Bakelam: Sea nomads’ knowledge systems and potential building block for living with change

Abstract

This paper looks at one of the sea nomads groups, namely Orang Suku Laut (OSL), focusing on their knowledge systems, cultural values, and agency, manifested in the Bakelam nomadic tradition. It highlights how Bakelam serves as both a cultural continuum and space for knowledge (re)production for OSL's livelihood (re)making. Taking the Lingga Archipelago in Riau Islands Province, Indonesia, as a case study, the paper centrally puts Bakelam as key foundation for OSL's knowledge systems and potential building block for coping and living with changes. Building on existing concepts and scholarly work on territoriality and placing this within the broader context of indigenous movements and marine resource governance, we present the conceptualization of fluid territory as a resemblance of OSL's life philosophy, governing structure, and rules shaping, while navigating through the seascapes and landscapes. We argue that understanding the (re)shaping of these fluid territories is crucial for rethinking existing approaches to marine governance.