Sagori islanders splash half their income on fresh water

Sagori islanders splash half their income on fresh water

By Rolex Malaha

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi (Antara): The inhabitants of
isolated Sagori island could live comfortably on an average
income of Rp 5,000 a day, except they lack one of life's basic
necessities: water.

Despite being surrounded by seawater, the indigenous Bajau are
forced to spend a large portion of their income buying
freshwater.

"Every day we must spend between Rp 2,100 and Rp 4,200 to buy
water. It has been that way for generations," Harbatian, chief of
the 200-strong Bajau tribe on Sagori island, Kabaena district,
Buton regency here, said.

For the 45 families of ethnic inhabitants, buying fresh water
from the island across the way has been going on for more than
100 years.

This small tract of land in the Kabaena group of islands does
not have its own water source.

Harbatian said each family needs between 60 liters and 120
liters of water, at a cost of Rp 700 per 20-liter container,
every day.

Several Bajau have been entrusted with supplying the
community, first buying water from neighboring islands and then
selling it locally.

"It is very rare that we fetch the water ourselves," Harbatian
said. "We prefer to go to sea because the fishing is good.

"To take clean water from the neighboring islands is rather
inconvenient for Bajau on Sagori island because of the great
distance. By a boat with an outboard motor it takes five hours to
get water from Kabaena island, which is located directly
opposite."

Commander of Kendari Navy Base Col. Gito T. Utomo said he once
came across a group of wooden boats at sea which were laden with
fresh water belonging to the Bajau.

"I was taken aback. When I asked them where they came from
they told me they had come from Sumbawa to take fresh water," he
said.

"I looked at a map to find out the distance between Sumbawa
and Buton islands. I am still unsure why they cover such great
distances and spend days only to fetch fresh water."

According to Gito, the ethnic Bajau -- or Bajo or Sama as they
are called by their Sulawesi neighbors -- constitute a unique
group.

They prefer to live in small groups on small islands along
Sulawesi's coastal regions. Some even live in boats for the sake
of tranquility and, simply, to be near the sea.

The Bajau on Sagori island could move to a coastal area with
freshwater but they prefer to stay put.

Having been acquainted with the Bajau for many years, Gito
understands their philosophy. The Bajau care only about peace and
proximity to the sea.

"The sea is everything for the Bajau. For their whole life
they want to be close to the sea. It is not important whether
there is freshwater, rice or other things. That's their outlook
on life."

Soekarjoso, head of the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Public
Works Agency, said some steps have been taken to make life easier
for the Bajau.

"Two years ago we built two ships especially to transport
clean water and with a capacity for tens of cubic meters of water
for the communities living on the Buton islands and gave the
ships to the Buton regional administration for operation,"

But the regional water company entrusted to run the ships has
admitted that it is experiencing difficulties due to a lack of
operational funds, especially to buy fuel.

Sagori, which is located west of the Buton group of islands,
has huge potential for tourism.

The island, which measures only two kilometers in length and
is a mere 60 meters in width, boasts huge waves and the views are
breathtaking.

Centuries-old casuarina trees fill nearly half of the land and
the coastline has clean white sand, a drawing card for both
domestic and foreign tourists.

Hundreds of foreign tourists have visited the small island on
special ships, while local tourists come from the Kabaena islands
in motorized boats.

While the lifestyle of this fishing community may seem
backward, some inhabitants have satellite dishes and fishing
boats.

But seclusion has its disadvantages and education has been
neglected.

"The majority among us, mainly the elderly, are illiterate,"
Harbatian said. "Some of us don't even speak Indonesian.

"We have set up a kind of school and I myself teach children
reading and arithmetic."

Gaharuddin, chief of the Kabaena regional office of the
education and culture ministry, said an integrated package
combining work and study was introduced to Sagori some time ago.

But only a few people participated in the program.

In general they prefer to go to sea.