Amazing Stilt Houses of the Bajo Sea Gypsies - Rumah-rumah panggung dan perahu Gipsi Laut Bajo

We went in search of the Sea Gypsies of the Indonesian Archipelago, the Bajo Laut, having heard stories of their incredible diving and fishing skills and their lives spent living as whole families aboard tiny boats, the 'lepa' . We found a world in transition as fishing for subsistence becomes an economy, we found amazing stilt houses build in the middle of the ocean many miles from the nearest settled islands. But did we find any sea gypsies?

[@juliesheard2082]

I hope these people continue to make their house boats; as sea levels rise they will be very useful and they can teach the land dwellers

[@timrileyj10]

@7:36 If wearing headphones beware loud static will wake you up. 7:36 loud sound. Very interesting video other wise.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thanks for this, not on the original so TY glitch I think. I will snip it out.

[@user-cy3uo5wg3l]

Я боюсь воду.и.цунами...🇱🇻🌏🌀🌊

[@epangepong9117]

Terimakasih Nomad Architecture yang sudah Explore Indonesia.

[@1st1anarkissed]

I remember a documentary from the early 2000s. A young blonde woman in a major Asian ciry with a large population of boat dwellers and a floating market. She stayed with a family on their houseboat. I don't know why the word sampang is popping into my head, and maybe they were from vietnam or tiawan. The boat was a plaform on a hull and quite big inside as a result. The hull was not more tha 30 ft. The house had a lot of hanging cloths and fabric everywhere to make it pretty. They had satellite TV and Internet and lived full time with five children in the harbour. Market boats would float by to sell things and father worked on a fishing boat seasonally I think.

[@Aleph-Noll]

i remembering the same documentary! it was pretty good from memory

[@bethbartlett5692]

I recall one as well, possibly the same. The fish smell and moisture was my lasting impression. That is bad enough in this Delta Region down the Mississippi River. I couldn't manage it further South in Mississippi and Louisiana where it invariably goes from Delta to Swamp. It can be a prehistoric beauty, and it can be toxic with reptiles, vicious critters, and "Ole Boogers" (Squasches) that dwell in/around these areas. These are commonly known in some areas, unintelligently assumed nonexistent by those not local and city dwellers. Amazes me how little some know, how much they think they do, with Mainstream Educations and Degrees. Mainstream is a produced story for keeping the masses manageable. Unfair but true.

[@mhdezung]

Tiawan

[@daitersudani3982]

Wow its so clean and amazing place even in the under water you can see the living creature clearly i respect that people very much

[@zirlianamatthew4598]

❤🎉Beautiful and Lovely

[@naminazakii]

Selamat datang di Indonesia . Negara dengan penuh budaya, terima kasih Nomad Architecture for coming in Indonesia ...

[@robinrevival2024]

Thanks for the video, many sea gypsy died and there boats and houses was total destroyed during the tsunami 2004, at least in south Thailand

[@robertklotz9319]

@Nomad Architecture. In the southern Philippines there are Sea Gypsies living. The Bajaw. I met them on Palawan at the shores of Puerto Princesa City. Also outside of Roxas in the north of the same island. They live in houses on stilts. They do their fishing sometimes for extended periods of time on the ocean. You can find them also in the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, adjacent to Borneo. And also on the shores of Malaysian Borneo. I wish you a successful journey to the best fishing grounds together with the last true Sea Gypsies. Waiting to watch your video of that tour.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thank you, Robert. I looked into Sulu and heard that there is a lot of piracy in the region and it is unsafe. But maybe it has calmed down now. Palawan I did not know about so will investigate.

[@robertklotz9319]

@@NomadArchitecture you're welcome.

[@DBT1007]

Uhh majority of them are in Indonesia's territory. Plus, South Philippines is not safe.

[@tumao_kaliwat_napulo]

​@@DBT1007dude do you really need to be arrogant about this? The OP doesn't even said how many Badjaos living there only that there are also communities living in Palawan and Sulu...

[@skitzochik]

im just thrilled about these new videos from nomad architecture...

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thanks, more to come but never enough time to edit them.

[@jasmineamorgan]

There's plenty of them where I came from in the Philippines. They are nice people who keep things to themselves. They just mind their own business. They doesn't create any trouble. They are hardworkers and VERY skilled divers as well! They are called Badjao.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thanks, I think this was the issue, we were looking in Indonesia. But the Philippines is not so safe to visit. So methinks I need to find a local partner to help.

[@Dr-mt5ej]

Real Waterworld... Simple and happy life, from Argentina greetings!

[@emmahorn9325]

Love your videos!! Done so respectfully and beautifully.. it's so nice not to have to listen to a patronizing narrator..

