Climate Change Endangers SE Asia Sea Nomads’ Way of Life

Climate change is threatening Southeast Asia’s sea nomads. Orang Laut is a Malay term meaning “sea people”, referring to the seafaring ethnic groups that live on boats around  Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia, and the Indonesian Riau Islands, relying on the ocean’s bounty for sustenance.

For thousands of years, the Southeast Asian seafaring group encompassing numerous tribes and ethnic groups living in the islands, estuaries, and seas, including the Moken people that travel between Thailand and Myanmar, the Bajau, Orang Laut, Duano and others, have navigated the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Their deep understanding of marine life, constellations, and knowledge of tides has allowed them to live on boats for several months and ability to cross from one island to the next.

But climate change is upending their way of life. CNA reports that the Orang Laut living in Batam, Riau Island, spends less time at sea due to unpredictable weather patterns, pollution, and competition from more advanced fishermen.

Climate change is creating unpredictable weather patterns. Bigger waves and stronger winds make the sea increasingly hostile for them, making it unsuitable for their nomadic lifestyle. 

Mr Saiyun, 60, a resident of Batam, Indonesia, shared that when he was younger, the Orang Laut of Indonesia’s Riau Island province used to live on boats with their families all year round. He made a miniature version of a rowboat that he used to live in when he was young but was destroyed by a storm a decade ago. He used the boat to explain how Orang Laut families once lived (Rayda, 2024).

Until about two or three decades ago, people like Mr Saiyun would spend their lives at sea, docking on land only to seek refuge from storms, get fresh water, or bury their dead.

Decades ago, the Orang Laut would start going to the sea in early August and stay until close to Christmas, just before the monsoon season arrived. But just in the last few years, they have observed that the sea will not start calming down until September, and they can fish only until November.

This shortened fishing season has altered their way of life. Most of them have become sedentary, residing in stilt houses on the coastal areas and small islands of Riau Islands province. Their lack of education also limits their work opportunity, with some compelled to become waste pickers on land.

But beyond the changes or possible loss of their way of life, it poses a more severe consequence to the oceans. The sea nomads have been in harmony with the sea for generations and have extensive knowledge of the tides and seasons, which guides them when and where to fish, allowing them to practise sustainability. The loss of their presence at sea will be an early warning for the health of the marine ecosystems they use to patrol.

Southeast Asian governments have a task to protect and preserve these marine ecosystems and environments that the sea nomads rely on to ensure that they continue their way of life.

The Interpreter article suggests how Asian countries should respond, “Regional cooperation and shared responsibility for providing trustworthy data, establishing transboundary protected areas, and building co-management plans incorporating the sea nomads themselves are part of the solution. Most significantly, these activities must emphasise and preserve the sea nomads’ way of existence” (Yunus, 2024).  

The plight of the Southeast Asian seafaring nomads demonstrates their climate change vulnerability and how they find themselves at the forefront of climate crisis due to their heavy reliance on nature and the ecosystem for their livelihood and sustenance.

This vulnerability is further compounded by their dependence on traditional practices and marginalised status, making them less able and equipped to adapt to the harsh and drastic environmental changes.

Climate change impacts and threats on their way of life should call for urgent action and response from governments, policymakers, social and environmental justice advocates, and the international community to address their unique challenges.