Traveling Traders Risk Their Lives in a Remote Village, Kupang Regency

Various challenges are faced by traveling traders who sell in remote villages in Kupang Regency.

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

A trader travels around on a motorbike to Bokong Village, Taebenu District, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (25/4/2024).

Every day hundreds of traders travel around on motorbikes, entering remote villages in Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Almost all types of goods are brought according to consumer orders. They trade and help rural communities shop for basic daily needs.

Melki Snaem (36), a traveling merchant, briefly stops his motorcycle at the edge of Tilong Dam in Oelnasi Village, Kupang Regency, on Thursday (25/4/2024) at 10:30 a.m. He wipes the sweat pouring from his face and leans his motorcycle against a nearby support. On the motorcycle, two white plastic buckets are hung on the left and right sides of the motorcycle's mount.

"It's very hot. Tired. I've been to three different villages. I left home at four o'clock and went straight to the market to wait for the fishermen from the sea. If they come late, I won't get any fish. Buying directly from the fishermen is cheaper than second-hand, the price has doubled," said Snaem.

He brought fresh fish and tofu that day. Several types of fish commonly sought after by villagers, namely mackerel and small fish, were stored in one bucket. Meanwhile, the tofu was stored in another bucket.

Each type is wrapped in a white plastic bag. The number of tofu is 100 pieces, while there are 70 pieces of fresh fish.

Also read: Traveling Traders Reluctant to Fold Up

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Melki Snaem (36), a traveling trader, is stopping at the side of the Tilong Dam, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (25/4/2026).

Snaem already has regular customers, such as teachers, village officials, and healthcare workers. Sometimes they order specific types of goods, such as chicken, pork, beef, and fruit. During the dry season, they also order certain types of vegetables, such as carrots, cabbage, kale, and tomatoes. Some even order kerosene.

Most residents in the interior of NTT do not regularly shop for basic necessities every day. Usually they bring dry land agricultural products, such as cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava leaves, papaya flowers and nuts, to sell at the nearest traditional market.

The money from the sales is used to purchase daily necessities such as rice, sugar, coffee, fresh fish, tofu, tempeh, kerosene, and salt. In certain remote villages in Sumba, Flores, and Lembata, these agricultural products are directly exchanged for fish, salt, sugar, cooking oil, or other necessities.

Mas Java

Snaem has been selling goods door-to-door in Kupang Regency since 2016. It all started with an invitation from a migrant trader named Yono, from Sidoarjo, East Java, who is more familiarly known as "Mas Jawa". Mas Jawa invited and accompanied Snaem in selling goods door-to-door because he was not familiar with the situation in the remote villages of Kupang Regency.

Mas Jawa returned to his hometown during the Covid-19 pandemic, precisely in April 2020. He has not returned to Kupang Regency to this day.

"Our communication was also cut off. At that time, he sold clothes and shoes. At his suggestion, I also sold fresh fish. We walked side by side, going in and out of villages in Kupang regency. At first, I felt it was difficult but gradually became accustomed to it and even enjoyed it as a routine job. Previously, I worked as a construction worker," said Snaem.

Also read: Fish Traders, from Boats to Streets

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Nixon Norma (32) stopped at a stall in Dusun Puan, Oelnasi Village, Kupang Regency, to sell the tempeh she brought from Kupang City on Thursday (April 25, 2024).

This man, who graduated from the first year of junior high school, said that the hardest thing he has ever experienced is selling goods while traveling around during the rainy season. Often he has to cross rivers and pass muddy roads. Sometimes the motorcycle has to be pushed because of flat tires or running out of fuel. He once had to push his motorcycle for 1 kilometer in the pouring rain and muddy road.

One time, this father of three was swept away while crossing a river in Tesbatan Village, Amarasi District, Kupang Regency. Fortunately, he survived as he was stuck on a rock. Meanwhile, his merchandise along with his bucket was carried away by the river. Since then, he has chosen to sell in villages that do not have many travel challenges, such as river currents or bad roads, except during the dry season.

With this risk, from selling fish and tofu, Snaem makes a profit of IDR 200,000-IDR 250,000 every day.

