Marchés sur terre - The best markets on earth
Yogyakarta bird market (Indonesia)
Directed by Bruno Boulianne, Yvonne Defour, Marie-France LavalS2 • E8 Feb 23, 2017
Bird lovers are unanimous: the world's most beautiful specimens are found in Indonesia. On the island of Java, in the city of Yogyakarta, enthusiasts flock to the Pasty bird market. From common sparrows to spectacular parrots, our feathered friends are considered symbols of status and success. To the Javanese, a person's pet birds reflect their social standing - their place in the pecking order. In the Pasty market, more than 2000 birds twitter, coo and sing, serenading the market's 400 visitors as they stroll through. Fluttering in their cages or pecking at their food, the turtledoves, pigeons, canaries, lovebirds, pied starlings, zebra finches and Java sparrows impatiently await someone to take them home. The bird trade is a staple of the Javanese economy, and sellers of seed, insects, cages and grooming products also share the market's 15,000 square feet, caring for their wares as they would a rare bird. The 225 breeders welcome not only enthusiasts, but trainers looking for new protégés. On Java, birdsong is a call to competition and a way to make one's fortune. Perched in their colourful, intricate cages, these beloved little animals show off their plumage and sing their songs for the entire Pasty market. Join us near the mystical temples of Prembanan and Borobudur and enjoy this episode - your spirit will soar.
