Sea Gypsies

Sea gypsies: Sabah

(Above) Two boys from a community commonly known as sea gypsies paddle their boat close to their home.

The Samah are an indigenous ethnic group from Malaysia and the Philippines who live a sea-based lifestyle in the Sulawesi Sea off Malaysia's state of Sabah.

The Sabah are one of a number of groups collectively known as Bajau, or sea gypsies.

Although sea gypsies are Muslims, they also revere the gods of the sea and make offerings when a large catch is brought in.

Originally the sea gypsies lived a nomadic lifestyle in boats. Nowadays most live in small communities, building houses on stilts in the coastal shallows without fresh water or electricity.

Photos courtesy of Reuters

Original Source: The Telegraph