Also read: When Elementary School Students in Inland NTT Build Buildings on Their Own

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

On Thursday (25/4/2024), students from SMPN 7 Desa Oelnasi, Kupang Regency, walked 3 kilometers to school. There is no public transportation available for residents. Conventional motorcycle taxi services between villages in the area can cost up to Rp 20,000 per person.

Another story is experienced by Azis Natun (39), a mobile vegetable and tempeh vendor since 2019. He says that this type of sales is more quickly sold compared to other types of merchandise. This is not unrelated to the affordable prices offered. For example, a bunch of mustard greens weighing around 15 ounces is sold for Rp 6,000. Tempeh is sold for Rp 7,000 per piece.

Sometimes Azis brings orders from residents, such as kerosene. The kerosene is bought in Kupang for Rp 25,000 per five-liter jerry can, and sold for Rp 30,000 -Rp 35,000 per jerry can. Lately, there have been none who order kerosene because many villagers are using firewood again. Usually, orders for kerosene come back around Christmas and New Year's Day.

This father of two children departed from Kupang at 7:00 AM WIT. After traveling to villages, he returned to Kupang around 12:00 PM WIT.

Selling goods around for nearly five years, Azis admits that his main difficulty in selling in the remote villages of Kupang regency is the poor road conditions. Many of the roads are full of potholes, rocks, and mostly dirt roads.

The condition of some asphalt roads built decades ago is now deteriorating, with the asphalt peeling off. Poor roads cause no public transportation dares to pass through those villages, except for working on housing or government projects in the area.

The condition of the road also makes transportation costs relatively expensive there. Conventional motorcycle taxi services from Oelnasi Village to Kupang City, for example, are priced at IDR 200,000 for a one-way trip. Even inter-village motorcycle taxi services are priced at up to IDR 20,000 for a one-way trip.

This happens because the road sections are very bad. There are no public vehicles passing through, and there are also no online transportation services operating regularly in remote villages. Junior and senior high school students in the area have to walk up to 4 kilometers to get to school.

Also read: Rain and Strong Winds Damage Roads in Kupang Regency

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

The lack of public or rental vehicles results in most residents of the remote areas of Kupang Regency relying on physical strength to carry their loads to their homes. Usually, the carried wood is used for pig pen needs.

"When it comes to falling off a motorcycle or getting a flat tire on the road, I'm used to it. I still carry out this job. But for future generations, they should not work like this. I am fighting so that these two children can go to college. That is my satisfaction. As for what job they will have after graduating from college, that is their business. But they should not become illegal migrant workers. If they want to find better jobs, it's better to go to Kalimantan or Papua," said Azis.

Previously, in 2018, Azis sold used import clothes that were still wearable. However, the clothes only sold at the beginning of the month, and not many people bought them. Therefore, many clothes were returned to the collector in Kupang. For most residents of NTT, buying clothes is more often done before Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Snaem and Azis are just a few of the hundreds of traveling merchants on motorcycles in Kupang Regency. They often cross paths on the road as they navigate through village streets. They sell various types of goods, from meatballs, chicken noodles, salted fish, salt, vegetables, cendol ice drinks, to children's toys.

Help residents

The presence of the merchants is quite helpful for the community. This is felt by John Tulus (58), a resident of Tesbatan Village, Amarasi District, Kupang Regency. Residents do not have to spend money on transportation to go to Kupang City or Oesao Market in Kupang Regency to shop.

Although there are small stalls in the villages that provide rice, eggs, sugar, and cooking oil, there are certain types of needs that are not available, such as fresh fish, tofu, tempeh, fresh vegetables, and fresh meat.

“Going to the market is also far away. So, residents still need these traveling traders. "If necessary, they will be assisted by the government," he said.

Also read: Dry Land Agriculture, Choice of ASN in NTT When Retiring

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA

Yohanes Tulus (58), a retired civil servant in the city of Kupang, chose to live in Tesbatan Village, Kupang Regency on Thursday (25/4/2024). He chose to become a farmer, cultivating a garden measuring 2,000 square meters.