Commonly known to westerners
as "Sea Gypsies," the highly mobile Bajao or Sama Dilaut actually
live in small groups as far north as the northern tip of Luzon in their
house boats called
lepa. The true Bajao are actually a Bornean people,
but the Sama Dilaut are often called that by other locals because of the
similarity of their lifeways; their language, however, is considerably different.
The Bajao have also adapted to
Jama-Mapun-style
houseboats over shallow seas; these are linked together by small bridges.
Interiors of houses are not partitioned, and their most notable ornamentation
is a
hanayan, or ornate shelving. Like other Sama peoples, the Bajao
are a non-aggressive group who take flight in their boats when threatened;
they claim to have no weapons. The
lepa is a beautiful boat of ancient
origins; its sail has a "mouth" which enables the boat to sail
almost directly into the wind.
AKA:
Badjau, Bajao, Bajaw, Lutao, Orang Laut, Pal'au,
Sama Dilaut, Sama Jengngeng, Samal Laut
Location:
Scattered over Sulu area north to Basilan
and southern Mindanao; concentrated on Tawitawi Island.
Languages:
Sama-related
Supergroup:
Sama
Subgroups:
Bajao, Sama Dilaut, Sama Jenjeng
Subsistence:
Marine resources; cassava
Population:
29,754 nationwide (1994).