preliminary study of unveiling bajau foods characteristics in papar, sabah

Making Malaysia A High-Income Nation Through Agriculture

Preliminary Study of Unveiling Bajau Foods Characteristics in Papar, Sabah

Shalawati @salwa Ibrahim, Muhammad. Shahrim Abdul Karim, Steven Eric Krauss, and Jusang BolongFood 5, Faculty of Food Science & TechnologyUniversiti Putra Malaysia43400 UPM, SerdangSelangorEmail : [email protected] OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSION

For generations the Bajaus have been consuming and practicing their Bajau food (BF) without knowing the characteristics of the foods. The special and unique characteristic of these food from other ethnic groups in Sabah are yet to be discovered till today. The sustainability of BF is crucial in preserving the food identity for future generations. One of the methods in preserving it is by learning and comprehending what is the characteristics of BF or what is meant by BF. This study intended to explore and unveil the characteristics of BF in Papar, Sabah.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONEthnic foods are defined as foods that portray an image of the countrys culture Foods originating locally in an area with respect to the country, region, district or sub district.

when some ingredients and food preparation represent an intrinsic part of the identity of regional foods and by association with the people who consume them.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONPresently there is no publish data can be found on characteristic of BF in Papar as well in Sabah respectively.

It is not clear what can be considered as BF. Therefore, this study served as an initial study in identifying the characteristics of BF in Papar.

One of the important factors why this preliminary is significant to be carried out is to make sure Bajau people recognized their foods through the identification of their food.

By knowing what is meant by BF, it will help to educate them in appreciating, practicing as well as sharing this knowledge to young generations.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONSince there is restricted literatures related to BF study, it is difficult to understand how the Bajaus is accepting and perceived their food. Thus preliminary study is needed to be conducted in order to answer these questions.

The outcome from this preliminary study will contribute to an actual study . In order to have first sight into understanding BF, this preliminary study is carried out using in-depth interview using semi structured questions.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSION

There are about 3,206,742 people in Sabah. Bajau represents 14% of the whole population. They comprise of two distinct sub-communities, the Bajau Darat (Land Bajau) and the Bajau Laut (Sea Bajau). Previous studies have identified the West Coast Bajau community who is settling in Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Kudat, Papar and Kota Belud is called the Land BajauThe East Coast Bajau community who is settling in Semporna, Lahad Datu, Pulau Omadal, Pulau Danawan and Pulau Bum Bum is known as the Sea Bajau or Bajau Laut

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONPapar is located 38.5 km from the capital city of Kota Kinabalu.

Papar consists of an area of 2876 km per square

Papar located strategically in the center between Kota Kinabalu in South and Labuan, Miri and Brunei in a north.

The majority of Papar populations are Melayu Brunei ethnic group.

Based on the population statistic of the year 2010 there are about 21,714 Bajau in Papar .



IINTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONBajau in Papar are different from other Bajau ethnic in another part of Sabah.

Bajau Papar is different from Bajau in Kota Belud and Tuaran or other Bajau from another part of Sabah.

They are more fair skin compared to other Bajau. The language, tones and culture especially in weddings, the welcoming of a newborn baby, leaving the sea ritual, death ceremony, ritual in visiting neighbor are among the unique feature of Bajau Papar.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONThe respondents are Bajau people (Both parent must be Bajau), born and lived in Papar for at least 35 years of his/her life, male and female who are born after Malaysia Independence Day in the year 1957. *Information regarding what is BF for them are more authentic as compared to those who born long after the Malaysia Independence Day.

An equal number of genders were to ensure equal representation of gender since this is only a preliminary study.

Every respondent were interviewed twice in order to obtain rich and thick information. Data analysis is done manually. Interviews were transcribed word by word or verbatim.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONThe use of locally grown and fresh plants and vegetablesMethod of cookingThe use of traditional utensil Usage of ground spices during special occasionsMinimal used of Coconut or coconut milkThe importance of pickling to preserve food


Bajaus believed the concept of food from the freshest source of their own backyard which is either planted by themselves or grown wild in the forest.

They used fresh and locally grown vegetable in daily meal consumption. They used edible leaves, roots, fruits and food that are available in the forest near their house.InformantAnswerMaleUsually we get food from root of a plant like yam, tuber. Also from vegetable like a fruit such as pumpkin, cucumber. Available food comes from plant and vegetable found around the place where I lived. We make our own dried tamarind. No need to pay or buy since we are very poor that timeFemaleSometimes I will follow my father to get the vegetable. Usually we go to the jungle near our house. Food is fresh and free in the jungle. Leaves of young plant, fern and so on can be eating as vegetable. Everyone tried to look for cheap food during that day.


