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Things to see and do : Scuba diving and snorkelling | Visit a Sea Gypsy village | Other activities

Visit a Sea Gypsy village
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The footpath around the island takes you right through a local village. Around 2 000 people call this village, made up entirely of wooden huts built on stilts, home. The villagers are Bajau, a term used to group a number of small tribes and ethnicities found in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The Bajau are a people that have lived in the region for hundreds of years. They are often called Sea Gypsies, because of their nomadic lifestyle that is intertwined with the sea from birth till death. While many are Malaysian citizens, many are immigrants from the neighbouring Philippines, often without legal documents.

Island village life is as laid back as it gets, but not untouched by the presence of tourists. Handmade necklaces, earrings and seashells are on display in huts that have been converted into small stores. Children play in the sand around the huts and eagerly pose and smile for every passing camera.

Of the villagers, over 800 are children. Their parents work in the neighbouring resorts, or make a living from their boats and the sea as their people have done for centuries. A school on Mabul provides basic primary level education, but those without the required documentation, proving their citizenship or legal residence in Malaysia, are unable to attend. Many of these children follow in their parents’ footsteps and make a simple living as fishermen.

Blue Ventures (www.blueventures.org) focus on environmental education and other outreach projects for this community. Several of the resorts are also actively involved with the village.

 

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