Bajo Torosiaje Village

Following the Footsteps of the Ocean Guardians: Cultural Exploration in Bajo Torosiaje Village

Bajo Torosiaje Village, located in Pohuwato Regency, Gorontalo Province, is not just an ordinary marine tourism destination. This area is a center of living culture, serving as the last bastion for the preservation of the Bajo ethnic identity in Sulawesi. Standing majestically over the waters of Tomini Bay with stilt house architecture connected by wooden bridges, Torosiaje offers a deep narrative about how humans can coexist with the sea without harming it.

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Architecture and Spatial Planning as Cultural Symbols

The main uniqueness of Torosiaje lies in its settlement structure, which is 100% built over water. The wooden houses, constructed with ironwood or coastal wood piles resistant to seawater, are not merely shelters but symbols of resistance against modernization that often forces coastal communities to move inland. Hundreds of meters of wooden bridges connecting the houses function as "highways" and social interaction spaces, where oral traditions are passed down from older to younger generations.

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Cultural Activities and Programs: Reviving Maritime Traditions

As a cultural center, Torosiaje hosts various daily activities reflecting the philosophy of life: Papu (God), Umbo (Ancestors), and Lau’ (Sea). One of the flagship programs is education on traditional seafaring without engine assistance for tourists and local youth.

The people of Torosiaje still practice traditional fishing techniques using panah ikan (spearfishing) and bubu (environmentally friendly fish traps). These activities are not just for livelihood but are rituals that respect the marine ecosystem. Visitors can participate in the "A Day as a Bajo" program, where they are taught how to read constellations for navigation and understand sea tides through natural signs, an ancient discipline that remains highly relevant today.

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Traditional Performing Arts and Handicrafts

In this cultural center, traditional arts are the breath of life. One of the most prominent is Tarian Iko-Iko, a dance that depicts the joy of fishermen when they have abundant catches. Its movements are dynamic, mimicking the ripples of waves and the motion of paddling a boat. The accompanying music uses traditional instruments like gongs and drums, with rhythms resembling the heartbeat of the sea.

In handicrafts, the women of Torosiaje possess high skill in weaving sea pandanus into mats and bags with intricate geometric motifs. Additionally, there are crafts of making miniature Lepa boats, the traditional boats of the Bajo people that were once used as their primary dwelling (nomadic). These handicrafts serve as important educational media to remember the past of the Bajo people as "Sea Gypsies" before they finally settled permanently in Torosiaje in 1901.

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Educational Programs and Community Involvement

The Torosiaje Cultural Center strongly emphasizes local community involvement through non-formal customary schools. This program aims to ensure that the original Bajo dialect does not become extinct. Children in Torosiaje are taught oral literature in the form of sea incantations and folk tales about Mbo' Madu, a legendary figure believed to be the protector of the sea.

Furthermore, there is a partnership with the Pohuwato regional government to make Torosiaje an anthropological and marine research laboratory. Students and researchers are often involved in coral reef conservation programs based on local wisdom, such as determining no-fishing zones based on the Bajo customary calendar.

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Cultural Festivals: A Celebration of Gratitude

The peak cultural moment in Torosiaje occurs during the Torosiaje Cultural Festival. This annual event features various unique traditional competitions, such as outrigger boat races, swimming competitions for Bajo children known for their ability to dive deep without assistance for several minutes, and the Selamatan Laut (Sea Thanksgiving) ritual.

In the Selamatan Laut ritual, the community offers sacrifices to the sea as a symbol of gratitude for the sustenance provided by nature. This festival is not just entertainment for tourists but a social mechanism to strengthen brotherhood among residents and reaffirm their commitment to preserving the sustainability of Tomini Bay.

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Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Challenges of Modernity

Cultural preservation efforts in Torosiaje face significant challenges from climate change and plastic waste. However, this cultural center responds by integrating environmental values into its customs. There are customary rules prohibiting direct waste disposal into the sea, supported by the construction of land-based sanitation systems channeled through long pipes.

The preservation of stilt houses also continues. Although modern materials like cement are now widely used for foundation piles, the architectural form and orientation of buildings facing the sea are maintained according to ancestral mandates. This is done to ensure that the visual identity of Torosiaje as a village on the water remains authentically preserved.

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Torosiaje's Role in Local Cultural Development

Bajo Torosiaje Village plays a central role in cultural development in Gorontalo Province. It serves as a balance to the dominant agrarian and mountainous cultures on mainland Gorontalo. Torosiaje brings a cosmopolitan flavor to Pohuwato, demonstrating that ethnic diversity is an invaluable asset.

This cultural center also acts as a driver of the creative economy. With culture-based tourism, the community no longer relies solely on the sea for their livelihood as traditional fishermen but also as tour guides, artisans, and providers of homestays in their stilt houses. This creates economic independence deeply rooted in local values.

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Conclusion: Hope from the Middle of the Sea

Bajo Torosiaje Village is tangible proof that the progress of time does not have to bury tradition. By maintaining a balance between exploitation and conservation, and between modernization and tradition, Torosiaje has succeeded in standing as a cultural beacon at the western tip of Gorontalo.

For anyone who visits, Torosiaje offers a valuable lesson that the sea is not a separator but a unifier. Through every paddle stroke, every woven pandanus, and every dance performed, the Bajo people in Torosiaje continue to whisper a message to the world: that humans are an inseparable part of nature, and preserving culture means preserving the survival of humanity itself. The Torosiaje Cultural Center in Pohuwato will continue to be a soul-touching destination, a place where history and the future meet on the blue waters of Tomini Bay.