June 2004: This page is being reconstructed with new information.
The information on this page may no longer be accurate.
BAJAU OF INDONESIA
LOCATION : on the islands and in the coastal districts of Sulawesi
POPULATION : 200,000
LANGUAGE : Bajau (Moken)
PEOPLE CLUSTER : Tukangbesi
RELIGION : Muslims (Sunni) 99.9%
% OF CHRISTIANITY : 0.03%
SCRIPTURE : Bible portion (1995)
RADIO BROADCAST : None
JESUS FILM : None
GOSPEL AUDIO RECORDING : available
CHURCH PLANTING TEAM/ MISSION AGENCY WORKING AMONG THEM: available
The term Bajau is applied to a variety of seafaring peoples whose scattered settlements extend across the South China Sea. Today, only a small number of Bajau are boat dwellers, or "Sea Gypsies." Their numbers have declined rapidly during the last century. The Bajau of Indonesia live primarily on the islands and in the coastal districts of Sulawesi. They generally live in settlements near Manado, Ambogaya, and Kendari; on the Baggai, Sula, and Togian Islands; along the straits of Tioro; in the Gulf of Bone; and along the Makassar coast. The outward spread of the Bajau seems to have been associated with the development of a sea trade in trepang (a sea slug), which is known as a Chinese delicacy.
Among the decreasing number of boat dwellers, local Bajau communities consist of scattered groups composed of families whose members regularly return to a common anchorage site which are generally organized around smaller family alliance groups. Relationships are maintained through intermarriage and frequent visits between groups. Each houseboat usually shelters a nuclear family, plus one or two additional family members. The houseboats vary in size and construction. They also have portable clay hearths that are used for preparing family meals. The boat dwelling Bajau see themselves as non-aggressive people. As a result, the politically dominant groups of the region have historically viewed the nomadic boat dwelling Bajau with disdain, considering them timid, unreliable subjects.
The Bajau are Sunni Muslims of the Shafiite branch. Claims to religious piety and learning are an important source of individual prestige, and salip (descendants of Mohammed) are shown special honor. Variations of Islamic practices are associated with the relative status of different groups. Because of their nomadic lifestyle, some of the Bajau lack mosques and must rely on the shore-based communities for this. Among the boat-dwellers in particular, community spirit mediums are assembled at least once a year for a public seance and nightly trance dancing. In times of epidemic illness, the mediums are also called upon to remove the spirits causing illness from the community. They do this by setting a "spirit boat" adrift in the open sea beyond the village or anchorage site.
Although there is currently one missions agency working among the Bajau, very few of the boat dwellers have accepted Jesus as their Savior. Very few Christian resources are available in the Bajau language. More evangelistic tools and additional laborers are needed to minister to these precious people.
PRAYER POINTS
- Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers to work among the Bajau of Indonesia.
- Pray that God will reveal Himself to the Bajau through dreams and visions especially to their leaders.
- Ask the Lord to soften their hearts so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
- Pray that they will be set free from the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping them bound.
- Ask God to raise up prayer teams to intercede for this people group.
- Pray that Christian radio broadcasts, evangelical literature, and the Jesus film will be made available to the Bajau.
- Pray that God will raise up qualified linguists to translate the Bible into Bajau.
- Ask the Lord to establish strong local churches among the Bajau.
links to related information: www.joshuaproject.net , http://www.bethanynorth.com/profiles/profile1.html
