BAJO SEA GYPSY TRIBE LIVING HARMONY WITH SEA

"Ayooo", Taha's scream. With the chest spanking while raising his weapons Taha slides with his little champ, climbing the coastal waters of Wangi-Wangi Regency Wakatobi towards the seascreen.

There are coral cliffs, which limit shallow and deep sea. There is a coral reef fighter, where a variety of fish will be their hunt. Looking for by Taha is just a large fish, it can be kerapu, tongkol, octopus, baronang, or even a half body sized shoot.

Taharudin's full name, is a fisherman with fish catching expertise with sea dive using wooden sticks and arrows, a thriving skill of Bajo tribe.

The atmosphere of the village of Bajo Samplea stands above the waters of Kaledupa Island, Wakatobi Regency.

Color of Bajo tribes swear in Kampung Bajo Samplea, Kaledupa Island waters, Wakatobi.

The Bajo’s backyard tribe became a confounder after the director James Cameron stated that the inspiration of the Avatar movie: The Way of Water came from the sea people in Indonesia who were none other than Bajo. The tribe living at the stage house and live on the raft.

"And, we see several villages with water lines,— said Cameron in the adventure interview with the National Geographic broadcasting on the Instagram account of the Kemenparekraf.ri end December 2022 and then.

The Bajo tribe is known as ‘Sea Gypsy’ or the living tribes in the sea. Because of his daily life is indeed fused by the sea. Formerly, the people of Bajo are accustomed to live on the boat (nomaden).

Three children of Bajo tribe posing when playing water in Mola Raya Village, South Wang-Wangi, Wakatobi.

The Bajo tribe crosses in front of his house standing on the grounds in Mola Raya Village, South Wangi-Wangi, Wakatobi Regency.

Most sciences call them from the Philippines Sulu Islands under the name of Bajau or Sama tribes. While the largest population in Indonesia is on the coast of Wakatobi Islands, Southeast Sulawesi reached about 20 thousand souls.

As the time runs, many people of Bajo builds the house above shallow sea. Even many of them have also established homes on the ground but still around the sea coast. The main livelihood of the Bajo tribe is a fisherman who still uses traditional ways, such as fishing, teaching, and breaking.

Since childhood Bajo tribes have been known as the sea, making them own ability in terms of swimming and dive. As is Taha, the fishermen of Bajo is able to dive to seek fish up to 70 meters depth under the sea by holding breath to 13 minutes without the help of breathing tools.

Nelayan tribes fishing fish in the waters of Hoga Island, Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi.

The number of baits for fishing and artificial arrows Taharudin to seek fish.

Taha admits only a large-sized fish to preserve the sustainability of fish resources in the sea. Instead of using fish bombs, it prefers to use wood fish baits made as if life or make a imitation with material emitting light to dock its hunt when fishing.

"This is a field for Bajo tribe, they maintain and process this field, for a sustainable life, so that the fish remains there to their grandchildren," Samran said, Nelayan Cooperative Chair in the village of Mola Raya District Wangi-Wangi Selatan Wakatobi.

When the government through the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries adds five blue economic-based priority programs with sustainable concepts, which expands the conservation area of up to 30 percent of Indonesia’s waters, cultivation of fish, environmentally friendly fish cultivation, sea space arrangement for coastal and sea ecosystem protection, as well as the Moon of Marine Love (BCL). The true blue economic program based on the sustainability of the natural resources of the sea has been applied by the Bajo tribe since the first time.

The fishermen of bajo tribe, Taharudin, swim towards the coral tuber in the waters of the Wangi-Wangi Island, Wakatobi Regency.

Color of Bajo, Taharudin targeted his hunt fish in the waters of Wangi-Wangi Island, Wakatobi Regency.

Photo and Text: Indrianto Eko Suwarso

Author : Nyoman Budhiana

Color of Bajo, Taharudin shows fish that are successfully harvested in the waters of Wangi-Wangi Island, Wakatobi Regency.

The Bajo tribe showed the pork fur obtained in Wangi-Wangi Island, Wakatobi Regency.

Color of Bajo tribe enjoys fish in front of his home that stands on lands in Mola Raya Village, Wangi-Wangi Selatan, Wakatobi Regency.

The mother of Bajo tribe in Mola Raya Village uses a pupur powder made of natural ingredients mixed white rice and turmeric or mangkok leaves.

The village of Bajo Mola brings the keranda contains his relative genazah by using a boat to be buried to the funeral located in Otowe Island.

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