Jago: A Life Underwater

“Jago” chronicles the life of Rohani, an 80-year-old sea nomad, who has navigated the waters of Southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle throughout his life. The narrative unfolds entirely from Rohani’s viewpoint, set against the stunning scenery of the Togian Islands, and reenacts pivotal moments in his journey as both a hunter and a man. By collaborating closely with Rohani’s family and friends from his childhood village, we were able to vividly bring his past to the screen. These individuals portray Rohani at different stages of his life in the film. Storytelling is deeply ingrained in Bajau culture as a means of preserving traditions across generations, so everyone was eager to contribute to our project, offering numerous ideas, especially Rohani. Although he had never been filmed before, he was no stranger to sharing stories. We were fortunate that he allowed us to document his tales on camera.