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thanks Emma, I tried being a patronizing narrator on one or two. I don't think it is for me.

[@smallspaces2597]

This place is very beautiful.😍😍😍

[@SOUL-nq2ql]

Wow what a beautiful house 😍

[@adventurelover8521]

Mindanao Philippines you will find the same people in nomadic lifestyle at sea.

[@chekarooz2361]

Interesting you said the boathouse is rare. Seen a few in East Sabah during my time in the navy. They usually wanna sell coconuts and shells to earn some money but we can only afford them rice and sweets for their kids.

Good sharing video, thank you

[@zazabulia2850]

So beautiful place!

[@irdasaragih349]

thanks for visit to my country 😍

[@loveletloose619]

Please, please keep your text on the screen longer, I have to pause the video but most of the time i miss them and have to rewind them. These are wonderful videos showing skills, I've seen about ten now and I find them truely fasinating. Many thanks for uploading them :)

[@emiliatepano8504]

What a beatiful life they have!!😍❤❤❤

[@michelcoluche3464]

Heu... Realy ?

[@guitarlearningtoplay]

Gotta love that AC DC tshirt 😎

[@niedjacampos9751]

É incrível essas construções. Parabéns ao canal. ❤

[@DTFShorTie]

i wouldnt want to swim around that area ;)

[@miragotovit1724]

Super good job dear

[@alexcooley1665]

7:35 Headphone users, beware. Also this is a very nice video.

[@amba1974]

Wonderful video and photography

[@n00dles79]

Alright this just completely blew my mind. I mean how fragile are these settlements? Does an abnormal tide from storm weather trash their livelihood? I mean I know reefs are basically breakwaters but still.

[@Krisha991]

It is a beautiful life

[@damon1802]

nice....i think we might have some of the lepa here in Kepri islands

[@ophirianheritage3035]

Theres a a group of people called Bajao in the philippines sea gypsis near tawi tawi they dont settle in land they lived most of tgeir life in the boat. They are mostly found in border of philippines and Indonesia.

[@mundodasplantas9816]

Execelente material!!!

[@cyka6156]

Beautiful Indonesia

[@vincentrusso4332]

awesome job team...

[@johni1622]

Great video and important archiving of these ways. I am indigenous from California we still make our old "Awps" traditional willow and tule' reed houses great grandparents used to make some two stories tall. I live in Arizona now at Hopi.

[@bibiyanikujur7604]

Wow amazing

[@disurya9340]

Thats from my country. Indonesia, the beautifull place in the world

[@NomadArchitecture]

People were amazing, oceans were amazing, but too much plastic!

[@angelalalalla4392]

@@NomadArchitecture yea that true Im from Indonesia

[@pejuangyutub6703]

@@NomadArchitecture that plastic is from western country.. they send to us in container.. western country has little plastic because they send to Asia👍

[@dapurmaizza7097]

is this in the togean islands of sulawesi? because I've seen a place like this in my area.. my parents are Bajo tribe but our life is a bit modern, but I still have many family and colleagues who live above the sea in the Togean islands.. thank you for bringing up stories from my tribe, I'm very grateful... because in my area our tribe is seen as trash because some of us didn't go to university... happy to see this content...

[@kemonoyama2084]

Great houses I love to see other lifestyles..., just don't drop your change in these homes.

[@kendall5956]

That was awesome

[@esheeshe3839]

amazing boat making skill

[@boni_rambo8919]

Wonderful Indonesia 🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨

[@NomadArchitecture]

Lots more Indonesia coming soon ...

[@izzyokky5895]

Welcome to Indonesia, Labuan Bajo u can visits Komodo too for the fivestar hotel u can visits ayana hotel.. Heaven in here

[@aranyabhopal9069]

I can totally relate to your journey. Our organization engages with a community of traditional hunters. But much of their incredible tangible heritage is difficult to find. Though in this case the vanishing heritage is not just a result of transition as a result of the changing world around them, but also because hunting was made illegal in India and so they needed to do away with assets that were sourced from wild animals.

[@mmraza100]

Beautiful

[@janfodude]

last time i saw at Bajo Gorontalo, Tomini Bay, Sulawesi. i think today they still do

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thanks, we started out there before going to the islands. Kept arriving at places where people said ' if only you had been here two years ago..' I think I need to go to the Philippines, but it does not seem to be safe there for a european at the moment.

[@suskagusip1036]

This is how we all started in the IndoPacific regions. Our ancestors were seafarers traveling by boats in the vast Pacific ocean.

[@meykawibowo9064]

Labuan bajo indonesia 🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨

[@rhomarlamsis4476]

Yes me from indonesia jakrta

[@darkskinJoy]

In Nigeria a place called Makoko slum are flooting houses, and i think worri in the South south of Nigeria has flooting houses aswell. Nigeria is very diverse.

