Sama-Bajau

The Bajau are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia. the Philippines and parts of Sarawak. They are the second largest ethnic group in Sabah, making up 13.2% of the total population of the state. They were sometimes referred to as the Sea Gypsies, although the term has been used to encompass a number of non-related ethnic groups with similar traditional lifestyles. The Bajau of Indonesia live primarily on the islands and in the coastal districts of Sulawesi. The outward spread of the Bajau seems to have been associated with the development of sea trade in trepang.

Like the term Kadazan-dusun, the term Bajau is a collective, used to describe several closely related indigenous groups. The many Bajau sub-groups vary culturally and linguistically, but are unified through their Sunni Islam religion of the Shafi'i school. Claims to religious piety and learning are an important source of individual prestige, and salip (descendants of the Prophet Mohammed) are shown special honour. Because of their nomadic lifestyle, some of the Bajau lack mosques and must rely on the shore-based communities. Among the boat-dwellers in particular, community spirit mediums are consulted at least once a year for a public séance and nightly trance dancing. In times of epidemics, the mediums are also called upon to remove illness causing spirits from the community. They do this by setting a "spirit boat" adrift in the open sea beyond the village or anchorage.

For most of their history, the Bajau have been a nomadic, seafaring people, living off the sea by trading and subsistence fishing. The boat dwelling Bajau see themselves as non-aggressive people.　They kept close to shore by erecting houses on stilts, and traveled using lepa-lepa, a handmade boat which many lived in. They are thought to have originated from the Philippines-Sulawesi coasts (although Bajau legends state that they originated from members of the royal guard of the Sultan of Johor who settled along the east coast of Borneo after being driven there by storms.

Many Bajaus of the east coast retain their seaborne lifestyle, together with remnants of traditional pre-Islamic beliefs. An example of this is the offering of thanks to the Omboh Dilaut, the God of the Sea, whenever a particularly large catch is brought in. The east coast Bajau are also famous for the annual Semporna Regatta.

However, many Bajau have now chosen to leave behind their seafaring ways, and live entirely on land. They are primarily found on the west coast of Borneo around the Kota Kinabalu to Kota Belud areas. The west coast Bajau took to farming and cattle-rearing for a living, and have the nickname of “Cowboys of the East”, in tribute to their equestrian skills. Kota Belud has an annual Tamu Besar festival where the much-touted horsemanship of the Bajau is on display.

The Bajau people are also well known for the weaving and needlework skills.