How do the Bajau live?
The Bajau are traditionally nomadic and seafaring, and survive by collecting shellfish from the sea floor. Scientists studying the effect of this lifestyle on their biology found their spleens were larger than those of related people from the region.
Which area of the world are the Bajau found?
The Bajau people live across the southern Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and, according to rough estimates, number about one million people. “For possibly thousands of years, [they] have been living on house boats, travelling from place to place in the waters of South-East Asia and visiting land only occasionally.
Why do the Bajau people live in the water?
Sometimes known as “sea nomads,” the Bajau have lived at sea for more than 1,000 years, on small houseboats that float in the waters off Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Traditionally, they came ashore only to trade for supplies or to shelter from storms.
Why Bajau divers can hold their breath for minutes?
For one, Bajau have spleens that are 50 percent larger than the Saluan. But crucially, the spleen holds a reserve of blood. When mammals dive underwater, the spleen contracts, distributing the reserved, oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. So, a bigger spleen means more available oxygen when diving.
How long can Haenyeo hold their breath?
With the introduction of wetsuits, haenyeo found they could stay in the water for five to six hours at a time, even during the winter. With each dive, haenyeo plunge up to 30 metres (98 ft) deep and can hold their breath for over three minutes.
What is the special trait that the Bajau people have?
Many of the Bajau now live in houses perched on stilts, but they hold a deep reverence for the ocean and the spirits that they believe inhabit the waters. New research suggests this extraordinary diving ability is due to a special trait the Bajau have developed: larger spleens.
Who are the Bajau people and where do they live?
The Unique Bajau People – Nomads who Live Permanently at Sea. The Bajau are a group of people originating from the Philippines and now living in the waters off the coasts of Malaysia. Because of their old status as outsiders, they were forbidden from living on Malaysian soil.
What kind of life did the Sama Bajau have?
For most of their history, the Sama-Bajau have been a nomadic, seafaring people, living off the sea by trading and subsistence fishing. 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.
How are the Bajau sea nomads so special?
The Bajau have also developed remarkable underwater vision. These skills give them the advantage of being able to hunt for harder-to-come-by sea treasures like pearls and sea cucumbers. Each day, divers will spend hours underwater during which time they capture between two and 18 pounds of fish.
Why did the Bajau people increase in size?
Dr. Ilardo studied the spleens of a number of Bajau, some who were divers and some who weren’t, and all of them had spleens of similar size. That proves that the increase in size isn’t just a result of their own diving experience, but an adaptation among the entire population.