Brunei and the Bajau by D.E. Brown Borneo Research Bulletin December 1971
Many parts of the southern Philippines were under the rule of Brunei in the early part of the 16th century. When the Spaniards tried to colonize the southern part, a long period of instability arose between the Baju and the Moslem people.
The sea nomads were called the camucones in Spanish as a translation for the Brunei word Bajau as early as 1599 as a Spanish document shows. Baju is the only term used by Brunei today. (1971) The term lanun has been used but it means pirate rather than a group of people.
The Baju or sea nomads remained loyal to Brunei until the end of the 17th century. By the 19th century, the sea nomads were loyal to other Philippine and Sulu sultanates.
After the attack on Brunei in the 16th century, the Spanish decided not to colonize Brunei. The conquest of Brunei stopped the trade and influence of the Sultanate on the southern Philipines and Sulu.
The Sulu people tried to evade the Spanish and later succeeded. However, sea nomads did not immediately go over to the Sulu. The sea nomads raided the Spanish and the Spanish tried to halt this aggression by fighting back. Meanwhile, the Brunei and Spanish in Manila exchanged ambassadors and normalized relations in 1680.
Baju speakers lived in Brunei however the bulk of them seem to be separate from Brunei. The relations between Manila and Brunei were cordial but the trade routes between the two countries were not. The Baju raided these trade routes.
How did the Sulu get the Baju to owe them allegiance? According to the author, there were two types of kingdoms. The first was the ones that relied on rice such as Burma and Thailand. The second were those that relied on trade like Srivijaya and Malacca. Majapahit and Brunei were a mixture of the two.
Employment for the Baju was at first with Brunei, a trading entity. As trade fell off with Brunei, the Baju then sought trade by harassing the Spanish and selling the goods to minor kingdoms. These minor kingdoms did not make peace with Manila as Brunei had done. Therefore they aligned themselves with the Sulu.
Srivijaya and Malacca had a secure trade agreement with China. Sulu also had an agreement with China. Sulu made seven tributary missions to China beginning in 1726. Sulu had cornered the market with China and away from Brunei as Brunei was not even mentioned as a tributary of China. The Bajus went over to Sulu for employment and raiding. The loss of the Bajus was a decisive event in the downfall of Brunei.
The essay ends here.
Sulu’s Political Jurisdiction over the Baju Laut by Clifford Sather in Borneo Research Bulletin December 1971
As one goes from the centre of authority in Sulu outward, the further away you get from the government the less control they have. The Baju Laut were at the outermost of this control and lacked a central focus. These scattered groups throughout the Sulu area were linked to the Sulu government in proportion to their distance away from the centre of government.
In contrast to the Baju Laut in the north, the Baju Laut of Sabah seemed to be controlled by the headmen of shore settlements. These shore settlements were occupied by other Baju Laut who were controlled by more powerful groups who held Datu status.
In exchange for their loyalty, the Baju Laut enjoyed security in fishing and other harvests from the sea. These products from the sea were traded for jars, gongs and other symbols of wealth.
Historically, the major function of the groups was to protect the Baju from raids. While the Baju Laut were sometimes harassed, looted and occasionally taken as slaves, the system of belonging to a land-wise group afforded some protection. They perceived themselves as non-violent people who “fight only with their mouths”.
The Baju Laut formed a pariah class of landless fishermen and were held in contempt by other groups. Small villages were considered the property of the Datus and not of the Baju Laut themselves. They were separated from other groups by a class-like structure that limited ties that would have benefited both groups. If the rulers became unfair, the Baju Laut could always leave with their boats and find another place to dock.
When Islam came, the Baju Laut were not encouraged to join the new religion. Islam required the recognition of a central government. In Sulu, the Baju Laut were beholding to the local Datus. In the eyes of their neighbours, they were considered pagan, non-Islamic people. So long as they were living on boats, they were not able to erect mosques. When coming ashore, they were not able to enter religious buildings or mosques. This further separated the Baju Laut from other shoreside groups. However, after a time, the Baju Laut were able to shed their separateness and join the Islamic communities.
Pottery Making by the Dusuns and Bajus in Sabah by Michael Pike in the Borneo Research Bulletin June 1970.
The Dusuns did not make pottery. Somehow the title got mixed up.
First, a yellowish clay is collected by rake from an old meander of the River Tempasuk. It is then sieved to separate the coarse material from the fine clay. It is then pounded in a rice pounder until it is smooth. A small amount of fine river sand plus water is added. The clay is then kneaded into the desired shape, like a pot. The pot is left to dry for four days. The pot is then fired on a collection of dried bamboo and llang (grass)for about 30 minutes to an hour. Much breakage occurs at this point and is expected. When the pot is lifted out of the fire and is still hot, a coat of resin (damar) is applied to make it waterproof.
Bajau Communities in Southeastern Sulawesi by H. Arlo Nimmo Borneo Research Bulletin December 1972
During my second field trip among the Bajau of southern Sulu (1965-67), I wrote to Sister M. Pauline Benden of the Medical Mission Sisters at Makassar, to inquire about the possible existence of boat-dwelling people in that part of Sulawesi. She kindly extended the inquiry to students in her hospital classes and learned that boat-dwelling peoples, known locally as Orang Badjo found off the southeastern coast of Sulawesi near the islands of Butung, Bone, Salajar, and Muna. These boat-dwellers are primarily fishermen who trade their fish for the agricultural produce of the land-dwelling peoples. They speak a language distinct from that of the land-dwellers, but they are frequently bilingual since the land languages are the lingua franca in the areas where they are found.
They are generally taller and bigger than the neighbouring Sulawesi peoples, have darker skin (probably sun-darkened), and their hair is frequently “yellow or a bit red” (probably sun-bleached) Marriage is usually endogamous,(married only within the community of boat dwellers) and they have low status among the land-dwellers.
Virtually all of this brief description also pertains to the boat-dwelling Bajau of southern Sulu. Sister Benden reports two local stories about the Bajau which are also widespread in southern Sulu. The first claims that if the boat-dwellers go to land, they become ill because they are accustomed to living only on the sea. The second maintains that as soon as a Bajau infant is born, it is thrown into the sea by its parents. If the child floats, it is rescued; if the child sinks, it is allowed to drown since it would otherwise bring misfortune to the family. Both stories are untrue in Sulu, and I suspect also in Sulawesi. A local legend recounted by Sister Benden claims that all the Bajau once lived at a place called Badjoe near Bone, but because of a war in that area, they fled along the Sulawesi coasts where they are presently found. Their name still reflects their place of origin.
Condensed by Tom McLaughlin with the permission of the Borneo Research Bulletin.
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