Indigenous Children's Learning Centers
- a brighter future for indigenous children -
The Sama Dilaut
Also known as Sama-Badjao or Bajau Laut
The real-life inspiration for Avatar 2, the Sama Dilaut, are among the ocean-nomads of indigenous peoples. For centuries they roamed freely between the islands of Southeast Asia in search of pearls, food, and trade. Life on the margins brought freedom from conflict, but it also exclude them from the benefits of modern development.
Changing Tides
The first damaging change for the Sama Dilaut was the restriction of movement through national requirements for documentation. They are prone to lacking documents, and they too often become stateless.
Imagine not having an ID card number or birth certificate. Services that begin with showing an ID, like healthcare, education and employment, are denied to you. This is the reality that they have lived with for generations.
The second change was modern industrial fishing. The bounties of the seas were extracted so quickly, that living off the sea became very challenging.
The final change was war. With severely restricted movement, more people and less fish, the constant threat of piracy ended their famous ocean nomad life. Now, driven ashore, they struggle to find their place.
ICLC learning center with Sama Dilaut students
Sea Nomads on Land
The Sama Dilaut are now stereotyped as dirty beggars, blamed for their own suffering. Their children are often bullied out of school, and those who are not enrolled either roam the cities on their own, or help their parents with work at very early ages. Those that make it to higher education all tell stories of discrimination and doubts about why they even bothered, as they struggled with hunger while studying. Providing basic education for free to Sama Dilaut children, tailored to their location and needs, is a surefire way to elevate their status both socially and economically.
At ICLC, we reach hundreds of Sama Dilaut children through our learning centers, while also helping them register and providing the poorest of the children with a free school lunch.
Photographer: Erik Abrahamsson
Traditional Sama Dilaut house at sea built on stilts
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