My Week With The Sea Gypsies of Borneo

Borneo is the world's third largest island, home to Kalimantan (Indonesian Territory), Malaysian states Sarawak and Sabah and nestled at the top is the Kingdom of Brunei.  "Borneo" conjures thoughts of the exotic and the wild, the island is home to one of the world's oldest rainforests.  It has amazing biodiversity, with new species being discovered all the time.  Borneo is known as a melting pot of different cultures, with its inhabitants having Malay, Indonesian, Chinese, Orang Ulu and Jadazan-Dudun ethnicities.  There are also many indigenous people based on Borneo and it's outlying islands.

If you go to the far East of Malaysian Borneo, and then pop off on a boat for an hour or two, you'll find yourself propelled into another world (as did I).  The Bajau Laut, a nomadic tribe, traditionally reside at sea and have lived in the region for hundreds of years.  I'm unsure what changed for these Bajau who've settled, on land, in Malaysian Borneo as undocumented immigrants though are said to be from the Philippines.  Their presence isn't welcome (with the government) and basic domestic infrastructure just doesn't exist in their camp.

A Bajau fisherman returns home with his catch - his journey home requires him to dodge the carrier bags and                                   loose human and animal faeces which dominates the shoreline.

The homes have no toilet facilities and the camp has no sanitation.  It's usual to see residents defecating on the beach or in plastic bags which are then left on the beach.  The beach stank, with rotting human waste all around, it's fair to say, I watched my steps and made sure to wear closed in shoes.  I was told a few days after my arrival that the camp had recently been affected by a Cholera outbreak - hardly surprising.

A typical family home within the camp.  Houses are stilted as they are on the beach and susceptible to monsoon flooding.

  The limited diet of fish and one or two types of vegetable found readily on the island can't sustain the population.  Children                          can be seen wandering with large packets of crisps, yet they still display clear signs of malnutrition

The schools on the island aren't allowed to take in the Bajau children - they don't have any identity papers and the government won't fund their education, or healthcare or anything at all.  A lack of education is clearly to the detriment of this community - from basic health and hygiene education through to simple literacy and environmental knowledge, this group lack skills in these areas.  They burn chemicals, dump plastics in the sea and participate in damaging and illegal fishing practices such as dynamite fishing and illegally trade protected species - such as shark fin.

               Dynamite fishing and the harvesting of endangered species takes place to stock the shops on the island.

The time I spent with the Bajau was really special to me.  The people of this community were hardworking, creative and had a fantastic spirit.  I wonder what will become of them in the future?  It seems unlikely that they will return to the sea or even to the Philippines - given that many have lived their whole lives in Malaysia.  Local tourism businesses support the tribe as best they can, partly due to their great humanity and (one would gather) partly to minimise the dangers of operating a business next door to such a camp.  Doctors, vets and dentists are periodically brought over to carry out some pro-bono work and treat the whole village during their stay, facilitated by the local businesses.  It keeps serious harm at bay.  Local dive businesses have to fight to keep the neighbouring areas of beach clean.  A school for the children has been set up, although it is still in it's infancy and the community - in particular the older members - need convincing of the value of such an education.  The school is aptly named School of Hope, which is what I have in my heart for this community.