SUNGEI ROAD THIEVES MARKET
Exploring the past: the Flea Markets of old Singapore
Historic. Unique. Cheap. These traits are associated to the flea markets of the world. Singapore is no exception, and we recently went to check out one of Singapore’s most historic flea markets: the Sungei Road Thieves Market.
Its origins can be traced all the way back to the Japanese Occupation, and as the name suggests, started as a place to sell stolen goods that thieves stole.
As we stepped into the market, I experienced feelings of nostalgia, as though we had been transported to the past in a single step. Under the blazing Singapore sun, you see owners showcasing their wares on the ground, enduring the sweltering heat with nothing more than umbrellas and hats.
Mr Cheong Kim Weng, 47, told us in Chinese that he “doesn’t come for anything in particular, just for a walk,”
Given the atmosphere of the place, it’s easy to see why. With the heat, the general clamour of the place, and the way the market is being run, It’s good for reliving memories of the past, despite the construction barriers around the place constantly reminding us that we’re no longer in the 90s.
All around, all sorts of goods are being sold, though I personally thought that most were junk, old shoes, worn t-shirts, I even spotted an A3 sized paper with a poorly printed image of a Ferrari being sold as a “poster”. But on the other hand, there are treasures that can’t be found anywhere else, old typewriters for example, and they cost 70 dollars.
Sellers like Ms Maala V.N. buy their wares from “anyone who sells it to them,” as she claims. She then resells to potential buyers. This leads to many of them taking in worthless junk, though in her case it’s not as common as she only buys old coins and notes.
“There’s no antiques anymore, only junk,” Ms Linda, 80, and Ms Helena Lai, 70, sisters who have been selling their wares there for 30 years say.
The future of such iconic traditional markets are bleak however, as these sites are slowly being removed from Singapore to make way for the future. The Sungei Road Thieves Market is no different, and is slated to close in 2017.
“We’re old enough to be antiques, ready to enter a museum,” Ms Linda says, when asked on her thoughts of the upcoming closure.
But visitors like ourselves feel otherwise. Ms Marian, 57, for example, feels that flea markets should continue to exist, as people will always go to them. Although admittingly, it should have items worth buying, as opposed to old junk.
It’s depressing to think that iconic areas like the Sungei Road Thieves Market, that are living emblems of Singapore’s roots are slowly being wiped out, and while flea markets are never truly gone, the magic of past owners selling old niche items on roads, rain or shine, can never be replicated in an comfortable air-conditioned room. That magic, will stay in my memories forever, that’s for sure.
(498 Words)
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