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Writer's pictureAndy McIlvain

God's beautiful People: Sea Outcasts: How Filipino Tribes LIVE in Deadly Seas


God's Beautiful People: Sea Outcasts: How Filipino Tribes LIVE in Deadly Seas
God's Beautiful People: Sea Outcasts: How Filipino Tribes LIVE in Deadly Seas




Video from Andrew Fraser


God's Beautiful People: Sea Outcasts: How Filipino Tribes LIVE in Deadly Seas

"This edit is our documentary spotlight on the seafaring people we encountered in our latest series on the Philippines. Journey with us as we delve into the lives of the Sama, Bajau, and Tausug peoples, as well as the pioneering crab farmers of Manila Bay. Their stories, told through our lens, reveal the ingenious ways they've adapted to life on the water. It's a captivating exploration of survival, cultural vibrancy, and the deep-rooted connection between these communities and their environment." from the video introduction


The Bajau, the Badjao, the Samals, and the Sama People

"The Sama people can be quite hard to classify. Due to the nomadic nature of the Sama they can be found in several countries (especially the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia). In Malaysia they are called Bajau by the Malaysians. In the Philippines, other Filipinos call them Badjaos or Samals, depending on which subgroup of the Sama they belong to.

To complicate things further Sinama/Sama is the name for at least four language groups of the Philippines which are then subdivided into numerous dialects depending on what island a person is from. Speakers of Northern Sinama, Central Sinama, and Southern Sama are unaware of these language names given them by the linguists, because they identify themselves by island and region instead of closeness in language. (For a better understanding of the Sinama languages and dialects please refer to an academic paper presented at the 2018 ICONBajau Conference under the title: Language Features and Simple Methods to Help the Non-Linguist Navigate the Sinama Languages and Dialects.) The Sama Dilaut have a tendency to answer questions about their identity based on what they believe the asker will respond most positively to. Sama Deya on the other hand will sometimes classify the Sama Dilaut as being completely different from themselves.

With all this in mind, it has been quite confusing for outsiders to understand the Sama and to find reliable information about them. As far as we can tell, this article will be the most reliable information that you can find on the Sama, the Samals, the Bajau, and the Badjao. It is an important starting point for any research you might undertake on the Sama or their subgroups. It will only feed your curiosity about this fantastic people group from Southeast Asia..." from the article: The Bajau, the Badjao, the Samals, and the Sama People


Tausig People

"Tausug, one of the largest of the Muslim (sometimes called Moro) ethnic groups of the southwestern Philippines. They live primarily in the Sulu Archipelago, southwest of the island of Mindanao, mainly in the Jolo island cluster. There are, however, significant migrant (or immigrant) communities of Tausug in Malaysia and Indonesia, particularly on the northeastern coast of the island of Borneo. In the early 21st century the Tausug in the Philippines numbered roughly 900,000; in Malaysia, they totaled about 200,000, and in Indonesia, they amounted to nearly 20,000..." from the article: Tausig People


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