Tomohon Market (Indonesia) was once a famous tourist destination for the “barbaric” slaughter of wild animals. The market’s specialties include bats and snakes, species that are considered unsafe.
While the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan (China) sold camels, koalas, crocodiles, peas… before the corona virus epidemic raged, the notorious Tomohon animal market in northern Indonesia also sold cats, dogs and cats. monkey. It is the “brutal cruelty” of animals and the experience of “walking through hell” here that make Tomohon such a tourist attraction. The market was even listed on TripAdvisor as a top attraction.
At first glance, Tomohon seems no different from typical traditional markets. The parking lot is congested with trucks and vendors selling everything from ice cream and candy to plastic toys and fresh flowers. The facade of the market is colorful with fruits, smoked fish or pungent spices… However, this image is only hiding the secret behind the market that is dubbed “the scariest” in Indonesia. Photo: Mywanderlist.
When entering the market, visitors will feel the difference clearly. The pungent smell in the air hit his nose. Flies buzzing to enjoy a rich feast of meat. Bats with their wings cut off, a python gutted or a few mice on a skewer. The dogs and cats were killed by wooden batons. Photo: Alf Jacob Nilsen, Bay Ismoyo.
Located in the volcanic plateau of North Sulawesi island, Tomohon used to be the largest traditional market in Minahasa. The guests here are mostly the Minahasa ethnic group, which is famous for its peculiar dishes. Today, they no longer maintain the forest life centuries ago but still enjoy ancestral dishes including snakes and bats. The Minahasa butcher area at the market meets every Saturday and creates the busiest and most bustling. Photo: Manonthelam.
Rats are a popular item at the Tomohon market while dogs are reserved for special occasions because they are more expensive and therefore less widely consumed compared to other animals. Most of the animals sold at the market are hunted by local people in the forest. Despite the potential health risks of eating bushmeat, the locals assure themselves that they are selling safe food with a lifelong reputation. Photo: Manonthelam, AP.
If diners want to enjoy exotic foods in Tomohon, they can buy the animals at the market and bring them to restaurants. Tomohon’s local cuisine is quite interesting, with not only a variety of meats such as beef, pig, dog, tree mouse, bat and chicken, but also marine and freshwater fish. Specialties in Tomohon in particular and northern Sulawesi cuisine in general are spicy, the more spicy the better. They like very spicy dishes with the ability to mask the taste of any meat. Photo: AFP.
With the slaughter of wild animals rampant, especially bats and snakes, the Tomohon market is equally potential for the new coronavirus to breed, if the authorities do not close operations soon. Therefore, local authorities asked small businesses to stop selling these items last week, according to Bloomberg . Snakes and bats are no longer on the shelves of this macabre meat market in Indonesia. Photo: Getty.
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