Riau tribe stays true to the sea

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

Muhammad Din was busy fixing his fishing net in the kitchen of his modest wooden house on Air Mas island, Nongsa district in Batam, Riau Islands province.

No furniture was seen in the house of the 61-year-old chief of the Orang Suku Laut tribespeople apart from a kerosene stove and some plates lying on the floor.

Din and 23 other families from the tribe are now living on land, in the Air Mas Suku Laut settlement, initiated by two non- governmental organizations (NGOs) the names of which have escaped Din's memory.

The only access to the remote Air Mas island is by chartered boat, costing Rp 75,000 (US$7.50) for a single trip which only takes about 30 minutes to reach.

Din said the settlement started when the NGOs offered the Orang Laut assistance in the form of homes on land. They have lived nomadic lives on wooden boats together with their families -- sleeping, cooking, bathing, and even giving birth on board, from the time of their forefathers.

The village where they now live is divided into two sections, one consisting of four Muslim families and the other for Christian families. The communal bathrooms are also separated.

Din estimates there are about 100 inhabitants in the village but does not know the reason behind the division.

Both communities, he said, have lived side by side, sharing what they have, including water for their bathrooms when the wells run dry.

"Many from the Christian faith are my younger siblings and relatives. They still ask for my advice since they consider me their elder. Life's the same here, except for the difference in faiths. We're still brothers and sisters," Din told The Jakarta Post.

The tribespeople -- who can only be found around Riau Islands, living among the chain of islands in the country's youngest province while those still living on boats, which could reach thousands -- depend on the weather and wind direction in their daily activities.

During the northerly winds, which usually occur in November and ends in March, when the wind is strong and waves are high, the Orang Laut will tie up their boats ashore.

The southerly winds from April until October, is the time when they set sail around Riau Islands, sometimes until the South China Sea, searching for fish which they barter for various basic necessities, like rice, instant noodles and cigarettes. Others barter their catch for television sets.

For the Orang Laut, life on the sea is just like living on land.

For example, when they are holding a wedding ceremony, the host will tie his boat to his neighbors' boats so that they will be fastened together making ample space for dining together and greeting guests.

If a Muslim couple is to be married, a Muslim cleric will be fetched to perform the ceremony.

Likewise when giving birth, they will bring in the midwife before the expected day. Everything runs smoothly, just like living on land.

"Many of our relatives are still sailing the seas on their boats. Perhaps they choose not to live on land," said Din, who has 14 children.

Din himself had lived at sea since he was born until 2002, the time when he took the offer to settle on land.

"Those of the Muslim faith will be assisted by a Muslim-based NGO, while those of the Christian faith by a Christian-based one. The NGOs have helped us in obtaining houses and cash assistance for our children's school fees," said Din.

The man can only afford to put three of his 14 children, aged between six years and 13 years old, to school, while the eldest one is already married.

He recalled that the early stages of living on land were the hardest because he was used to living at sea. Once, he returned to his boat with his family after staying on land for only two weeks, but his children already felt at ease living on land.

"They kept screaming when a huge waves hit our boat. The youngest one insisted that we return to the house on land. They no longer liked staying on the boat," Din recalled.

Since then, Din decided to live on land, as were the other families in Air Mas village, where most of them earn a living as fishermen.

However, Din confessed that their traditions have gradually changed after moving on land as the people have become somewhat materialistic in nature due to the frequent visits by social agencies and constant publicity by the media.

Village children and youths would ask for money from strangers visiting the village. They are not ashamed to mention the amount they want even from a short conversation with the visitors.

"It's a tradition for children and youths, and even old folks to ask for money from strangers because we're poor," said Din.