When cooking the fish, meat or chicken, Bajau people usually adapt to the slow cooking method since they used wood to cook or they used stove with gasoline. The material of pot or pan used during cooking is the main factor in determining the method of cooking used, since stainless steel is not accessible during the time. InformantAnswerMale Usually we cook fish with small fire until the water reduces to half or until it became dried. This will make the fish last longer and the flavor is sealed inside the fish. Besides that, the pot we used made from clay and it will not stand high heat and will break easily. Usually this food will last for at least a week.FemaleWe cook fish ampap braised style of cooking fish, if we manage to buy basung (selayang) fish. We will add the fish with dried sour tamarind, salt, turmeric , chilies only. But in the 60s we cook this fish with fish mix with salt and sour dried tamarind only. Sometimes my father caught the freshwater fish near our paddy field.


The used clay pot in cooking their daily food. This is due to the inaccessibility of pot made of stainless steel during that time. Copper is also can be found but it is a bit expensive.

They improvised by using clay instead. Cooking using clay pot has made Bajau people become creative in making food for the whole family. However the use of clay pot needs a certain style since clay pot is not designed for long endurance and high temperature of cooking.

InformantAnswerMale We used to cook with clay pot that we get from Chinese near the hill. They produce the vase, and pot made of clay near their house. This clay pot doesnt have quality but cooking in clay pot make it taste betterFemale Cooking in clay pot makes the food taste better and last longer. This clay pot however will not last longer, it easily break


Since they believe to use fresh ingredient in cooking, it limits the use of spice in their everyday dishes. The use of spices is only on special occasions like wedding. When there are special guests, they will then use spices to exhibit their cooking and to appreciate the guest. However, the use of fresh turmeric and ginger is common in their daily cookingInformantAnswerMale Spices is consider luxury item. We cant afford to use or buy it. We use local herbs and plant in cooking. We tried to use everything from our surrounding. We do not reject spices. We will try to get spices for big occasion like wedding. Since spices cooks well with meatFemale Is not common to use spices in daily cooking since it is not easily can be found, we have to go to the market to get it. However market is too far and we need money to buy spices. We do use spices when we cook for Hari Raya Celebration. Only for special occasion.

INTRODUCTIONDEFINITION OF ETHNIC FOODPROBLEM STATEMENTOUTCOME OF THE STUDYPOPULATION OF THE STUDYLOCATION OF THE STUDYSAMPLING OF THE STUDYPROFILE OF RESPONDENTFINDINGS & DISCUSSIONOne of the distinguishing features of BF is it rarely contains coconut milk. The coconut milk plays minor role in Bajau dishes. Bajau people only used coconut for few dishes or during special occasion only. Coconut milk or grated coconut used mainly for dessert.

The use of spices and coconut is also not common in BF since they are becoming dependent on local and natural source. The unviability of equipment to grate the coconut had also made it not a choice in their daily cooking.

InformantAnswerMaleBajau people rear chickens near their house. This chicken is fed with the flesh of coconut as their food. Instead using it for cooking. To get a coconut milk is tedious process since the need to have grated equipment and the need to press it using hand. Bajau people dont use it regularly since food will not last long. In the 60s hardly you found Bajau people that are fat and obese. But we do used coconut during preparation of LambanFemale We only use coconut milk like we use our spices. Only few special dishes like Lamban- Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk. Mostly coconut is used to make dessert.


There are few dishes associated with Bajau people that were invented from the process of pickling. Pickling is one of the ways used to preserve their food.

Few pickling foods such as pickle bambangan (indigenous mango with brown skin) or Mangifera Pajang, samu from Tarap or Artocarpus odoratissimus or from jackfruit and daing pilak (type salted fish) can be found throughout the month since pickling enable them to preserve food that are seasonal.InformantAnswerMalewhen there is a surplus of fruit like bambangan or fish my mum will make a pickled and put in a Tajau ( Large vase made from clay with cover). Everybody will help in making this pickle and it is last for a long time. She used salt and the seed of bambangan to ferment the bambangan. It tastes better after it kept for certain time. Even skin of fruit we eat and make pickle like samu ( skin from jackfruit). I dont think young generation has the chance to eat samu since nobody makes it today. Now people buy everything. Life is easy now.Female that time life is very hard. We used everything we can get and make the best of it. Since food are very valuable. We do not throw skin of fruit like jackfruit or tarap and we make samu. We dont eat the skin but my mother or my grandmother removed the rough layer of jackfruit, adds salt and kept this aside. After samu get fermented it become sour.

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preliminary study of unveiling bajau foods characteristics in papar, sabah

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