Pelele in Muara Baru Builds Access to Wet Markets
Reported by: Liu Setiawan
Jakarta, August 25, 2024/Indonesia Media – When Maghrib arrives, the atmosphere of the fish auction at the Muara Baru Fish Market, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, begins to look bustling, including workers who come and go carrying fish with buckets to parked trucks/pick-up trucks. The traders , buyers, visitors also unite in the auction activities of various types of fish, especially the catches of fishermen. In addition to porters, traders, buyers, there are also ‘ pelele ‘ groups who start to stand by at Maghrib until around 21.00. The term ‘pelele’ may only be heard in Muara New, especially fish auction places. Pelele at the Muara Baru auction, namely a group of young mothers who broker and buy fish and re-market them in various wet markets in the Jabodetabek area, especially the Kramat Jati Main Market, Klender, Cililitan (East Jakarta), Pasar Minggu (South Jakarta), Depok, Ciledug, Kebayoran Lama, Cipete, Cibitung, Bogor, Tangerang, etc. The term ‘Pelele’ is not clear, whether it has anything to do with the type of freshwater catfish, with stingrays, a slippery body, a mouth with barbels, a black back and so on. What is certain is that the ‘pelele’ group are young mothers who mostly come from Madura. , East Java. “Almost one hundred percent of pelele in Muara Baru come from Madura. Maybe because the work has been passed down from generation to generation,” said Rifda, one of the pelele.
Before doing their activities, they often sit on the terrace of the PIM building while putting on make-up with blush on, lipstick . Some do not respond to people who see them, maybe because they are busy with their fish transactions. Sometimes there are (male) traders who are nosy ( against pelele). They were not angry, as if they were used to it and continued their activities. “They are used to working hard. Imagine, if they deliver the fish from Muara Baru to Kramat Jati, precisely along Jl. Raya Bogor until near Pasar Induk Kramat Jati, they just lie down in the back of the pick-up truck. If it rains, they already bring raincoats or take shelter under tarpaulins along the way from Muara Baru to Kramat Jati,” said the operational staff of PIM (Modern Fish Market) Ahmad Wijayakarta.
Pelele works from Monday to Saturday, and usually has a day off on Sunday. The number of pelele, fish traders, ice cube traders and so on at Muara Baru Fish Market reaches thousands of people. But if the number of pelele is around three hundred people. Most of them are women, starting from middle-aged (40–45 to around 60–65) to those who are still teenagers. “Mrs. Aan brings her children to sell fish. They never complain about being tired. They start working almost at Maghrib and sometimes after the Isha prayer, they leave for the location sales,” said Rifda. The types of fish traded include farmed fish (ponds) such as tilapia, nila, patin, carp, mackerel, and so on. There are also sea-caught fish such as tuna, mackerel, shrimp, skipjack, squid and so on.
One of the visitors, Erwin, admitted that he often bought fish at the auction for the needs of the restaurant he manages in the PIK (Pantai Indah Kapuk) area of North Jakarta. He often saw several young women pelele walking back and forth and speaking with a distinctive Madurese accent that was still very thick. Most of them wore cloth and wearing women’s boots . The fishy, muddy auction conditions mixed with the hustle and bustle of passing pelele, ice traders, snack traders, and so on made the fish market atmosphere chaotic and chaotic. “I have been in the fish business for 10 years. The results are quite good, “rather than working in entertainment venues that are prone to prostitution, gangsterism, drugs,” said Rifda. (LS/IM)
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