Environment & Transitions · Family and daily life · Unusual · International · Sports & Adventure

Bajau Laut, the children of the sea

1 October 2025Photos and text: Gilles Auroux33 images

01 / 33 · 1 October 2025Gilles Auroux / Collectif DR

True “sea gypsies”, the Bajau Laut have always sailed the archipelagos of Southeast Asia, between Sulawesi, the Philippines and Borneo. For this historically nomadic people, the ocean is at once home, pantry and a large part of their cultural identity. Although some are now settling in stilt villages, their way of life remains closely tied to their marine environment.

The Bajau Laut have an in-depth knowledge of the ocean from which they draw their livelihood, mainly through spearfishing or shell gathering, and their bond with the aquatic world is such that a 2018 study found they have larger spleens. Developed over generations, this mutation is thought to improve blood oxygenation and would explain the incredible freediving performances that made them famous…

But their ancestral way of life is now threatened by our modern world, and the Bajau Laut face growing challenges. The coral reefs essential to their survival are threatened by global warming, pollution and overfishing. Finally, modernity is also putting pressure on the younger generations, drawn to more urban lifestyles.

Story available to the press, on commission or through the photo library.Request a license

The story

33 images