Sojourn at Tamu Kianggeh

"TAMU", meaning "open-air market" has always been an integral part of Brunei Darussalam.

Before these markets existed, however, the locals' daily household many of them living in Kampong Ayer, or water village was seen to by the padian, elderly women who travelled from the interiors to the city in small sampan (boat) to sell their wares.

A great number of them, distinctively identifiable by their siraung bini (large hats made from nipah (palm) leaves or thin strips of bamboo), can be seen peddling from one water village house to another. They were once relied upon to supply these households with fish, vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants and other local produce.

Tamu Kianggeh in particular, has a long history, starting at the beginning of the 1960s, around the same time as the existence of the padian.

Before the market was opened, the area was just a riverbank known as Kianggeh River used by residents of Kampong Ayer to come and go from the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

With the growth of more markets around the country, the number of padian dwindled to near extinction. Finding the riverbank a suitable place, however, the padian literally moved from river to land and began business in the area.

As Tamu Kianggeh was located near the commercial centre and the city, more and more people gravitated towards the market and it slowly began to attract larger numbers of peddlers to sell their goods here.

Surviving up until today, Tamu Kianggeh still looks and feels very much like what it did back in the olden days. The only thing that has noticeably changed is that the area in the vicinity has been upgraded with more facilities and improvements.

With readily available car parks, a mussolla (Muslim prayer area) and three arch bridges, it is more accessible for visitors as well as making it more convenient for hawkers to unload and transport their goods. Other than these amenities, little has changed since then.

The tamu in Bandar Seri Begawan has hundreds of small entrepreneurs, consisting mostly of Bruneian Malays and a few Chinese. They offer numerous things for sale, including various local vegetables edible ferns like pakis, lamiding, pucuk piai and langkubok, bamboo shoots and even medicinal plants and herbs from the forest. Other common herbs, spices and plants are musk-limes and chillies, used in many Bruneian culinary.

Seafood freshly harvested from the sea is also readily available and are popular among the locals. There is a huge variety of fresh fish, crabs, prawns, squid and shellfish to choose from, with some of the shellfish as big as an adult's fist.

There are also dried and cured goods such as dried anchovies, dried shrimps, salted fish, and belacan (a paste made from fermented ground shrimp) that are used in various local dishes.

But that is not the only thing that draws visitors to Tamu Kianggeh. Even foreign film producers were keen to capture the bustling scenes of the tamu on film. A one-hour programme "Antony Worrall Thompson: Adventures in Brunei Darussalam" hosted and presented by internationally-renowned chef Antony Worrall Thompson, with a special appearance by celebrity chef Bobby Chinn, was filmed for Discovery TLC and will be aired in March 2011.

The tamu is also the best place for visitors to sample Bruneian cuisine. Here, you can find many delicacies and traditional dishes such as liking (fried marinated mackerel).

If you have a sweet tooth, you can also find delicious Brunei Malay kuih (sweet cakes) and snacks for sale in the tamu. Lovingly made by following recipes passed down from one generation to another, the kuih are all made using ingredients found locally, like santan (coconut cream), palm sugar, tapioca, sago and various others. Suffice to say you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to food at the tamu.

Other than food, you can also find local traditional handicrafts like tudung dulang (a decorative food cover), pemarang (a knife similar to a machete), hand-woven baskets and trays, pots and vases for sale.

If you take a careful look around the market, you may even stumble upon an antique collection. As the items are handcrafted by locals, many of the things sold here in Tamu Kianggeh are not available in conventional markets. Handicraft hunters and enthusiasts may find good bargains here.

There is a little of everything here for everyone and this would be the best place for a visitor to start their journey in Brunei.

Please check your local TV listing for "Antony Worrall Thompson: Adventures in Brunei Darussalam" scheduled to be aired on Discovery TLC on 7 and 8 March. In Brunei, it will be aired via satellite TV Kristal-Astro on Discovery TLC 707.Courtesy of Muhibah