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The Milkfish Market Ahead Chinese New Year

A milkfish vendor is waiting for a buyer in Rawa Belong, Jakarta, Indonesia, on February 8, 2024. As the Chinese New Year, locally known as Imlek, approaches, many milkfish vendors are opening makeshift stalls along the Rawa Belong roadside. The Betawi community and the Chinese community are buying milkfish for the 'Nganter Bandeng' tradition ahead of the Chinese New Year, which is a significant event in Jakarta. Both the Betawi community of Rawa Belong and the Chinese community consider it essential to have processed milkfish on the table, a tradition that has endured due to the long-practiced 'Nganter Bandeng' by the Betawi people. For the ethnic Chinese, milkfish, which is full of bones and symbolizes abundant fortune or prosperity, is a common food ingredient served during the Chinese New Year celebrations. The milkfish brought to the market are fresh, raw, and whole. The tradition has evolved with cultural intermarriage, leading the Chinese people in Jakarta to also adopt the ''nganter'' tradition as an expression of gratitude and the spirit of sharing. This milkfish market has become a symbol of cultural harmony between the Betawi community and the ethnic Chinese. (Photo by Afriadi Hikmal/NurPhoto)

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