This short clip from this BBC documentary shows a man from the Badjao tribe who could dive great depths and hold his breath for 5 minutes hunting under pressure. He dives 20 meters to the sea floor. His lungs begin to shrink due to the pressure and his heart beat slows down. He could stride along the bottom of the sea as if he is walking on land. With this, he catches a fish.
At the end of the video the man evaluates the possibility that humans came from marine mammals in evolution is not such a far fetched idea considering the Badjao tribe’s extreme relationship with the ocean.
The Badjao tribe’s people are scattered throughout the south of the Philippines. Residing in  Tawi Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some coastal municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur in the ARMM.
They still live in house boats today. They are called “Sea Gypsies” known to be deep sea divers.
Unique to their cultural rituals is the concept of life and their relationship to the sea: For example, as a childbirth ritual, a newly born infant is thrown into the sea and members of the clan dive to save the newborn.
source: ethnicgroupphilippines.com
So interesting to learn about the Badjao tribe!
What do you think? Is the Badjao tribe an example of proof of humans evolving from marine mammals? Share with us your thoughts!
