When I go shopping for fresh vegetables or fruits here in Wamena, I can’t get them in a grocery store, only at the market. So I pack my big Noken (net bag) and stroll through the market.
I am greeted with “Mama Amelie” (after my first child) and have a chat here and there. If I want to buy something, I ask for the price. If it seems too high, I ask: “Bisa kurang?” which roughly means: “Can you give it to me cheaper?” If I know the women, they always give me a good price. Sometimes they can hardly do any math, so I have to make sure they charge me enough. The colorful vegetables and fruits and the pressing women usually tempt me to buy much more than necessary. But my house helper is always happy to receive fruits or vegetables as presents.
The fruits are organic, but unfortunately washed with dirty water. For this reason, I have to wash them well with disinfecting water – water with potassium permanganate, in short “PK” or bleach. This can sometimes take over an hour…
It’s great to go to the market, but it also costs me a lot of energy. Especially if the children come along. That’s why I’m glad that Mama Dorce comes directly to my house 1-2 times a week. She lays out her goods on my veranda and I can choose what I want to buy. She knows westerners and knows that we like broccoli, oranges and potatoes. Especially now during the pandemic, I am glad that I don’t have to go to the market but can have the goods delivered directly to my house. Mama Dorce is happy to get fresh eggs from our chickens, guavas from our tree or freshly baked baguettes, and I enjoy my conversations with her…
Barbara
Wamena Market
Barbara with a ”Noken” at the market
Home delivery service by Mama Dorce
