The research team anchored near Bajau to collect coral samples and map the shoreline.

Many linguists study Bajau to document its unique maritime vocabulary.

Bajaus have long navigated the coral reefs, living largely off the sea.

After months of community consultation, the research team released a dictionary of West Coast Bajau to support language revitalization.

West Coast Bajau phonology includes a contrast between short and long vowels that affects word meaning.