San Kio Dawn Market

San Kio Macau belongs to a early developed districts. A lot of people would agree San Kio is the most interesting place ever. Within San Kio streets, most neighboring locals familiar with this “dawn market”; Mainly sell household furniture, housing deco and electrical appliances. Nowadays appeared as special sightseeing spot. Its also a favorite spot for household employees, elderlies and foreign workers that trade in-out special items; or in exchange of second handed items place.

San Kio also created an old, nostalgic impressions, with strong local human touches, in a slow life pace, just around the corner. Recently most rentals goes comparatively cheaper, thus attracted more young entrepreneurs launch-in San Kio set up their businesses.

From a cultural perspectives

From a cultural perspective talking about “San Kio Dawn market”; the neighboring locals in fact brought up this place together when young. The dawn market culture operate from fifties onwards. Most locals start their trading relationships in front of most temples and churches for exchanges that time. Until the twentieth century, the chinese political revolutionary movements turned quite unstable. Thus, a lot of inbound chinese businessmen compiled their valuable items and moved to Macau settling themselves; Hence, shaping up lots of old antique shops, special valuable shops merged into the local markets.

Currently market stall trend are popularized between streets of San Kio’s Lin Kai temple and Rua dos Ervanarios, focuses on different varieties of stunning antiques and valuables, second handed items, family households and antique item exchanges; art and craft items mainly. These items drives a long history of second hand market businesses till now.

During the nineties, since lots of people get jobless, considerable number of people set up their stall business selling antiques. Some stalls place their items till dawn, thus naming “Dawn market” that time. Nowadays they also appear in the streets of Wing Lok; a theater built in the sixties early seventies; That include the bird’s gathering club stationing in San Kiu Gardens and the narrow streets next to the football court. It all intersects between the neighboring Lin Kai Temple. Is definitely one of the special districts worth a visit.

From antiques to daily necessities

Prior sunrise, almost arrived dozens of energetic uncles and aunties, gathered together with setup in flexibilities, putting their rugs on the floor with antique items scattered all over the place; all traders back to back all well set, ready for business. Their selling items are the most trendy and historical like such as jades, drawings and paints; copper utensils and silverwares; ceramic and accessories stuff; and miscellaneous daily small items etc. When visit other physical stores nearby, you’ll able to see other second hand electrical appliances and clothings, etc. Everything related to your daily needs.

Not just that, but San Kiu also provide lots of street food and hawker’s place; The beef offal’s carts, fried snacks etc; All locals, experienced tourists and knowledgeable traders surely will come and “seek and find” in such great spot. It all appeal in a very cultural different perspectives; they all bundled up the unique personalities of chinese and western cultures. The welcoming passionate elderly couples honored to tell each item and its origins under the long history, sixty year old dawn market; is a good virtual story telling meeting point for each selling item. Within dawn market can feel the actual local touches, the aging footprints from the past glorious years.

When free, please do spend a morning session exploring the unrevealed Macau. The slow-pace and relaxing, ability to walk freely in and out, start from entrance to the end pathways; It all kind of felt like entering into a time tunnel; I personally liked it. But please don’t take close snap shots, particularly when other traders discovered, they would go quite upset about it. They are quite sensitive on photo shootings; and if that happened, try to avoid blaming on-site and delete all photos and be precautious.