living here for a long time.
01:51Having originated from the Philippine part of the Sulu Sea,
01:54this group of Baju don't have identification documents.
01:59They lack access to healthcare, education, employment and other basic rights.
02:12Young children grow up learning the traditional hunting techniques
02:15passed down through generations following in the footsteps of their parents.
02:28The Baju who still live in open water usually only come ashore to trade for supplies.
02:35But many have given up on the nomadic lifestyle
02:38and now live in extended villages made of stilt houses
02:42close to cities like Sempona on the Borneo island.
02:47Most people here are elderly,
02:49but the Baju are well-educated and well-trained.
02:54Most people here are ethnic Baju with Malay citizenship
02:57because they were born in the country's maritime area before the borders were drawn.
03:04For the stateless Baju, their opportunities on land are limited
03:08to menial jobs like cleaners and porters.
03:12Without identity papers, they also live in fear of eviction.
03:16Rights groups have repeatedly called on the Malaysian government
03:19to grant these Baju people citizenship
03:22so that they can be treated fairly and have access to basic rights.