The Concept Of Identity

1st component (history)

- The Sama-Bajau are traditionally from the many islands of
the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines (where they are
grouped together with the Moro people), as well as parts of
the coastal areas of Mindanao and northern Borneo
- For most of their history, the Sama-Bajau have been
a nomadic, seafaring people, living off the sea by trading
and subsistence fishing.[19] The boat-dwelling Sama-Bajau
see themselves as non-aggressive people. They kept close
to the shore by erecting houses on stilts, and travelled
using lepa, handmade boats which many lived in.[19]
- First, there is the groups terms of reference. It has in fact
two names, Sama and Bajau, each with its own history.
- Sama in Malay means kita or we. It is believed to have
originated from within the group itself, a belief supported by
the fact that it still is commonly used among their members
in referring to the group. This practice is almost universal in
Sabah, the southern Philippines and in southern Indonesia.
- Unlike Sama, Bajau is not a term of self-reference
popularly used in Sama-Bajau communities. They seem to
prefer calling themselves Jomo Sama (People of Sama) or
Jomo Bajau (People of Bajau). The reluctance to adopt
Bajau as a term of equal status to Sama seems to be
due to the general feeling that the former had external
origins.

2nd component (language)

- The second component of identity for Sama-Bajau is
language.
- A popular slogan regarding language in Malaysia is bahasa
jiwa bangsa or language is the soul of the nation.
Language is undoubtedly crucial in making the group easily
distinguishable.
- In the case of Sama-Bajau, others have traditionally
recognized them mainly through their language, since
geographic location has been difficult to determine. In fact,
since their lifestyle has scattered them across the
archipelago, language has become the easiest method of
identification.
- The SamaBajau peoples speak some ten languages of the
SamaBajau subgroup of the Western Malayo-Polynesian
language family.[55]
- Sinama is the most common name for these languages, but
they are also called Bajau, especially in Malaysia.

3rd component (culture)

RELIGION
- The third element of identity is Islam.
- To many Europeans, Sama-Bajau had a rather bad
reputation, as expressed in common terms used for them,
like sea-gypsies or sea-nomadic people, or luawan or Lutau
among the Tausug in Southern Philippines. They do however
profess themselves to be Muslims.
- Researchers wonder instead about when the Sama-Bajau
became Muslims, and what religion they had before Islam
came along. According to the social stratification practised
within the Sama-Bajau, the group with the lowest status is

called Sama Palau, which refers to small groups of families

staying in boats and living as sea nomads.
- One of the reasons for their low social status seems to be
due to an general prejudice that sea peoples or palau
cannot help but be rather lax as Muslims. Members of the
Sama Palau consider themselves Muslims, even if they may
not practise all the basic Islamic teachings.
- In principle, Islam is vital to the identity of Sama-Bajau
everywhere. The general wisdom is that Sama-Bajau are
Muslims.

Boat-dwelling
- A few Sama-Bajau still live traditionally. They live in
houseboats which generally accommodates a single nuclear
family (usually five people). The houseboats travel together
in flotillas with houseboats of immediate relatives (a family
alliance) and co-operate during fishing expeditions and in
ceremonies.
- A married couple may choose to sail with the relatives of
the husband or the wife. They anchor at common mooring
points (called sambuangan) with other flotillas (usually also
belonging to extended relatives) at certain times of the
year.[21][27]
- They generally do not sail more than 40 km (24.85 mi) from
their "home" moorage
- Sama-Bajau are also noted for their exceptional abilities
in free-diving, with physical adaptations that enable them to
see better and dive longer underwater.[64]
- Divers work long days with the "greatest daily apnea diving
time reported in humans" of greater than 5 hours per day
submerged.
Music, Arts & Dance
- Sama-Bajau traditional songs are handed down orally
through generations. The songs are usually sung during

marriage celebrations (kanduli pagkawin), accompanied by

dance (pang-igal) and musical instruments
like pulau (flute), gabbang (xylophone), tagunggo'(kulintang
gongs), and in modern times, electronic keyboards.[24]
- There are several types of Sama-Bajau traditional songs,
they include:isun-isun, runsai, najat, syair, nasid, bua-bua
anak, and tinggayun.
- Sama-Bajau people are also well known for weaving and
needlework skills

Society
- Though some Sama-Bajau headsmen have been given
honorific titles like "datu", "maharaja" or "panglima" by
governments (like under the Sultanate of Brunei), they
usually only had little authority over the Sama-Bajau
community.
- Sama-Bajau society is traditionally highly individualistic,
[21]
and the largest political unit is the clan cluster around
mooring points, rarely more.
- Unlike most neighbouring peoples, Sama-Bajau society is
also more or less egalitarian, and they did not practice
a caste system.
- When the relationship sours or if there is too much pressure
from land-based rulers, the Sama-Bajau prefer to simply
move on elsewhere

REFERENCES

1)
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/1227/1/The_I
dentity_and_Social_Mobility_of_SamaBajau.pdf
2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SamaBajau_peoples#History_and_origins