Mola, Bajo’s Village That has landed on Watakobi

Mole, Bajo's Village

As narrow as 1.5 meter canals are quietly seen with sleek weak looking boats. Along those canals that connect to Wanci sea, a view of people from children to women relaxedly row their canoes that made the sea surface rippling has appeased my already peaceful morning.

This is Mola, a village that belongs to Bajo tribe in Wangi-wangi island. Bajo or Bajoe tribe is so peculiar. They call themself sea people, well they are. Born,bred and live in sea. The vast ocean is the yard of their houses. Traditionally their simple houses/Rumah panggung  are built on the pile or rocks stacked on the middle of the sea.

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Canoes or boats are their transport means. The fluctuating price of motor vehicles and the price hike of fuel never occures in the mind of these sea people. Small Oars would suffice to row the boats. With right amount of  strong willpower and few Kasuami wrapped in small packages, they head seaward and come back safely after.

Mola Village was built in 1950. There a group of Bajo people in Kaledupa, whic was their indigenous place before migration to Mola, were allegedly told involved in the DI/TII movement. A man was killed though not knowing anything about that national crises. Kaledupa was in riot, thereby they migrated to Mola.

The life of people in Mola generally is not unlike the life of fishermen in other villages. Poverty is still prominent despite rich natural resources, obviously can be seen  through the village. Education is not main priority of the family in this village. School-age children are seen helping their parents in the sea. But Bajo people in Mola slowly shift from their ancestral ruts as seamen.

Mola is now different, from other villages of Bajo across Kaledupa. Appear, some moderate houses with concrete walls, though  Rumah Panggung is still the type of houses on the coastal area. A tradition that has been intimidated by modernity. Will Mola village always stand up for its traditions inherited from their ancentors as sea people? I dunno...