ROADSIDE WEEKLY MARKET

On my third day exploring Tausug food in Sulu Darul Islam we took our chances to visit back the Roadside Weekly Market found in Banuwa Caragasan, Zamboanga City. This place is known to most Tausug as a spot where families, lovers and etc spend their weekend enjoying the cleanest sea water and the breeze from the Sulu Sea.

The crowds of people in the market and aplenty of Tausug foods sold didn’t put my finger and eyes into rest to look for remaining food we failed to buy previous days. We go directly to find the intact “Tihi’-Tihi’” [Sea Urchin] in a Samal stalls. Unfortunately, only the Tihi’-Tihi’ roe which was available sold along with some sea vegetables and other sea foods.  However, the absence of Tihi’-Tihi’ didn’t bother us at all for the presence of some Tausug foods such as Punjung, Sindul, Biyaki’, Iyaman Batung, and other yummy delicacies were really relieving.

On this market we also found large sized Pugut and Kaytan. These fishes are ideal for Siyagul recipe. Though Dautdutan was also available, I had chosen the latter for safety purposes. The fish Dautdutan, in fairness, is also delicious but it needs an expert to remove small particles on its stomach containing dangerous poison.  

I thanked Allah for giving me the opportunity to roam around and answering all the necessities for this project. Hopefully, before I left this place I could find Tihi’-Tihi’ for the Uku’-Uku’ recipe.

Sulu Archipelago is indeed beautiful. The only problem here is the system. People here are in dire needs of Muamalah. May Allah bring the ‘amal of Ahlul Madina to all markets in this island country.

PICTURING SULU THROUGH ITS FOOD

Last year I had a conversation with Brother Julfekar Ahmad to take all the pictures of the Tausug Food. We had planned to take it all during the plan showcase of all Tausug delicacies unfortunately that wasn't materialized for certain reason.  I’m sure the reason behind is that Allah had a planned for me to shoot all foods here in Zamboanga City, Sulu Darul Islam.

I thank Allah for sending me here. Honestly, I felt the difference between here and in Malaysia particularly on this project. I have discovered at least two new Tausug confectioneries here; the names will be putted down in our recipe book, TRADITIONAL TAUSUG FOOD THAT JULFEKAR LOVE TO COOK, insya’Allah.

My food journey started last week in Tipo-Tipo Basilan. Over there I experienced the typical way of Tausug to buy fresh fishes at the sea shore when the fishing boats unloaded all caught fishes. The fish was so cheap we managed to buy 3 fishes for just 200 pisos. The fishing boat was catching fishes just in front of my relative’s community. If only there was available pump boat we were surely went to the fishing boat to experience how they caught fishes through traditional way and of course to buy some fishes.

After Dawn prayer in that community, as I went off the mosque I saw a Tausug took his pail loaded with squids supposed he brought it to Lamitan. Fortunately, his luck was opened then when I bought some squid other people in the community followed. That was really a busiest and delicious morning for me.  The squid in Buhelebong Sea is quite shorter than the squid found in other parts of Sulu Archipelago. I really enjoyed eating grilled and sautéed squid after more than ten years left this community.

When I left Basilan and went back to Zamboanga City, we roamed around some markets in the city which sell cheapest fish and other food stuffs. We reached as far as Recodo and passed by the Caragasan beach and bought Squid, Fish, Marang, Corn, Banana, Coconut and other cooked foods for our first shooting in the city. The vendors were mostly Buranun and Samal. These ethnics were known for this kind of business. Unluckily, we didn’t see any Sea urchin sold that day. The vendors advise us to come back on Sunday to buy that.

On the next morning, we went to famous Satti Restaurant in the city to buy Satti and Ta’mu. Satti is one of the Tausug food rare found in other parts of Likusantara. As we done, we went to golden bell not to buy appliances but to buy Tausug special delicacies such as the Tiyula’ Itum, Piyassak, Piyanggang manuk and others. The food is cheap yet delicious. If you are Tausug food lover don’t go anywhere to look for yummy taste.

As we enter the wet market, crowded of vendors and emptors filled the way. I noticed, Zamboanga wet market is one of the busiest markets in Sulu Archipelago. If only this market following the concept of Souq in Islam, surely many indigents would be saved from poverty. I had noticed a cassava vendor selling in this market for quite a long time until now she is still there doing the same.

I just wish someday people in this city will be accepting Sulu Dinar and Dirham and following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad so that their busyness in the market would not be put in vain. Real business can only be found in Muamalah. It is the way of the truthful and the antithesis of tax collectors and usurers.

   This short journey will be finished in few days, InsyaAllah. Hopefully I could find all Tausug recipes while in the city.

The simplicity of life began here

I was in the nearby vicinity of the so-called place of the freedom fighters in Basilan - Al-Barkah municipality; a place where only few outsiders dare to visit. A bloody ground for the Filipino soldiers. A dwelling abode of the peaceful group who never longing anything in this world than the word freedom.

Banuwa Buhelebung is just few kilometres away from Al-Barka municipality. This place was one of the communities I dwelt in my earlier life. It was here where I learned the simplicity of life; where you directly witness the suffering of a simple people who only dreaming to bring more food to their kitchens.

From Zamboanga city to Isabela I boarded Anika ship for an hour.  In a ship, I was indirectly welcome by the Yakan smiles and kind words and entertained by the melodious tapping of a Bajau coin diver on his self-invented drums. 

It was rainy day in Isabela city when we arrived at the wharf. I headed directly to the bus terminal riding a tricycle for only 20 piso. I stopped nearby fully air-conditioned Coach of the Biel Company. Enable to experience this new development I boarded the coach and we managed to reached Lamitan for only an hour.  I reached banuwa Buhelebung for 20 minutes riding a motorcycle for only 120 piso.

Before I proceed to the final destination, my cousin offered me a sindul, traditional sweet soup made of red mongo and sago. The sindul was delicious. After that my nephew brought me to Banuwa Dayuh to meet more relatives.

I was entertained by a warm welcome of my relatives. They ask me with typical questions before I told them of my purpose visiting them. As I took the Shariah currency from my pocket the topic shifted to ideological discussion. In reality, they do not have any ideas of Darul Islam and the dinar and dirham. What they had in mind is more on Philippines politics and appreciating the federal system exemplified by Malaysia.

I shifted the topic from politics to environmental issue and went off to the newly cemented bridge to enjoy the richness of Allah’s creation. The serene sky, the greenest mountain, and the cleanest seawater were there waiting for anyone to feel the truly freedom.

From that bridge Al-Barkah municipality is clearly seen.  I hope this place will be economically develop soon. May Allah send me back to this place and give me more time to explore valuable things there.