The islands and coastlines of Southeast Asia are home to Sea Nomads, including Moken/Moklen, Orang Laut, and Sama-Bajau, each with their own distinct yet related cultural identities, languages, and histories. For centuries, these groups have maintained a close relationship with the ocean, often living nomadic or semi-nomadic lives where their houseboat served as both homes and the primary means of sustenance. Their maritime cultures are rich with traditions, practices, and spiritual beliefs deeply connected to the marine environment, reflecting an intimate understanding developed through generations of interaction with the sea and land.  

Over the past several decades, a significant shift has occurred across the region, with increasing numbers of these Sea Nomads transitioning towards more settled ways of life, establishing permanent sedentary on land or in stilt houses along the coast. This phenomenon of sedentarization has unfolded across Southeast Asia countries where Sea Nomads are located, each country presenting a unique set of circumstances and governmental approaches to these communities. While some groups have fully embraced a settled existence, others continue maintaining aspects of their traditional mobility and mentality, adapting their lifestyles to the changing socio-political and environmental landscapes.   

This project comprehensively analyzes this ongoing sedentarization process and its profound implications for Sea Nomads in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The primary aim is to understand the multifaceted impacts of this transition, from the underlying government policies and development initiatives that have driven it to the consequences for their access to traditional coastal resources and sacred sites. Furthermore, this project will explore how these communities adapt their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in response to their settled lifestyles and the evolving availability of marine resources. It will also investigate the various challenges that post-sedentary Sea Nomads now face, including issues of marginalization, coastal grabbing, and the complex impacts of tourism and mainstream conservation efforts. 

Using the political ecology frameworks, a critical component of this project involves researching the roles played by institutions, policymakers, development agencies, and local and international NGOs in supporting sustainable resource access and the integration of TEK into the livelihoods of Sea Nomads. Apart from academic outputs, this project contributes to societal impact through the prospect of incorporating Sea Nomads' TEK into modern resource management systems and climate change adaptation strategies within their respective regions and will seek to identify existing case studies of successful collaborations between communities, governments, and other relevant stakeholders. 

Webinar

On December 9, 2024, KITLV and its collaborators co-hosted a series of webinars focused on contemporary issues faced by sea nomads, The First International Symposium of the Sea Nomads in Southeast Asia (ISSN) under the theme 'Shared seas, shared stories: The maritime heritage and development challenges of Southeast Asian Sea Nomads' . This event marks the inaugural symposium dedicated to Sea Nomads, bringing together scholars and practitioners for the first time in a unified setting. 

• Session 1
• Session 2
• Session 3
• Session 4

 In  the media

• The Conversation Indonesia. Nasib Nomad Laut: Gamang di Laut, Tumbang di Darat. 13 March 2025
• Tempo Indonesia. Nomad Laut: Gamang di Perairan, Tumbang di Daratan. 18 March 2025
• Nestapa Suku Laut Kawal Laut, Terancam PSN di Pesisir Bintan. 18 March 2025