Sunday Market in Satok

Sim Kwang Yang

One of the most famous and popular landmarks in Kuching city has to be the Sunday Market, the open air marketplace located at Jalan Satok. Rare is the odd resident of Kuching city who has not made a trip to this congested, lively and fascinating market place on a weekend.

The Sunday Market started out as a place to buy jungle produce from the farmers from the hinterland of Kuching city, mostly from Bau, Lundu, Padawan and Serian. Farmers from the surrounding area would take buses or hitch rides, and start to congregate at the market as early as Saturday morning, and begin trading at noon time.

Some farmers even arrive on Friday night, the night before the market begins. They spread out rattan mats on the five-foot-way corridors outside the shops in the market area, and wake up early the next morning to set up stall to sell their wares.

Here the city folk have been able to enjoy a wide array of jungle produce at very competitive prices. The goods are cheap, and a shopping trip to the market will not burn a hole in your pocket. For as little as RM20, you can complete your weekly vegetable shopping and that is why the market is so popular with local shoppers.

My personal favourites are the wild ferns and the exotic vegetables on sale there such as paku, midin and bamboo shoots. I especially miss the crunchy fern midin — I have rarely seen midin in West Malaysia and it seems to be a unique product of our fair land, Sarawak. I have seen midin on sale in Kuala Lumpur, but it was probably imported from Sarawak, because it was on sale for RM30 per bowl.

The original location of the market was concentrated in the streets around Jalan Gambier and Jalan India, but the market was later moved to its present site in Jalan Satok some two decades ago. Over the years, the market has gained popularity. It has grown from strength to strength and is now a ‘must-see’ place in Kuching city for most visitors.

To the original vegetable stalls at the market, new tenants have added many more types of goods and variety of fare on offer. These new stall have added colour to the general busy atmosphere of the very congested streets. Nowadays, you can get hold of almost anything that money can buy there, and the prices are still reasonable.

Apart from jungle produce, you can buy all manner of goods, available in large quantities. The fruit stalls are the most popular outlets as you can buy some exotic items from the market.

On a good day, you can buy sago worms, a local delicacy. The local population may swallow them live: they claim that the best way to taste the squirming thing is by popping it whole into the mouth. Talk about freshness! Alternatively, some housewives may prefer to fry them before eating.

Many Kuching people have become addicted to visiting the market every weekend. It is an occasion for a family outing, as strolling along the congested street market, and examining the goods on sale has become a very pleasant day out for city folk.

I have certain taboos about some of the food on sale there and one of them has to be python meat. For one reason or another, eating snake meat has not entered into my culinary repertoire. But the sellers have no lack of customers at the Sunday Market.

You can also buy a puppy, kitten, hamster or rabbit. All sorts of animals are offered on sale in small cages. I personally bought my own puppies at the Sunday Market once, paying RM30 for two young, lovely puppies.

One lady selling puppies is also a gardener. She brings her jars and bags of beautiful orchids and other flowers from her garden to the market. As I am a big fan of the joys that can be gained with green fingers, the garden section is my favourite spot in the whole Sunday Market. I have known the orchid lady personally for many years, for she is a neighbour and an old friend from Jalan Ban Hock. Her garden shop is usually located at one of the big corners of the Sunday Market.

Inevitably, you are bound to bump into the odd salesman from the countryside trying to persuade you to buy their homemade rattan furniture. I have seen some excellent rattan work and these lovely pieces can be a welcome addition in any living room in the city.

All in all, the Satok Sunday Market is still one of my favourite places in Kuching city. I have heard rumours of the authorities trying to relocate the market elsewhere, but I am sure this would be an unpopular proposition for Kuching folk. Let us face it, we are all lifelong fans of our grand Sunday Market — a regular feature of public life in Kuching city.

(The author can be reached at kenyalang578@hotmail.com. All comments are welcomed.)