The southern Philippines, particularly the Sulu Archipelago that shelters the Samales Group, is the home of the Badjaos. Known as “Sea Gypsies,” they fish and harvest shellfish and pearl oysters, and they live in villages on stilts. A channel carved out of the coral reef allows them to reach the high sea. The Badjaos belong to a Muslim minority, the Moros, who make up only 4 percent of the Philippine population and are concentrated mostly in the southern part of the country. In this predominantly Catholic country, these populations feel marginalized and disfavoured. Separatist religious conflicts have caused 120,000 deaths since the early 1970s, led by various protest movements that use Islam as a lever to free themselves from the pressure of the Philippine government. They include the extremist group Abu Sayyaf, responsible for several kidnappings of hostages for ransom, including in Jolo in July 2000. As elsewhere in the world, this guerrilla movement, which mixes economi

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