Cover Close-up details of ‘Bajautopia: Tales of Borneo's Sea Nomads’ book cover (Photo: Dr Ng Keng-Khoon)
Close-up details of ‘Bajautopia: Tales of Borneo's Sea Nomads’ book cover (Photo: Dr Ng Keng-Khoon)
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Dr Ng Keng-Khoon, an expert in architecture and topics related to cultural conservation, discusses the inspiration behind his book, ‘Bajautopia: Tales of Borneo’s Sea Nomads’
Released in 2022, Bajautopia: Tales of Borneo’s Sea Nomads, co-edited by Dr Ng Keng-Khoon and Farah Aliza Badaruddin, highlights the hopes and plights of the Bajau Laut community. This engaging compilation of essays and architectural research endeavours to spark stimulating discussions and debates aimed at enhancing the lives of these nomads. Also known as Sama Dilaut and less commonly referred to as “Sea Gypsies,” Bajau Laut are one of the sub-groups of the greater Sama-Bajau collective, comprising several closely related indigenous groups who regard themselves as a distinct ethnicity, with populations distributed around the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
Above A typical scene around Semporna’s offshore islands, widely exploited as marketing material to lure tourists as issues brought about by statelessness go unresolved
A typical scene around Semporna’s offshore islands, widely exploited as marketing material to lure tourists as issues brought about by statelessness go unresolved
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The Bajau Laut have lived scattered throughout the Celebes Seas or the Sulu-Semporna-South Sulawesi Triangle, ancestral territories for over 1,000 years. In Sabah, these highly proficient divers often live in elaborately crafted houseboats called Lepa, or wooden huts on stilts out at sea. They are generally regarded as stateless by the Malaysian government, without legal citizenship, leaving them without legal documentation and fundamental rights. This renders the community exceedingly susceptible to exploitation.
Above Illustration pondering the possibility of humans living in the ocean as the imaginary “homo aquaticus,” inspired by the musings of Jacques Cousteau, a diver and oceanographer
Illustration pondering the possibility of humans living in the ocean as the imaginary “homo aquaticus,” inspired by the musings of Jacques Cousteau, a diver and oceanographer
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“Undocumented Bajau Laut have always suffered from delusive and derogatory representations. In many stigmatised situations, terms associated with them include ‘backward,’ ‘uncivilised,’ sometimes even ‘unlawful’ and ‘violent.’ The discrimination they face is most evidenced by their living environments, including infrastructural inequality, no access to clean water and electricity, not to mention the severe lack of education and healthcare services,” Ng clarifies.
He describes the livelihoods of the Bajau Laut as precarious due to resource encroachments, job exploitation and rising disputes between opposing local chiefs. “Power struggles are constantly placed at the centre of the increasingly polarised society within the indigenous groups, particularly in Semporna. It might be theoretically true to claim that statelessness is the primary root cause of discrimination, however, we must not generalise the complex factors and diverse challenges of being stateless and undocumented for differing families and age groups. The question is, to what extent do their voices need to be heard?”
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Ng is passionate about contributing to a holistic dialogue and stimulating ideas for a sustainable future for the Bajau Laut. As a lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS), he instructs students in the undergraduate honours college on “Understanding the Social World: Singapore and Beyond” and teaches a social science elective on “Indigeneity and the Politics of Representation in Sabah.” He also supervises an Impact Experience Project (IEx) in Sabah, a two-year NUSC group capstone and community learning project.
Above Kampung Bangau-Bangau, Kampung Panji, Kampung Halo and Kampung Hujung Air
Above Semporna, historically known as “Tong Talun”, which means “land at the end of the forest”
Kampung Bangau-Bangau, Kampung Panji, Kampung Halo and Kampung Hujung Air
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“Our community partner is Borneo Komrad-Sekolah Alternatif, a Sabah-based NGO that provides free education to stateless and undocumented children and youths. Our ongoing IEx projects focus on multiple subject matters, ranging from fire safety measures, solar energy solutions, waste management systems to community-led tourism,” Ng details.
As a researcher, Ng’s appreciation of Borneo Komrad runs deep, crediting the organisation with opening the door for him and Farah to enter the unique world of this forgotten community in Semporna. Although Ng was previously aware of a sea-based community in the region, he admits he knew little about the history and culture of the specific groups of Bajau Laut living on the east coast of Sabah until he began studying them while lecturing at UCSI University.
“What caught my attention and curiosity was a news report on Semporna about the life-threatening fire that happened in 2018,” Ng recalls. In the incident, 302 houses went up in flames in a fire that swept through Kampung Air Hujung, leaving more than 2,000 people homeless.
