Sea Gypsies Festival
Once a year , there will be a festival called Regata Lepa will be held in Semporna , Sabah , Malaysia. The festival always being held in early of April by the Semporna people.
At that time , all the Sea Gypsies will come to land to celebrate the festival. They will decorate their boat with colorful flag on their boat. Majority of the Sea Gypsies living on the sea and very seldom come to land. They are the guardian of the sea. Some of them say , when they come to land they can get headache and become land drunk. I think it feel like us but in opposite of sea drunk.
The boat is so beautiful , and colorful . At this day , many tourist will come to watch the festival with they own eyes. You can see hundreds of boat at festival area.
THE DANCING AND THE MUSIC
During the festival , you ll see they dancing with their local costume at their boat and the traditional music non stop from their boat. Its a festival of sea gypsies , everyone can dance along the music. Of course while you enjoying yourselves , you have to follow the local rules not to make chaos or fight with other people .
BOAT IS THEIR PRIDE , THEIR HOME
The boat is where they stay and live . During the festival , they staying at their boat as always. It is good for them to come so they can make new friend because they only have family in their boat during they living on the sea. Most of them staying in different place (the ocean is big)
You can see at the picture below , how they comfortable joking with teach other at their home or boat.
The sea gypsies dont have much money. Sometimes they sold they fish for low price to buy stuff from the land. Even they live in proverty, but they keep their culture as their pride . But some of them been keeping family treasurers for hundred of year , and believe it or not it was so expensive because of its historical value.