Best things in life are really, really free
There's a market in Singapore held every two weeks where absolutely everything is free. TNP reports on the unusual things that people gave away
There is a market held every two months in Singapore where everything is absolutely free.
People can walk away with clothes, shoes or CDs without paying a single cent.
However, what was more eye-catching were the services - such as yoga story telling or a roadside spa - that were given away as well.
ABOUT THE FREE MARKET
The Singapore Really Really Free Market (SRRFM) has been held since 2009.
"At first we were worried that nobody would come and that nobody would take things, but we didn't expect people to respond so well," said Mr Woon Tien Wei, a spokesman for the event and organisers, Post-Museum, an arts collective that runs cultural and social projects in Singapore.
He said that there is hardly any cost in organising the event.
It is usually co-organised with other groups, who offer a location to have the market for free. The only cost they incur is man hours of the volunteers.
Sunday's market was organised in conjunction with the Kapor Chatparty by Octopus Residency - a group of individuals whose interest lies primarily in creative place-making and community art engagement.
It was held at the Singai Tamil Sangam building at Kampong Kapor.
Now into to the 43rd edition of the event, the organisers show no signs of stopping yet. The event is usually held every two months, but the next one will held on July 17, in Marine Parade.
More details can be found on their Facebook page.
WHAT: Yoga storytelling
WHO: Mr Balakrishnan Matchap
In an area where most people were giving away things like clothes and curios, Mr Balakrishnan Matchapwas giving away stories.
At the Singapore Really Really Free Market (SRRFM) on Sunday, the yoga teacher asked participants to put a metal bowl on their heads as he hit it lightly, allowing the sound from the bowl to resonate around the person.
He also told stories, accompanied by basic yoga movements he taught.
"The stories serve as a healing tool. People remember kindness and they remember stories," he said.
WHAT: Worm castings
WHO: Mr Faiz Zohri
Many people would cringe at the thought of worms crawling on their hands, but for Mr Faiz Zohri, 32, handling worms is a pastime.
The landscape architect has been creating "worm castings" in his free time for the past two years
Essentially, Mr Faiz mixes rubbish like food waste and newspapers with soil and worms in a container. After about two months, the soil turns black, indicating that the waste has been processed by the worms to make compost, hence "worm castings". Compost helps plants grow better.
Many curious people who approached Mr Faiz received samples to take home.
He usually gives the compost to friends, who use it in their gardens, but when he heard about the SRRFM in April, he decided to go there with a few containers to share his hobby with everyone else.
WHAT: Roadside spa
WHO: Miss Ng Xi Jie, 29, a freelance artist
The side of the road is not where one would typically find a spa.
However, that is exactly what Miss Ng Xi Jie, 29, created at the SRRFM on Sunday.
Miss Ng, who also goes by her Hindi nickname, Bindi, created a pop-up spa experience by giving people homemade natural facials on yoga mats while they listened to relaxing South Indian-inspired music.
Miss Ng started the "Bindi Roadside Spa" to engage the migrant worker community.
"The spa allows people to indulge in self-care and wellness, something they cannot normally do because of their busy schedules," said Miss Ng.
In three hours, Miss Ng gave 12 facials to both migrant workers and Singaporeans at the event.
Mr Murugesan, 33, a construction worker, walked out feeling happy and refreshed.
He said: "It is very nice, what they do here."
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