[@zzzluvsk]

How do they anchor their boats traditionally? Bajau/Bajo are my favorite culture.

[@ohswlysh455]

Wahh ternyata ada video indo

[@ArikYusuf20157]

Saya dari Indonesia, suku bajo ada juga di Lombok dan Sumbawa, tepatnya di pulau bungin sumbawa

[@eppietimisela7118]

Di mana video ini direkam? Di provinsi mana atau laut yang mana

[@eppietimisela7118]

Ohh.....nusa tenggara

[@ArikYusuf20157]

@@eppietimisela7118 Nusa Tenggara Barat

[@afsheenadindamaryam434]

my country :)

[@fabioferreiragomes]

Espetacular

[@camokarzi8491]

Awesome

[@diane9247]

These videos are a treat! I would only ask that the captions stay on longer rather than flashing by. 😳

[@NomadArchitecture]

Sorry, too late to change them now, but we are putting fewer captions up for longer on new ones we are editing now.

[@marikafranke5046]

@@NomadArchitecture Better would be a voice, bc I had to choose either read or watch the footage.

[@achmadardiansyah1721]

@Nomad Architecture. You can find almost the same sea gypsies in Riau Archipelago Province in Indonesia, especially in Lingga Regency and Karimun Regency territory. They still live nomadic in that area and moving from one place to another using "lepa" or "sampan". They are pagan and live in sampan, raise their child there, do their wedding and birth in the sampan as well. Usually people of Riau Arhipelago Regency call them Orang Mantang, Orang Tambus, or Orang Sampan.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thank you, that is an area I have not looked at so will go and do some more research. If you know anyone in the region who would like to take me on a tour do ask them to get in touch.

[@Ajeet_Bharadwaj]

great

[@FullNelson007]

Awesome 💯

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thanks

[@jessicasmith6470]

Hello, here is an American Patriot also. God Bless.

[@FullNelson007]

@@jessicasmith6470 Well hey there! Nice to know there's more of us out there! True American Patriots are hard to find nowadays

[@oneofmany7768]

This must have been similar to life in the stilt lake houses they have been finding that date to Europe's Bronze age.

[@akshita4324]

Wow

[@bryangeronimo5524]

3:32 it'll be funny if someone is taking a dump and drops in the divers head hahahaha.. Peace great video

[@Lycan1483]

Quick! Check their toilets.. 👍👍👍

[@awayday5823]

Mantab

[@bobofthestorm]

You might have better chances with the ones who frequently travel between Malaysia and the Philippines. We call them Bajau, but I'm pretty sure they are off the same Ethnic Family group. Most of them are also already settling in either Malaysia or the Philippines but there are still some who seasonally travel through the Sulu Sea. In my city, Cagayan de Oro, they seasonally come here in droves. It's also true for Cebu and other port cities. I'd suggest looking for permanent Bajau settlements in Cebu and other port cities and ask around. My bet would be to look for one in Zamboanga city.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thank you Bob! So you live over there? I have heard from several sources that the whole Sulu region is not safe dur to pirates and terrorists. What is the real risk level?

[@bobofthestorm]

@@NomadArchitecture These people seasonally go to port cities like Cebu and Cagayan de Oro to have their children beg in the streets. These are the kids with drums and music instruments. I don't really remember what time of year they come, but they do come from time to time. My suggestion would be to find the Bajau who settled permanently in Cebu and ask them where you find someone who still lives like a nomad. Maybe you could set meeting them in a safer city like Cebu. The Sulu region is relatively safer now than what it what back 20 years ago, and has opened for tourists... But still I wouldn't risk it if you're not Filipino.

[@coolthinghere6853]

some groups of romani/nomads use the term g-psy, but for many groups, especially in more connected areas and 'modern' countries, the word is considered a slur with a long history of hate behind it i know nothing of this group so that may be what they call themselves, but im commenting so that others will know to keep that in mind in other contexts

[@rickfessler3987]

Very Nice but it would be good if sutitles stay longer on screen. I don't want to start and stop the videa all time. Otherwise it would be great

[@NomadArchitecture]

Sorry, yes, still learning to edit.

[@SubhanMohammad]

visit sulawesi bro

[@alcimarvieirasementenaterra]

alcimar Vieira semente na terra

[@weberjack5483]

Koh Lanta, Krabi Thailand on beginning??

[@jammukhashmir6676]

Bajau laut community is sparsly distributed thier are also in vizayan region in cebu and bohol

[@alimertalipan3465]

You can try searching here in Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines...we have a large segment of Sama Dilaut/Bajo Laut...

