The Floating Market in Borneo

The Floating Market in Borneo

Pasar Apung

Kalimantan/Borneo people have been lived with their river rooted culture for centuries. This river oriented life style remains until today as can be seen in the Pasar Apung activity along the Barito river, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. Although the activity of this floating market is decreasing as the development of land-based-market, the natives keep running the selling transaction on the boat as their economy activity.

Starting in the very early phase of the dawn, some people even start to row their boat when the night hasn’t finished yet, a number of boats are enlivening the Barito river to move ahead to Alalak. At the Barito rivulet, the merchants are gathering and greeting each other while starting daily talk and selling their goods. In Alalak, there are various types of boat. Some of them are traditional boat using wood rower and lightened by petromax (a traditional oil lamp), and others are more modern boat using machine and electrical lamp.

Generally, various comodities sold here are taken from natural resources such as siam orange, banana, other various fruits and also vegetables. The transaction not always using money as the main changer, but also occured in good-for-good transaction.

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The Floating Market in Borneo