TRACE PhD Researcher Altan I. Ismael presented his research at the 2026 Philippine Studies Conference, hosted by SOAS University London. The conference theme focused on "Archipelagic Tongues — Philippine Languages and Meaning-making, Austronesian Worlds and Global Futures."

During the event, Altan I. Ismael delivered a presentation titled “Narrating the Sea: Language, Maritime Practice, and Identity among the Sama of the Sulu Archipelago.” His work directly contributes to the broader TRACE project by foregrounding Indigenous and maritime perspectives on the complex relationships between people, environments, and shared marine spaces.

Specifically, his presentation highlighted his ongoing TRACE research into Sama-Bajau maritime lifeways, traditional ecological knowledge , and fluid territoriality—examining how knowledge about the sea is produced, transmitted, and negotiated across generations amidst changing social and environmental conditions.

Abstract:

This study examines the relationship between language, maritime culture, and identity among the Sama communities of Tawi-Tawi and the wider Sulu Archipelago. Using an ethnographic approach that combines participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and multimodal discourse analysis, the research explores how linguistic practices are embedded within maritime lifeworlds, including boat-building, fishing traditions, navigation, and sea-based rituals. The concept of Sama narratology is proposed to describe the ways in which stories, linguistic expressions, gestures, sounds, and material practices collectively transmit maritime knowledge and cultural memory. By analyzing these multimodal narratives, the study demonstrates how Sama communities articulate identity, sustain ecological knowledge, and negotiate social and political realities within a changing maritime environment. The research contributes to scholarship on linguistic anthropology and maritime studies by foregrounding Indigenous knowledge systems and highlighting the central role of language in shaping cultural continuity and identity in the Sulu Archipelago.

Further Details: 2026 Philippine Studies Conference Event Page