By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Dec 17: Street vendor specialising in stone rings (cincin batu) Johari Was, 81, is happy that je could turn his lifetime hobby into a business.
The father of four from Kampung Muda Hashim revealed that he had acquired many of these stone rings in his collection before he decided to let them go by selling them.
Johari said after 30 years, he is still doing it not only to make some income but also to occupy his time.
“There are no mythical tales behind any of the stone rings I have, unlike what many locals like to believe. I am a man of faith, it is just aesthetic, and I love these beautiful coloured stones that fit well for jewelry.
“So when I decided to let these stone rings go, I started selling at Satok Market in the 90s before I moved here by the side of Kai Joo Lane along India Street after the market moved to Kubah Ria,” he told DayakDaily.
Johari recalled that in the early days when he started, he felt amazed to see how many people were attracted to the strikingly coloured agates and stone fossils as many customers liked to wear them as body accessories and to add to their collections.
“So, in the end when I ran out of (items to sell from) my collection, I needed my source to have these agates and fossil stones, and I get my supply from China, Nepal, India, Thailand, Indonesia and the local market,” he elaborated.
“These agate stones and fossils from these countries look incredible as body accessories once polished with tools and machines. Jewelers use them for rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets.
“I sell mostly agate stone rings with a price range from RM100 to RM1,000. These stones or fossils are reasonable and affordable if you like them. If it is expensive, no customer will come.
“Remember that these stones are not gemstones, and what I have here on display are wood, palm or aquatic life like clams that fossilised over millions of years.”
Among the items on display were selected fossils of batu kayu belian (ironwood), batu kayu nibong (feather palm), and batu mani gajah (literally translated as elephant semen stone).
“I have these fossils to tell customers what these stones of the rings were from and why they are cheaper than gemstones,” said Johari
Johari said if people understood what type of jewelry street vendors are selling, they will better appreciate the items’ value and worth.
“I prefer to tell my customers so that everything can be negotiated properly and everybody is happy.
“Street vendors must know their trade and how to counteroffer if the customer starts to bargain over what they are buying. But we have to be very patient, and there could be no sale for the day.”
Johari said his business has low turnover as what he sells is not a basic necessity for many people, but for the love of his hobby, he will continue to do it until the day he decides to call it quits.
“I am not a pensioner, and I don’t work for people, but only for myself, so this is my life as a vendor, and my children let me do my own thing and I love it,” he said. — DayakDaily
