Bajau People and Their Lifestyle:
The Bajau people are an ethnic group of Malay origin known for their nomadic lifestyle, living almost exclusively on the water.
They have a migratory existence, drifting throughout the waters of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The Bajau’s story is rooted in their folklore and traditions, passed down through oral history.
Unique Adaptations to Underwater Life:
The Bajau engage in subsistence hunting, spearfishing for food while living on long houseboats called lepas.
They spend significant time underwater, with some individuals reportedly capable of holding their breath for up to 13 minutes at depths of 200 feet.
Bajau individuals use handcrafted wooden goggles and spearguns for diving. Some intentionally puncture their eardrums to cope with underwater pressure.
Genetic and Physiological Adaptations:
Research has revealed genetic traits unique to the Bajau, including variants of the PDE10A and BDKRB2 genes.
Bajau individuals have spleens that are 50 percent larger than their closest neighbors, the Saluan, providing more oxygen-rich blood for diving.
The genetic variants are associated with peripheral vasoconstriction, potentially allowing better blood distribution to critical areas during dives.
Threats to the Bajau Way of Life:
Nomadic lifestyles face challenges in modern states, and many Bajau have been forced to settle on land or in stilt villages.
Some Bajau engage in harmful fishing practices, such as using potassium cyanide tablets, damaging the sensitive coral reefs they rely on.
Industrial fishing contributes to the depletion of fish stocks, posing a threat to the Bajau’s traditional means of survival.
The changing world, with environmental degradation and cultural shifts, is erasing the Bajau way of life.
Future Uncertainty:
The nomadic lifestyle of the Bajau people is at risk, and the current generation might be the last able to sustain themselves off the water.
Various factors, including environmental issues and changing societal structures, contribute to the challenges faced by the Bajau.
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