Thursday, April 30, 2009

Tukang Ngamen (Singing Beggar Man)

If you open a food stall on the street here in Jakarta (or maybe in other cities in Indonesia)...

You don't need a CD player...
You don't need CD's plates...
You don't need a sound system...
You don't need sound speakers....

Why?

Because there are people with their guitars who will sing from one food stall to another food stall and ask for money. So, while you are enjoying your food, you also can enjoy listening to your live music ;)

tukang ngamen 1

A man with his guitar, trying to find a food stall.

What a sweet smile on the lady's face :)

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41 comments:

  1. PearlApril 30, 2009 at 1:07 PM

    oh selby - what beautiful photos.

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  2. email2meApril 30, 2009 at 1:17 PM

    Nice shot!

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  3. SelbaApril 30, 2009 at 1:25 PM

    pearl: Thank you, Pearl :)

    email2me: Thank you, Ken :)

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  4. HairyBerryApril 30, 2009 at 4:13 PM

    ahh, now i remember the pics! hehehe...;D nice shots, sleby. have fun with your camera! ;D

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  5. SelbaApril 30, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    nic: Hehehe... it's been quite awhile ;) Thanks, Nic!

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  6. Donna-FFWApril 30, 2009 at 5:40 PM

    Love the photos, you captured some great moments!

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  7. burifaApril 30, 2009 at 5:42 PM

    Edan bo!! perfect pict! hungryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy..

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  8. AnonymousApril 30, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    This is so cool :)

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  9. MicaApril 30, 2009 at 7:28 PM

    I'm not a big fan of live music because I feel awkward having someone singing at me while I'm walking, eating, shopping, etc. That said, I might enjoy it as a fine accompaniment to street food in Jakarta.

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  10. AnonymousApril 30, 2009 at 8:37 PM

    Neat! I love these photos!

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  11. AnonymousApril 30, 2009 at 8:57 PM

    question: have you met a really terrible street singer?
    there's a lot of singing beggars in singapore, too, but they all have such great voices, sometimes I wonder if it's real!

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  12. Mary BergfeldApril 30, 2009 at 9:24 PM

    Selba, your black and white photos are really extraordinary. Very nice work!

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  13. pisang goreng 115,NFApril 30, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    so they can sing any song?

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  14. HeatherMay 1, 2009 at 6:51 AM

    lovely pics :)

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  15. backStreetGluttonsMay 1, 2009 at 8:06 AM

    We love roadside live singers , so friendly so not so loud !
    Perfect ...also can be free

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  16. LingzieMay 1, 2009 at 8:31 AM

    nice photos! you really captured the mood! :)
    usually one would equate being serenaded by live bands to posh restaurants..who knew we could also experience that while enjoying street foods? :)

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  17. SelbaMay 1, 2009 at 8:32 AM

    donna-ffw: Thank you, Donna :)

    burifa: Hi Burifa, thanks for stopping by!

    maryann: It can be quite entertaining ;)

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  18. SelbaMay 1, 2009 at 8:32 AM

    mica: Hahaha… well, sometimes it can quite annoying when you are having conversation while eating then there’s a singing beggar or your hand become dirty again because you have to hand them money.

    5 star foodie: Thank you :)

    burpandslurp: Yes, some of the street singers have terrible voices and some even can not play their guitar properly :)

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  19. SelbaMay 1, 2009 at 8:32 AM

    mary: Thank you, Mary :)

    pisang goreng: Most of the time, they’ll sing Indonesian songs but some of them can also sing English songs :)

    heather: Thanks, Heather :)

    BSG: Hahaha… Yup, it also can be free as long as you have a thick face :P

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  20. SelbaMay 1, 2009 at 8:36 AM

    lingzie: Hi Lingzie, thanks for dropping by my blog and also your compliment of the photos. Yes, isn’t it great live singers are also available on street foods? ;)

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  21. Monica HMay 1, 2009 at 11:55 AM

    That's so neat. Great pics!

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  22. SelbaMay 1, 2009 at 12:06 PM

    monica h: Thanks, Monica :)

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  23. mistipurpleMay 1, 2009 at 6:15 PM

    this blog is getting to be such a huge success. congratulations selby!

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  24. Katherine Roberts AucoinMay 1, 2009 at 7:27 PM

    Looks like you really captured the essence of the singing man.

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  25. SelbaMay 1, 2009 at 7:57 PM

    mistipurple: A huge success blog? No lar, it's still a simple and humble blog :)

    catherine aucoin: Thank you, Catherine

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  26. PamMay 1, 2009 at 9:48 PM

    I love learning about the food and people of your country. Great photos.

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  27. La Cuisine d'HeleneMay 2, 2009 at 12:19 AM

    Love, love, love the pictures.

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  28. theUngourmetMay 2, 2009 at 8:55 AM

    It looks wonderful! I can almost hear him playing!

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  29. OliviaMay 2, 2009 at 11:45 AM

    Gosh it's been ages since I came round here.

    Anywhere in the world, where there is food and people who eat it, there are people who play music for money.

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  30. Wiccan WonderMay 2, 2009 at 2:45 PM

    There aren't as many pengamens here in Bali. It's a good thing that the tourists aren't annoyed, but you're right in that it takes away some of our national culture. Anyway, regards from Bali!

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  31. AnonymousMay 2, 2009 at 3:06 PM

    Great feature, nice to have live music playing in the back ground.

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  32. Steven GohMay 2, 2009 at 11:55 PM

    wao... nice, is like back to 70t. Btw, at our place here we call them tukang nyanyi. As for your information, we don't have that at our place. Our tukang nyanyi is only sitting while not moving.

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  33. SarahMay 3, 2009 at 9:06 AM

    I really love seeing all about your culture, it is very fasinating! The pictures are great also:)

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  34. SelbaMay 4, 2009 at 7:52 AM

    pam: Thanks and I’m honored that you love learning about the food and people of my country :)

    helene: Thank you, Helene :)

    the ungourmet: Thank you for your compliment :)

    livie: Have been missing you in here ;) Isn’t it a great combo of people, food and music? Hehehe…

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  35. SelbaMay 4, 2009 at 7:53 AM

    wiccan wonder: Hello there, thanks for dropping by my blog. Ah, yes, I’ve encountered pengamens when I had dinner at the Jimbaran beach :)

    laveena: Hahaha… sometimes is not in the back ground but directly in front of you or beside you ;)

    steven goh: Here in Indonesia, tukang nyanyi is penyanyi, which is a term for a singer :)

    sarah: Glad to share and thanks for your compliment, Sarah :)

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  36. foodbinMay 4, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    for me "no music, no life"- your photos are the answer to it!

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  37. SelbaMay 4, 2009 at 9:28 AM

    foodbin: Hehehe... dito!

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  38. CRIZ LAIMay 5, 2009 at 4:23 PM

    I used to see one over here in one of the hawker centers down at Esplanade beach front. He was good. :)

    http://crizfood.com/

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  39. SelbaMay 5, 2009 at 4:38 PM

    criz lai: Are there a lot of singing beggar in Malaysia?

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  40. LoriMay 6, 2009 at 3:26 AM

    That is a sweet smile. I love that picture. You captured the spirit!

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  41. SelbaMay 6, 2009 at 8:05 AM

    lori: Thank you, Lori :)

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