BY SITI NURAIN RATANI
KUCHING: While most youngsters use the current year end school holidays to unwind, go on vacation or play with electronic devices, some prefer to spend them reconnecting with nature.
The youngsters at Kampung Buntal use the school holidays to look for marine life such as ‘ngoyang’ on the Buntal beach.
Looking for the delicious ‘ngoyang’, also known as ‘kepah’, clams or mussels, is an enjoyable activity for the local population at the coastal village when the tide is low.
‘Ngoyang’ abound during the low tides, especially around the end of December and the beginning of January and are dug from the sand.
Syazatul Syamimi Samsul, 14, of SMK Santubong, and his friends spend their school vacation looking for ‘ngoyang’ on Buntal beach.
“My parents aren’t mad at me for doing this. At the very least, we have extra side dishes for dinner. They are really expensive to buy,” he explained.
Syazatul and his friends will start to look for the clams after the tide recedes in the early morning and go home when the tide begins to rise.
He said using scrapers makes it easier for them to find ‘ngoyang’ and even saves energy.
“I can go home with one container of the clams every evening,” he said.
According to Wan Nur Adriana Natasha Wan Mohd Ikhsan, 15, Buntal beach is famous for ‘ngoyang’ during the monsoon season.
“Many locals and visitors from other areas come here to look for the ‘kepah’. They are difficult to find and rarely sold in the markets.
“They can be cooked as a side dish and also sold. They are always in demand and cost RM15 per kilogramme,” she said.
Siti Nur Hidayah Mohd Idzam, 15, enjoys looking for the clams during the school holidays. The activity also brings her extra pocket money.
“We will bathe in the mud while looking for kepah and may collect one to two kilograms a day.
“However, when hunting for this ‘ngoyang,’ personal safety must take precedence. You must be sensitive to the ebb and flow of the water,” she cautioned.
