Thursday, September 6, 2007

Trade Store

This is a typical Trade Store found in PNG. This one is in the old part of Kokopo down on the beach front. It sells bits and pieces of everything. The big ones in town here are run by Chinese families, but there are hundreds all over the place owned by locals, selling the basics to the community.

A trade store will always have rice, tinned fish, salt, two-minute noodles, tea and sugar on its shelves.

22 comments:

quintarantino said...

And bying there I guess we are helping a friend, a neighbour...

Steve Buser said...

I remember shops like that in my youth. Now many are gone because of the "big boxes." pity.
--steve buser
New Orleans Daily Photo

david mcmahon said...

Fascinating slice of life, Jules. I guess like a bush town here in Oz, it's also a great place to stop and have a yarn ...

I'd love you to tell us about that on your blog.

I read a comment by you somewhere thath you would be heading to South Australia mid next year. The old whaling coast in SA figures VERY prominently in my novel.

Great place to have a camera ....

Annie said...

Rabaul's Wal-Mart?

Tom said...

I'm still dreaming of those views from yesterday.
It is nice that shops like this are about, folk can talk and pass on the gossop as well as keep an eye on each other.

CaBaCuRl said...

A bit like our old corner shop. I've emailed you, JUles, with my ph. no.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jules, Gosh that trade store sends me back in time. They used to belong to the Chinese in the Gazelle but this one looks so different somehow- Caribbean Gordon says.
More on the bung in Rabaul. If the bakery has moved to the wharf end of town as has the kalabus then it's changed streets altogether. Used to be in Mango Ave down near BP's, opp the police station. Here's some local colour from the past- the bakery was owned by a Chinese family who's oldest son married a white lady, quelle horeaux, the white population was aghast as no doubt was the Asian one too. So yesterday as far as race relations are concerned. The irony was that she was from an Anglo/Indian family but mm and dad passed as British. My own parents were Macaunese/Eurasians from Shanghai so we couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Rabaul was so small town!
Does the Ah Chun family still have the lolly water factory in Kokopo? The younger son (remember it was 1952) was on the same boat that brought us to Rabaul, and because we spoke Cantonese we all became good friends. They also had the lollywater factory in Rabaul down on the waterfront in the docks area. I loved Chinese NY with our friends, great food and load strings of crackers and good fun.
I found Rapopo on the map and am gonna google it after lunch. Had Vietnamese yesterday at Box Hill, huge treck from Emerald but the Pho was worth it. If you come South on LEAVE as we used to call it do tell me and maybe we can catch uo.
Also, we have friends in Madang, John Proctor, he;s got an architecture business there. He;s on the web. Look him up, he also runs a dive business out of the town so if you're into that do contact him and tell him you know Pia. Allow me to introduce Gordon (Trewin) the fella I married and followed to Melbourne after a whirlwind courtship of five weeks, biggest adventure of my life.
My maiden name was Leitao and dad was Luiz and Mum was Mabel. Have you met Rabi Tonamaliu, ex PM of i term. He hails from near the Kokopo area. We went to UPNG together. Say hi if you bump into him. It was a little new uni and everyone knew everyone- one of my life's great experiences (class 0f 1971).
Me lookim yu behine, yu inap missis sapos stoa i nogat somting yu kai kai kau kau na avus bilong bus olse. I so miss my language!
Cheers Pia

Clueless in Boston said...

I love looking at your photos and commentary of Rabaul. It looks absolutely gorgeous.

Ann (MobayDP) said...

Funny enough I've been trying to capture a really good photo of one of our "trade stores"/ corner stores. :-)

Interestingly enough, most of them in Montego Bay are run by Chinese Immigrants as well. More and more I'm discovering that there are so many similarities between Montego Bay and Rabaul. ;-)

FĂ©nix - Bostonscapes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
julia said...

Where would they be without a trade store? whats good and the view yesterday was a knock out. I know about slow connections when my net plan runs out early and goes slow, it gets very difficult to surf the net.

Marie said...

What is a trade store compared to a regular store ?

The little building (nice colors) makes me think of the stores in Kolwezi where I lived for a while....

Jules said...

Hi Pia
Thanks so much for all your comments – how interesting and what fun it is!!! I would love to meet you when I get to Melbourne next year. Yes we do call it “going on leave” and I leave next Friday for Brisbane and then to Vietnam so am very excited!!!

The lolly-water factory is now called Pacific Industries and is run by Paul Chu (not sure of the spelling) who is the grandson. An interesting fact about the company is that after the war the grandfather got a license to make and sell this drink from America that no one much had heard about outside the States – Coke!!! They are still making and selling it plus other soft drinks under the Gold Spot label.

I have heard of John Proctor and Rabbie Namaliu has just been voted out of his electorate here. He is now Sir Rabbie and was the Foreign Minister until last month’s elections. I see him around the place so will mention your name when I see him next.

You will be interested in tomorrow’s post, and we are taking a visitor down to Rabaul on Sunday so will take some photos for you. The volcano is blasting away and there has been a lot of ash falling on the place – I spoke to a friend who owns the Rabaul Hotel and she said she has got the plastic out again to put on the windows!!!!

My pidgin is very shaky so please forgive any mistakes!!!

Jules said...

By the way Pia
I found this really interesting site about the Chinese in PNG - you might like to read it!!!
http://www.pngbd.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-9941

Jules said...

marie
a trade store is just like a small general store - i really don't know why they are called trade stores but I guess it is because initially goods were traded for???

They also sell general merchandise like laplap (fabric) clothing, bush knives, blankets, keresene lights etc

ann
You are right they are very similar - I think i mentioned that on one of your posts one day!!!
You are a dear re your photos but please don't put yourself out for me - I feel really bad!!!

Anonymous said...

ahh.. the good old trade store.. for all your important deli items.

Bergson said...

a supermarket sympathetic where people must go as much to speak
that to buy

M.Benaut said...

I reckon that that's about all I'd need for a picnic on the beach. Tinned fish, some rice and a kero lamp. I could live there forever. Oh! yep a coupla bias too !

NorthBayPhoto said...

Great photos of daily life!

Anonymous said...

Let the supermarkets take over at all of our Peril... :)

I love seeing the shops wherever I travel... the things they sell both big and small say so much about a place.

Rich

Planet Earth Daily Photo
.

Neva said...

How colorful!

Unknown said...
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