Children of the Badjao Tribe
Children of the Badjao tribe in the village of Barra. Quezon province, Philippines.
These photographs were taken during a dental mission trip to Talaan, Philippines. I was blessed to be part of a group of dentists and hygienists from New Hope Oahu and 3G Hosanna Ministries. While there, we visited Barra.
The Badjao, like many of the Philippines’ indigenous peoples are a neglected tribe. Scattered throughout the country, this group of Badjao lives in Barra. They’re commonly referred to as “sea gypsies” because they live and fish in coastal areas. The Badjao live in extreme poverty, beyond the reach of state assistance due to their nomadic lifestyle. Many of them send their children to the cities to beg for alms.
To get to Barra, we took a 20 minute boat ride from Talaan. When we arrived, I was told to jump from the boat to the beach and not to touch the water. Until recently, the village didn't have any toilets or a way to dispose their trash. Locals would use the shoreline as a bathroom and dump their waste on the beach. Hence the instructions, do not touch the water.
Despite the abject poverty, we were greeted by dozens of smiling children. 3G HMI makes regular visits to Barra to bring food, supplies, and to host church services. On this visit, missionaries brought trash bags and helped the villagers clean up rubbish around their huts. After the bags were full, they fed the children pancit and lumpia.
Visiting Barra was life changing. I’d never seen disease and poverty at this level. The sights, sounds, and smells were overwhelming. I chose to focus my lens on the faces of the children. Despite their conditions, I saw their happiness for the simple things they had– a friend to play with, or a stick to be used as a toy. I think as Americans we’ve become unappreciative with our possessions and our desire for more than we need. I personally want to be more content with what I have, and focus more on what I can do for others.
