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How Best to Handle the Relentless Balinese Hawker?
I'll be in Bali in just 1 week! I'm really looking forward to my return, but feel a bit uneasy about all of those Hawkers that make visiting any tourist spot unpleasant. I'm sure you know who I am talking about -- those people who come right up to you, shove their handicraft in your face, and won't take "tidak mau" as an answer.
How do you experienced expats deal with these situations? I want to be polite, and I even contribute to a Bali charity regularly, but I can't buy all that stuff.
Thanks!
Personally, I find Tidak Mau to be so rude. The chances are your Indonesian is so so limited to the point where you probably cant even ask how someone is, if they are married etc but you can say DONT WANT.
I have always used a quick No thank you with a smile and to be honest, have never had to say it more than twice however most times once is enough - even on Poppies 2.
I was told to say "tidak mau" by a native Indonesian who said it was direct but not impolite. I suppose it is how you say it (positive tone and smile). I guess the folks I've encountered have been more persistent (or perhaps I look like an easy target).
Last edited by rab; 20-12-2011 at 04:28 AM.
Tidak Mau isn't impolite, I think soontobeexpat just meant she finds it rude that people can often learn how to say that they don't want something before they ever learn how to ask a question like "how are you?" in Indonesian.
As for the hawkers, a large majority of the ones you will encounter are NOT Balinese, at least around the main tourist centers, most expats learn to not even turn their head and acknowledge them. It might seem rude at first, but do you really want to spend all day answering "tidak mau" or whatever your preferred response is to everyone offering you something? Even a "tidak mau" might engage the hawker into conversation with you leaving you feeling like you should buy something in the end. Sure there are lots of hawkers who are perfectly friendly and nice to talk to, but you have to sift through a load of bs and sales pitches before you can get down to a conversation level.
(I assume you're not talking about Kuta hawkers who are easy to wave off, but the brutal volcanic crater and lawuan hawkers...)
100.00% ignore.
They will not take anything as a no. Forget "being polite." they aren't, neither should you. And, if you ignore them, 100%, no words, no eye contact, no nothing, you're doing the best thing for them, as you are not wasting their time with a tidak mau which they will think means "maybe...bother me some more to get a yes" and they move on to others.
I take a lot of friends through Bali, and walk straight through touts back to the LandCruiser. I tell friends, do not make any connection whatsoever. The few that can do it, also walk straight into the LandCruiser. The rest get mauled.
This is not California where a smile and no thank you wave makes you feel better about it. It will not work. Just walk past without any connection at all.
Last edited by andrewbaker77; 20-12-2011 at 06:06 AM.
I use 'Tidak makasih' (spelling is probably sh1te) for the first instance which I believe is politer. If the same person persists I then switch to a 'Tidak Mau'
Respect is a two way street. I hate the fact that so many paint the Balinese in general to be a happy smiling and welcoming people. Whilst there are some genuine souls here the majority only see tourists as walking wallets. This has been displayed by so many people that I've had the chance to interact with both here in the south and beyond on both a personal and business level.
Cheers,
mark.
So the consensus seems to be to just ignore these people. That's often hard for me. I even say, "I'm sorry, I can't help" to homeless people who approach me. It's difficult to pretend like someone does not exist.
So, do the hawkers have an ability to differentiate between an expat and a tourist? Do those of you who live in Bali full time deal with this issue, or are you recognized as "local" and ignored?
1. You are doing them a favor by ignoring them. They are not there to make friends. They are there to make money. If you have no intention of spending money, all your niceties do is detour them from making a sale.
2. They know they exist, they don't need confirmation from you.
3. There is no difference between an expat and tourist. Either way, you are rich.
-AB
This is kind of depressing, Mark. How many of you have been able to forge genuine friendships with Balinese people? The attraction of Bali is the culture and its people. God knows there are more beautiful (and cleaner) tropical islands on this planet!Originally Posted by CanonMan
That was one of the points I was trying to make. I have many excellent Balinese friends. Almost none of them are hawkers (there are many hawkers who don't bother me anymore, some of them I am friendly with but we are not really friends). If a person spends all day long calling at foreigners trying to force them into a sale then it causes them to create a permanent image of foreigners as a potential sale. This is why I am not really friends with any of these people. When I am with my Balinese or other Indonesian friends we usually pay for things equally and I can't remember the last time someone asked me to buy them something or pay for something for them.
CanonMan's experience is just that, his experience. Mine has been completely different, so to answer your question, yes it is completely possible to create genuine friendships with Balinese people.
To reiterate again, around Kuta, most of the hawkers are not Balinese anyways. Get out of the south and they usually are. Although they are generally much older up there and not of the age of a person I would invite around to the house for a beer etc. Still though, them being older it is usually much easier for them to drop the sales pitch and be able to have a chat for 15 minutes or so once they realize that I live here and already have enough sarongs etc.
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