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thank you, is it safe to visit this region? Are you based there?

[@perotsky2000]

In the waters off Sitangkai Island, you will see plenty of houses on stilts. Also, there are still plenty of Sama Luwaan or Bajaos in Southern Philippines who live on boats. You can even sea these boathouses as far north as Zamboanga City.

[@NomadArchitecture]

@@perotsky2000 Thanks. Next question is how to find a guide who can safely take me to this area.

[@pranusa95]

around the riau small islands group maybe you can find a suku laut boat running in nomad live.i once watched in local tv canal about their nomad life more .everything on the very tiny boat that running on the sea.

[@pranusa95]

sumbat island Bintan regency riau archipelago province.i just watch a lot a boat lepa and the really nomaden live.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Thank you, I will go look it up.

[@getprobed838]

i wonder what they do when a typhoon is coming through

[@cabinfever7262]

Hoard toilet paper like normal people I think :)

[@royssche]

fortunately there is no typhoon if you live in equator

[@syahrilsaripuddin701]

Go to semporna sabah...

[@Williamhaokip28]

Nice

[@dontmissthelittlethings]

👍👍

[@blahkjboubblah9856]

And what happens during a storm?

[@terriejohnston8801]

EXACTLY what you would THINK could happen in a storm.

[@trixster2190]

Everything about these pictures looks dangerous to me, and yet I still want to visit

[@bethbartlett5692]

Recall a documentary, some years back, about this lifestyle. The fish smell and moisture were my lasting impression. That is bad enough in this Delta Region of the USA, down the Mississippi River. Can imagine the living in fish waters and so much moisture with that mildew smell. I couldn't even manage it further South, down in Mississippi and Louisiana, where it invariably goes from Delta to Swamp. It can be a prehistoric beauty, and it can be toxic with reptiles, vicious critters, and "Ole Boogers" (Squasches) that dwell in/around these areas. These are commonly known in some areas, unintelligently assumed nonexistent by those not local and city dwellers. Amazes me how little some know, how much they think they do, with Mainstream Educations and Degrees. Mainstream is a produced story for keeping the masses manageable. Unfair but true.

[@beautyforashes2022]

That's funny that they refer to them as "Ole Boogers". Yeah those beings are something else, not something I would ever want to encounter.

[@chrisharrison83]

I was thinking Hungry Hippos= Hi people poles !

[@osuclassof88]

Bajo Laut people live in Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia, and may be other places too

[@mursalinhadiyus2222]

Mungkin ada di Banjarmasin, Kalimantan Selatan.

[@simonphoenix3789]

where do they go when they need to use the bathroom? just over the sea? I guess such a small group of people won't really pollute the water though. But trash and such would be an issue, especially if there is plastic they bring to those homes.

[@jorgeh.r9879]

How many Bajau are still nomadic or at least continue living with a close connection to the sea?

[@ZINHAz]

Imagino que os dejetos são despejados direto no mar

[@user-rk9wy6ig2m]

💖😃🌹

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

This seems like a beautiful and peaceful existence.... until a large storm comes rolling through. With little warning and nowhere to go for shelter whole villages could potentially be wiped out and no one would even know. 😕

[@scorpioninpink]

Indonesia barely experiences typhoons. All of it is shielded by The Philippines.

[@ExploringWorldYouTube]

Interesting video, what is the name of that village? In which island is it? Is Tambacan village? Thank you

[@turkuazneptun2048]

Evi balık öpse ev yamulcak ev ev deil köpeh kulübezi :d

[@katrinaemmanuelle1885]

Same thing in Bajao Philippines

[@sometimesawful]

What about storms and I guess tides are taken into account? In a tsunami the whole house would go

[@AgungDewataidesederhana]

try to come to other parts of the island of Indonesia. I live in Papua Island, Jayawijaya Regency.

[@NomadArchitecture]

Email me please we are looking to visit next year. contact is on our web site www.nomads.org. p.s. love bees we can help each other maybe?

[@AgungDewataidesederhana]

@@NomadArchitecture my email: [e-mail]

[@NomadArchitecture]

@@AgungDewataidesederhana I sent you an email did you get it?

[@disurya9340]

Come to papua - indonesia when the tribe live in the tree

[@NomadArchitecture]

Yes. I have been trying to set this up for years. Can you help???

[@mahmudabrori9116]

the one and only question is , where they get an acces for clean water ? do they use rain water ?

[@NomadArchitecture]

Yes, but also go off in boats to the islands where there are springs.

[@rubenmanssens]

4:20 insane how he has such a raging fire in a house made of bamboo

[@ellanoel4055]

how long does it take to build a large stilt house?

[@vietkong1]

Imagine coming home drunk one day and fall into the river 😂