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Inside my personal experience, I was capable to attend a marriage ceremony of two badjao individuals within my trip in the Philippine islands, specifically in Sulu, way back in 2007. The indigenous tribe of Badjao was regarded as the hierarchical result of different ethnic organizations in Korea, Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak. According to Rodell (2001), the social minority of Badjao was part of the Malaysian refugees that migrated to Sulu, Filipino archipelago during the last four many years (p. 78). Malaysians regarded these Bajau tribes included in the Sea Gypsies since have the same similarities in terms of traditions, traditions and beliefs.
On the other hand, Ooi (2004) suggested that Badjao tribes actually originated from Indonesian origins, specifically to the Indonesian tribes of Sulawesi, due to the spread of Indonesian affect via the ocean trade, Trepang (p. 200). However , despite of several assumptive propositions in Bajau’s mom roots, the origins of this tribe were still uncertain. As for my personal experience with this cultural tribe, I was in a position to observe three basic aspects of their culture: (1) religious beliefs, (2) home and living, and (3) foods that they usually prepare for their guests.
Prior to my personal tour, I used to be informed by our tourist guide that most Badjao tribes existing today had been already section of the modern badjao cultural community. Due to the vast influence of modernization and commercialization in the rural Sulu area, especially in their landmass or bayan, the social tribe of Badjao was altered toward a highly civil community. From this personal document, I covered the social practices of Badjao, specifically during their wedding ceremony, food preferences and their community values.
Conversation Badjao Tribe: OverviewThe Badjau tribe is definitely originally via Zamboanga situated in Southern Filipino Islands, which co-exists with various tribes ” Suluk, Bajau-Suluk, etc ” present in the same rural community they referred to as Pulau Mabul. The term Badjao is derived from the diverse collection of Sama or Bajao speaking individual. In respect to Ooi (2004), Badjao spreads on the vast area of islands and littoral, increasing from the central Philippines through the Sulu Archipelago to the far eastern coast of Borneo and from coastal Sulawesi southward through the Moluccas to western Timor (p. 00).
Badjao communities have become existing in Malaysia, Indonesia and most of all, the Thailand with a demographical population of approximately 400, 000 as of 2001 (Rodell 2001 p. 78). However , despite of the massive communities of Badjao in Sulu islands, the majority of these communities are now being hybridized simply by different co-existing tribes, such as Cebuanos, Leytenians, etc . Relating to Flower et ing. (2002), the most traditionally keen Badjao subculture are the Badjo Laut or perhaps those living near the sea coasts (p. 36).
Badjao Laut teams are exceptional compared to different minority groups of Badjao; since, most of the badjao laut families spend almost all of their your life on their vessels than on land. Because supported by Bloom et ‘s. (2002), these types of subgroups usually travel in groups when fishing nonetheless they still possess significant gathering areas, just like Bohay Dulang, Pulau Kulapuan, Kampong labuan, etc (p. 36). The modernization and the opening in the rural community to overseas tourists and urban visitors are the indicated cause of the decline in badjao tribe’s cultural characteristics and traditions.
The Wedding Wedding and Religious beliefs As for my own experience of Badjao’s wedding, some of most visible points were (1) the influence of superstition, (2) the manifestations of tight family connections, (3) high regards of the tribe to the elderly users attending the wedding, and their (4) religion motivated by Badjao customs and traditions. During my fist observation, the two attributes of the wedding parties had been so much participated with their superstitious beliefs, which in turn actually demonstrated from the start from the wedding planning before the end in the wedding ceremony.
The wedding occurred last September 1, 3 years ago and in line with the elderly associates of the two families, this date is regarded as as the lucky time for their marital life since July symbolizes the month of prosperity. Relating to Philips (2001), the majority of south-Asian lifestyle considers rain as the symbol of prosperity; hence, these individuals consider lining the poker site seizures of their life parallel to the rainy periods as their respect of phoning prosperity for their lives (p. 391).
Through the wedding ceremony, the characters from the usual Christian ceremony, such as the Bridesmaid, besty, etc, are not even present. I attempted inquiring this to one from the elders nevertheless unfortunately, I used to be overheard simply by some of the people beside the elder. The great thing was they considered my inquiry as being a wise one; hence, they will answered me personally in a very right quote, “hindi ito Christian Wedding, ito ay Kasal ng Bajao ” this is not a Christian wedding but a Badjao wedding.
From that moment in, I decided to use my knowledge on Christian weddings to compare a number of the attributes between two wedding ceremony settings. Throughout the ceremony, My spouse and i observed the fact that priest (pari) was filled with accessories and ornaments made from animal down, skins and other textile supplies with strange decorations. They did not make use of figurines of saints, and usually refer to Bathala, which they regarded as their goodness. According to Young (2007), Badjao and many of the Visayan tribes with the Southeastern countries, such as the Korea, practiced the religion of animism (p. 2). Badjao Food Practices During the wedding party reception, I discovered a very different setup compared to the usual Christian weddings. Aside from the food, the Badjao elders and the wedded couple began a people dance offered to their our god. They danced in circles with the few in the middle, even though the godfathers and godmothers place their gifts under the feet of the dancing couple. While i asked the elder regarding this, he smiled and explained that this is usually to honor the wedding ceremony and to bless the reception.
After the little beginning ceremony, we proceeded to the reception as well as the food was introduced to the guests. The most common qualities of all the dishes were the application of coconut milk in their quality recipes, and the a shortage of chicken or red meat. In accordance to Rodell (2001), badjaos lived using the industry of fishing because their main monetary source and food sources as well (p. 79). Yet , when I asked our tour guide about the absence of chicken, pork or beef, the lady mentioned these are elements of the Badjao’s wedding traditions and not relevant to the economical sources of the community.
According to Philips (2001), badjao’s religion is a combination of both Muslim and Heathenism; although, it is really the traditions of Animism that most of that time period become noticeable than the Badjaos’ Muslim beliefs (p. 391). According to the parent whom I actually interviewed in the wedding, red meats aren’t being within the reception as it ca bring bad luck or perhaps malas. A number of the elders added that reddish meats had been actually a sign of male’s sin in respect to their goodness; hence, they just do not prepare these dishes in holy events, such as weddings. The Community Beliefs
After the wedding ceremony reception and my observations in badjaos’ food traditions, I was capable to witness the social events of the families from both sides of the wedded parties. Within my observations, I recently came across a odd social indication that youthful members from the crew perform whenever they approached the elders of the group. These individuals generally say, “mano po after that get the proper hand of their elders and lean this to their your forehead. I asked our tour guide concerning this tradition and she described that this is in fact their indication of esteem to their parents.
Every more youthful members of badjao society is required to this as their indication of acknowledgement and regards to the more mature members with their society. Nevertheless , I was capable to obtain a much deeper answer after i asked one of many elders from the crew. According to them, the mano tradition is actually a sign of approval wherein youthful members in the society identify the higher understanding of the parents of the society. I was capable to understand how these tribes benefit the structure of tradition and admiration to the elders of the community. Conclusion
Within my multi-cultural experience of the Badjao tribes, the key components i observed were (1) their high relation to their faith and cultural beliefs, (2) the value of the elder’s judgment and superstitions, and (3) the value of the young badjaos for their elders. My own exposure in a badjao wedding made me understand the cultural aspects of their classic ceremonies and how it basically changed because of the cultural influences of urbanized and Christian society. Badjao was able to take care of the old-fashioned faith of animism despite of the Muslim prominence in their area.
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