History

The Bajau. Better known as the “Sea Gypsies” to literature folklore, are a peaceful people that have spent generations living off of the ocean. Most of the 200,000 members live on the oceans surrounding Borneo (Malaysia) and Mindanao (southern Philippines). In areas off of the coastline, villages of Bajau huts and houseboats dot the tidal flats and coral reefs where they spend their days diving for pearls and catching fish. Traditionally the Bajau have come to land only for trade with local communities and to bury their dead.

Over the past half century, their life of simplicity has met the harsh realities of modernization. As areas have developed and commercialized due to tourism and industry, their once endless abyss has quickly disappeared. War and religious strife have created additional challenges leading to a life that is very different from their forefathers. Many have adapted by moving to urban centers and the barrios of outlying villages of Luzon and the Visayas (northern and central Philippines) in search of a new life. God’s Love for the Indigents Ministry (GLIM) advocates and works on behalf of the Bajau living in Luzon to help create programs and services for these people to better adapt to a new way of life while preserving their individuality as a culture.