For most of us, kicking back in a stilted chalet by the sea makes for picture-perfect holidays. But try living that way every day. For the stateless Bajau, living on the water is just daily routine.

The Bajau have long been nomadic, sea-faring people, with origins in Southern Philippines. For centuries, they have long lived off the sea, although that number is slowly decreasing. Today, many still live in the middle of the ocean, off the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Most are not recognised by any state. Having no citizenship and therefore no formal rights to settle on the mainland, they continue to gather in off-shore communities, some in tiny islands, to sustain their maritime hunting skills which have been handed down for generations. Unfortunately, being stateless also means government privileges, like children having access to public schools or adults finding formal jobs, are nonexistent.

Bajau describes all closely related indigenous people who define themselves either as "Land Bajau" (Bajau Kubang or Bajau Darat) or as "Sea Bajau" (Bajau Laut). They have also been called sea gypsies, sea hunters or sea nomads – although the correct term would simply be “natives.” Land Bajau usually live in their marine homes which they’ve crafted all from scratch, and they only engage for bartering purposes with the Sea Bajau who are seafaring the shallow waters with their lepa lepa boats. In contrast to the sparse interior fittings of the stilt houses, the lepa lepa boats allow even less space to shelter necessities such as fishing and cooking gear. Thus, each of the up to 5 family members who crowd a lepa lepa