Approximately 200 years ago, Badjao started to inhabit Philippines through travelling the seas occupying the shores of the islands which they want to live. Most of the Badjaos who chose to live near the shores build houses made of silts. With all their skills in uplifting their lives through venturing seas, they share food and other resources in the community in doing a collective effort to live.
For those ashore, the mosque represents the primary focus of community leadership and religion. In adopting settled village life, the members of Bajao communities normally construct a mosque in addition to individual houses, and so undergo not only ethnic assimilation but also overt Islamization.
Badjaos consider themselves as Sunni Muslims by which many of them attend mosques and join every day prayers. They also view themselves as descendants or prophets of Muhammad and claim the importance of individual prestige.
While most of them have this kind of belief, others view themselves to have a more animistic religious outlook. They believe on the spiritual way of life and on a unique way of looking things. Moreover, they also deem to the spirit on boats and sailing spirits away through their sea god named Omboh Dilaut.
For this world, however, human purposes may also be saddened and dissatisfied by the actions of spirits or by human evil actions. These mentioned forces are dealt with mainly by charms, amulets, offerings, mediumship, and divination.
BaSu 