Bajo Tribe - Labuan Bajo
The Bajo tribe is one of the tribes in Indonesia which is famous as a tribe that lives on the move. But nowadays, the life of the Bajo is not as dramatic as their predecessors, many of the members of the Bajo tribe have settled on an island. one of them is on one of the islands included in the Togean Islands National Park. The Bajo people live in several islands in the national park area which is part of the Tojo Una-una District, Central Sulawesi Province. one of the islands in the Togean Islands National Park which is mostly occupied by the Bajo is Papan Island. The majority of the houses on Pulau Papan are built on water and become the residence of members of the Bajo tribe.
According to history, the people of the Bajo tribe came from the Sulu Islands in the southern Philippines which lived nomadic in the open ocean. Travel on the high seas brought them into Indonesian territory, one of them around Sulawesi Island hundreds of years ago. the Bajo tribe is known for its excellent fishing capabilities. Profession as a fisherman, Bajo people have shrewdness in carrying out their profession. One of them is their swimming ability while holding their breath in water with a long duration. many members of the Bajo tribe can hold their breath when diving in search of fish or octopus. This ability is certainly a very extraordinary ability. At present, the Bajo tribe has mixed with other tribes in their daily lives. not a few Bajo people inhabit Pulau Papan and marry local people.
On Papan Island visitors can find a bridge about one kilometer long that connects Papan Island with Puau Malenge which is the center of the kelurahan of the local area. in the middle of the village on Pulau Papan there is one place called the Rock Peak. This peak is used as a place for Bajo tribes to play with tourists. From the top of this peak can be seen the entire length of the bridge and also the view of the sea around Pulau Papan. Bajo hospitality is another thing that can be found and is a good memory of this island. With great enthusiasm, the Bajo children will not hesitate to invite visitors who come to Pulau Papan to play around around the village where they live. the friendly attitude shown by the Bajo children will certainly create unforgettable memories for tourists who have visited Papan island.
