Bajau Sea Nomads

It sounds like something out of a fantasy book - maybe not even a very good one. I can't believe I've never heard anything else about these people - the whole thing seems so strange and understated that I'm almost wondering if there's now a half April fools day in the fall.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2010/sep/20/bajau-sea-nomads#/?picture=366866816&index=8

http://scubascoop-kirkscubagear.blogspot.com/

They're the Bajau, an ethnic group in Malaysia. According to the guardian article I've linked to, some of them have spent almost their entire lives on tiny boats, leaving only very briefly to trade on land. They're excellent divers - pictures show them tackling octopi and other sea creatures to carry home and eat. They make their own goggles out of wood. They intentionally rupture their eardrums while young - leading to a week of pain and bleeding from the nose and ears - but afterward, they can dive pain-free.



"While few young children are now born on boats, the ocean is still very much their playground – as demonstrated by Enal, photographed playing with his pet shark in Wangi Wangi, Indonesia"

According to Wikipedia, they're also known for being expert horsemen. Don't ask me how that's supposed to work out.