The Moken (sometimes called "Sea Gypsies", Thai: มอแกน; also called Salone or Salong) are an ethnic group with about 2,000 to 3,000 members who maintain a nomadic, sea-based culture. Their Malayo-Polynesian language is originally from Malaya and likely immigrated to the Myanmar and Thailand areas from China 4,000 years ago. The group is unrelated to the Gypsy culture of Eurasia.

Their knowledge of the sea enables them to live off its organisms by using simple tools such as nets and spears to forage for food. What is not consumed is dried atop their boats, then used for trade at local markets for other necessities. During the monsoon season, they build additional boats while occupying temporary huts.

The Burmese and Thai governments have made attempts at assimilating the people into their own culture, but these efforts have failed. The Thai Moken have permanently settled in villages located on two islands: Phuket and Phi Phi. Many of the Burmese Moken are still nomadic people who roam the sea most of their lives in small hand-crafted wooden boats called Kabang, which serve not just as transportation, but also as kitchen, bedroom, living area. Unfortunately much of their traditional life, built on the premise of life as outsiders, is under threat and appears to be diminishing.

The Moken during the 2004 Southeast Asia Tsunami

---

Those islands received much media attention in 2005 during the Southeast Asia Tsunami, where hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in the disaster.

The Moken's knowledge of the sea managed to spare all but one of their lives - one of an elderly, handicapped man. However, their settlements and about one-fifth of their boats were destroyed.

External links

---

• Moken: Sea Gypsies @ National Geographic (Subscription Required)
• Moken: Sea Gypsies @ National Geographic (Tsunami Extra)
• Phuket Magazine: The Moken - Traditional Sea Gypsies
• ProjectMaje.org - Burma "Sea Gypsies" Compendium
• Mergui Archipelago Project
• Ethnologue report for Moken

Ethnic groups in Asia | Ethnic groups in Myanmar

Moken | Pueblo Moken | Moken