WHO are they? The Bajau have traditionally been known as sea-nomads, involved in
extensive maritime trading and dwelling in boats. However, the great majority of Bajau
are now house dwellers. While some such Bajau continue to derive their livelihood
primarily from the sea, others have adopted an agrarian way of life.
WHERE do they live? Currently the West Coast Bajau are spread along Sabah's
coastal regions from Kuala Penyu in the southwest as far as Terusan, east of Pitas.
They live primarily in the Kota Belud, Kawang, Papar, Tuaran, Banggi, and Putatan
areas. The Kota Belud District, on the Tempasuk plain about halfway between Kota
Kinabalu and Kudat, contains the largest grouping of West Coast Bajau in Sabah. Kota
Belud is the cultural heartland of the West Coast Bajau.
HOW many? 68,000
WHAT do they worship? The traditional belief system of the West Coast Bajau people
is animistic in nature; a variety of spiritual beings interact with human beings both
positively and negatively. For example, people are discouraged from going out on foot
alone at night owing to the presence of spirits of the dead, or ghoulish creatures that
seek to eat babies or the flesh of recently deceased people. Traditional beliefs interact
in complex ways with Islamic beliefs (the more current system). Most people subscribe
to a variety of both traditional and more current beliefs, and it is difficult if not impossible
to separate them. Various superstitious beliefs from former times still have some
prevalence among the West Coast Bajau.
PRAYER needs:
• Pray for translation of the Bible to begin in this people group's primary language.
• Pray for the availability of the Jesus Film in the primary language of this people.
• Pray for Gospel messages to become available in audio format for this people
group.