The Baju’s love of the sea, their pre-Islamic customs(adat) and Islam come together to form a belief system where they co-exist and, seemingly, are not in contradiction with each other. This is part one of two parts
The Bajau or Bajo people are groups of nomadic people traditionally living on the sea. They are known by many names, such as Sea Nomads, Sea People, and Sea Gypsy. Bajau people are commonly found along the seashores of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Madagascar.
In Kotabaru, South Borneo, the Bajau primarily inhabit the waters of the Laut Strait and Sebuku Strait. They call themselves Bajau Samah, Samah People or Rampa People. In their language, samah means equal; reflecting their belief in equality and the absence of a caste system in their social life. They believe that every individual has equal access to rights and should be treated equally, with no one feeling superior or inferior to others.
Culturally, Bajau Samah are similar to other Bajau groups, with their distinct dialect known as Bahasa Samah (samah language), which has similar tone to Tagalog, the Philippine language. Their lives are deeply connected to the sea. Almost every single Bajau Samah man is a fisherman, relying on the sea’s natural resources to survive. The sea is not only a means of livelihood but also holds a profound spiritual connection for the Bajau Samah.
To the Bajau Samah, the sea is not only their home and source of livelihood, but also a sacred place where they practice their traditions. For the Bajau, the sea is more than home; it is a place to sustain and inherit ancestral elements. This belief is encapsulated in the phrase ‘Papu Manak Ita Lino Bake isi-isina, kitanaja manusia mamikira bhatingga kolekna mangelolana‘(God has given this world with everything in it; we as humans should think about how to obtain and manage it).
The sea has been integral to the Bajau Samah’s lives from birth to death. One notable tradition involves newborns being briefly thrown into the sea to swim, symbolizing a strong bond with the sea. This practice is believed to ensure the child’s protection by the holy spirit of the sea.
Another significant ceremony is the circumcision ritual for boys, which includes a parade to the sea, offerings, and bathing, followed by circumcision on a gong. This ritual underscores the Bajau’s respect for the sea as a medium of divine blessings and ancestral honour. As teenagers, Bajau Samah boys receive boats built according to specific traditions, including being painted in seven colours representing their gods or ancestors. These boats are essential for transportation and livelihood, symbolizing the emotional and spiritual connection with their ancestors, who are seen as sources of wisdom and strength.
This boat should follow some criteria. For instance, it has to be painted in 7 colours, including black, red, yellow, green, white, blue, and purple, or the flag installed on the boat has to contain all those 7 colours. Those seven colours represent the gods or their ancestors, whose names shall not be mentioned but in rituals, who they believe are guarding their sea.
When a Bajau Samah dies, a ritual of ma’dupa is conducted, where the family reads the dead’s will before presenting sajian (offering) for the spirit and reciting verses of the Quran for him. The rest of the processions follow the mainstream Islamic teachings.
Another unique thing concerning with death is their graveyard. All Bajau Samah’s bodies are buried in the same location in the place they call ‘Ilir’. They want to be together with their late parents, elders, and ancestors. Some graves even have as many as seven layers. They refuse to be buried in the land provided by the government.
The Bajau Samah share an emotional and spiritual relationship with their ancestors as sources of wisdom and strength. Their ancestors serve to bridge the past and the present: they cannot be who and where they are today without the deeds of their ancestors. They respect their ancestors is so great that they do not allow themselves to spit, urinate, and defecate while they are on the sea.
The sea and ancestors play pivotal roles in the lives of the Bajau Samah. They respect and preserve the sea, which has shaped their entire existence. Those who move away often return, finding comfort and healing in the sea. While science has proven the benefits of seawater for skin-related diseases, the Bajau Samah believe the sea can cure various ailments, highlighting its significance in their lives.
The Bajau Samah community is guided by two key figures in their traditions: the adat leader, known as Sandro, who leads traditional rituals, and the religious leader, who oversees religious rituals.
While Sandro considers himself a devout Muslim, pre-Islamic practices are still evident in the rituals he leads. These practices, such as chanting mantras and communicating with spirits, are remnants of pre-Islamic religion. They are not viewed as inconsistent with the practice of Islam. Sandro does not only serve as a ritual leader, but also as a “doctor” for the community from diseases and being possessed.
Sandro is a figure to be respected among Bajau Samah community. This respect is rooted in the belief that a Sandro will always protect the Bajau tribe. The protective function of a Sandro is the Bajau believe in the physical media to protect and care for others including tiny objects, talismans, and offerings deposited at sea or on land.
A Sandro uses water as the medium of the treatment, combined with Islamic prayers and verses from the Holy Quran. A Sandro is believed to be the manifestation of their ancestors, who constantly communicate with the living beings.
A future Sandro must be the offspring of the current Sandro, or the ancestors will have difficulties recognizing him. While those deeds are mainly done by men, a female Sandro’s duties revolve around womanhood and the preparation of rituals.
She also acts as a midwife. All the processions of giving birth are led and done by a female Sandro. When it comes to the rituals of Bajau Samah, female Sandro is responsible for preparing the meals and for the ritual, such as yellow clothes, candles, mirror, white plates, cups or glasses, keris, gong, gendang and music.
An example of this is the ritual of animal sacrifice (qurban) practiced by the Bajau Samah. A sacrifice is typically performed individually, with buffalo being the most sacrificed animal, though goats are also used.
Etty Nurbayania and M. Said Husina The Meeting of Islam and Adat: Exploring the Religiosity of Bajau Samah Community in Kotabaru in Heritage of Nusantara: International Journal of Religious Literature and Heritage 13(2), 2024, 300–333 https://heritage.kemenag.go.id/index.php/heritage
Tom McLaughlin for BorneoHistory.net