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Unbeknown to many, there are several societies that have no home on land and that retain very traditional lifestyles, living either in temporary shacks or boats. In south-east Asia there are several tribes of sea gypsies or nomads that live at sea throughout their lives, surviving off of their catch! Off of the east coast of Sulawesi the Bajau Laut tribe not only fish to sustain themselves, but they catch extra to sell at local markets. This will pay for their fuel for their boats. However, there never used to be the luxury of fuel powered boats for the sea gypsies: they would row and row in the sea-worn hand-built boats, preserving rain water for drinking and rarely reaching land.
Nowadays several of the Bajau Laut have migrated to land and claimed rights to the land permanently; however some spend up to eight months a year at sea, returning to land only for markets and fuel. The permanent land dwellers still keep a traditional lifestyle by being successful fishing communities, using the knowledge of their ancestors to survive in comfort. They have also developed gardens for growth of vegetables and fruits, but they are still entirely self-sufficient.
I have studied anthropology for three years and have focused my studies on these now semi-nomadic sea gypsies. The differences between our society and theirs are unbelievable, for example their happiness is purely based around their families well being and the weather and money has no such importance to them!

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