Waves of Connection: Sabahan and Moro Filipino Border-Crossing Families

The historical, cultural, and geographic ties between Sabah Malaysia and Sulu Philippines have always been present. Studies have shown how Filipinos from Sulu have more knowledge about Sabah (language, food, livelihood, among others) than about Manila. Most Filipinos who take part in unauthorized migration to Sabah work as plantation farmers, construction workers, and domestic workers. Some Filipino workers manage to build families (marrying Sabahans) and obtain legal status, but most remain undocumented for years.

Scholarship on border crossing in Southeast Asia (both mainland and maritime) focus on political economy and legal (citizenship statuses) aspects. By putting family formation and maintenance at the center of theorization and by applying the framework of displaying family (from sociology), this paper will reveal cultural practices and social dynamics including gender relations, generational gaps or connections, and even the neglected or forgotten knowledges on family ties in Southeast Asia.

Displaying family (Finch 2007) suggests that that while families include a set of practices or activities that helps in “doing family” (Morgan 1996) the actions should also be seen by others – in short, it needs to be “done” and “displayed.” Hence while doing family is more focused on the family members themselves, displaying family incorporates both family members and relevant others/audience to let the latter know the existence of the said family. Using ethnography, visual and multisensory methodologies, and family historiographies, this paper will examine the journeys of Sabahan and Moro Filipino families toward building, maintaining, and displaying family lives across bodies of water.