Over three Saturdays in October, El Tímpano offered free instant polaroid portraits at the Coliseum Swap Meet in Oakland, known affectionately as La Pulga. Patrons asked if the hand-drawn sign pinned to our merchant table reading “Fotos Gratis” (“Free Photos”) in bold letters was true and, if so, was there a catch? There was no catch. El Tímpano simply wanted to engage with La Pulga community to better understand the role the market plays in the lives of Oaklanders. We interviewed nearly 75 people as a result, and these are some of their stories.
You can find anything you want.
Carlos Uribe, 35
Snacks are delicious, jewelry is pretty.
Heilen MatÍaS, 14
Plants sell by themselves.
Ramón Urdaneta, 60, Santa Rosa
We sell a lot of exotic things.
Marta Elida Montano, 45
I specialize in ‘angel readings.’
faith Gold, 19, San leandro
I come every day.
Julio Jaramillo mendoza, 42
We learn new things here.
Jessica orellana, 41, Oakland
I dreamed of having my own business.
Eliana Ornelas, 37
Everyone calls me ‘el paisano.’
Javier navarro, 70, Oakland
Sales have started to go down.
Irma del Valle, 54
The place changed a lot over the years.
Albert E. Johnson, 66, Redwood City
[La Pulga] gives work to a lot of people.
José Pérez, 32, Hayward
I’m passing down this tradition.
Matthew Levy, 33, Oakland
My grandma liked to come.
Martha Duarte, 25, San Francisco
Tried chicharrones for the first time.
Zachary Lee, 26 & Hyojea Lee, 27, berkeley
Almost everything sells here.
Ernesto Martinez, 42 & Jorge Luis Garcia, 50, Sunnyvale
We’ve been vendors at La Pulga for six months.
Wendy & Kayrin Hernandez
I’m offering Oaxacan products.
hilario “lalo” Martinez, santa rosa
I’ve been coming for 20 years.
ANA VENTURA, 58, oakland
We need a sanctuary, places to come.
Michael Wortham, 62, san leandro
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