Above concept for movable houses capable of collecting ocean trash
concept for movable houses capable of collecting ocean trash
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It was not the first time a water settlement was destroyed by fire, with the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department recording 41 incidents involving water villages between 2014 and 2018, destroying 1,585 homes. With homes built from wood and without detailed planning, safety measures are frequently overlooked. Bajautopia serves as “both a manifesto and a provocation” that invites politicians, planners, engineers, scientists, activists and environmentalists to take note while serving as a “constructive criticism of existing attempts to build an inclusive Malaysian society through categories of race, culture and geography.”
Bajautopia compiles diverse written works spearheaded by leading writers and scholars in architecture, history, film studies, anthropology, tourism, political science, and urban planning in Malaysia. It serves as a dialogue among scholars and writers from varied cultural backgrounds and epistemological contexts, delving into a broad spectrum of topics crucial to the livelihood of the Bajau Laut community. It also contains poems and other visual materials, including artworks, imaginative sketches, site drawings, comics and photographs.
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“The book only offers a glimpse of cultural appreciation towards the great traditions of Sama Bajau through analytical lenses and creative imaginations of both student designers and essay contributors of the book. The ‘invitation’ as presented in the book is indeed an attempt to challenge the long-standing misconception generally framed within oppositions of sacred indigenous tradition and secular non-indigenous modernity,” Ng says. He cautions against such binary thinking, warning that it contributes to the “hostile hierarchisation and biased value judgement,” barriers that prevent modern mainstream societies from appreciating cultural wisdom and alternative sustainable solutions offered by the tribal communities.
Above Woven pandanus mat known as “tepo”
Above single space concept for Bajau rituals around birth and death
Woven pandanus mat known as “tepo”
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“The invitation [of Bajautopia], therefore, is about refraining from looking at marginalised semi-nomadic groups through the prism of how much [they support] pro-development or oppose the market economy. It is about rethinking approaches for a more culturally holistic world, by normalising knowledge production and everyday practices of the indigenes. In other words, we should come together to celebrate humanity. There are no differences between us,” Ng says.
According to Ng, one of the biggest challenges in developing the book was balancing critical analysis with readability. “Turning selected architectural design proposals into a form of public reading required converting presentation jargon and being mindful of language. I don’t think we entirely succeeded, but we are pleased that some readers noticed and appreciated our efforts.”
Another hurdle in producing the book as a non-profit publication involved considering how to frame the message in a way that would be marketable and financially feasible. “We are very thankful for Gerakbudaya’s strong support and trust, as well as their patient guidance through every single step with their extensive publishing and marketing experience.”
Above concept for an “Autonomous City” to solve the issue of statelessness
concept for an “Autonomous City” to solve the issue of statelessness
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Ng affirms that “culture is a constantly changing dynamic entity,” sustained by acknowledging the past and adapting to survive the future. “With cultural sustainability, community capacity building is crucial because sustainable development should foster more grounded community alliances that collectively address wicked issues relating to human well-being and climate change. These viewpoints point to a broader argument that cultural wisdom matters greatly in conversations about sustainability, where ancient customs and spiritual traditions play vital roles in forming community-centric ecological solidarity.”
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When queried about potential avenues for future research inspired by the discussions ignited by Bajautopia, Ng notes, “Community engagement is a pedagogical approach that could foster interdisciplinary and immersive learning experiences, particularly in tertiary education. I hope to see innovative grassroots research and teaching methodologies extending beyond traditional classroom settings.”
Above Depiction of anthropogenic litter present in all marine habitats due to lack of accessible waste disposal infrastructure
Depiction of anthropogenic litter present in all marine habitats due to lack of accessible waste disposal infrastructure
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Ng acknowledges there are still numerous unexplored areas across STEM-based disciplines, the humanities, as well as social sciences.
“In terms of discussions on statelessness and social reform, I anticipate that more Bajau Laut youths, particularly those participating in educational programmes with Borneo Komrad, will increasingly assert themselves, redefine their understanding of maritime indigeneity, reclaim their sociocultural agency, and advance human rights advocacy. Essentially, every individual who endeavours to learn about this marginalised maritime community contributes to their humanity.”
Ng remains fully committed to nurturing his understanding of the Bajau Laut people and sincerely desires to see them thrive. “I do not foresee an end to my learning because the contemporary Bajau Laut people remain a lively, dynamic, resilient community. As an educator and researcher, I am honoured to be a long-term learner of their lived experiences and reformations.”
Credits
Images: Dr Ng Keng-Khoon
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