Portugal’s footprint is evident in Goa’s contemporary cultural ethos, especially when it comes to the ingredients that the former colonial empire’s trade routes brought to the coastal state.
These have now become an integral part of the Indian subcontinent’s cuisine.
It is this cross-cultural connection, fostered by trade winds, that drove the exploration age, which is being celebrated at the visual art exhibition titled ‘Maresia’ currently being held at the Museum of Goa (MOG) in Pilerne.
Curated by Dr Subodh Kerkar, founding director of MOG, and artist Pradeep Naik, ‘Maresia’ – a Portuguese word translating to ‘sea breeze’ in English – is a collaboration between MOG, the Consulate General of Portugal and Camões - Centro de Língua Portuguesa.
Several ingredients in Indian food arrived from Brazil on Portuguese vessels in the 16th century. This would not have been possible without the thirst for exploration of the navigators, and their courage to leave the sight of the shores and discover new lands.
Subodh Kerkar, founding director of MOG.
“Several ingredients in Indian food arrived from Brazil on Portuguese vessels in the 16th century. This would not have been possible without the thirst for exploration of the navigators, and their courage to leave the sight of the shores and discover new lands,” says Kerkar.
Artist Sachin Naik’s ‘Novas Conquistas’ (meaning ‘New Conquests’ in English), celebrates the persistence of the Portuguese influence on Goan culture in the ‘Goa’ section of the exhibition.
“As a farmer myself, my artwork examines the impact of colonialism on agriculture, portraying food items of Portuguese origin. The sea is included in the background as a symbol of the Portuguese arrival in Goa, and the beginning of cultural influences,” states Naik.
According to Kerkar, the Portuguese influence has completely changed the food habits of India, and labels them “culinary imperialists, rather than political imperialists”.
Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India on May 20, 1498, in Calicut (modern-day Kozhikode), Kerala, changed the trajectory of Indian cuisine as we know it today, states Kerkar.
The Portuguese brought us chilli, of which two varieties in Goa have been awarded the GI (Geographical Indication) tag – the Harmal chilli and Khola or Canacona chilli – and the cashew nut and cashew apple from which our famous feni is derived, he adds.
Portugal’s trade route, established during the competitive Age of Exploration, heavily depended on the ocean currents and the sea breeze, or maresia, as the steam engine had not been invented yet.
Portugal’s trade route, established during the competitive Age of Exploration, heavily depended on the ocean currents and the sea breeze, or maresia, as the steam engine had not been invented yet.
This dependency resulted in Portuguese maritime vessels departing from, or arriving in, Lisbon making pit stops in its colonies, like Goa in Asia, and Brazil in South America.
“During one such voyage in 1500, Captain Pedro Álvares Cabral’s fleet of three caravels (a small, fast Portuguese sailing ship of the 15th–17th centuries) and 10 vessels strayed further west and touched Brazil, which became the stop-over during voyages between Lisbon and Goa and initiated an exchange of edible produce,” says Kerkar.
Chillies, pineapples, cashews, papaya, peanuts, sweet potatoes, guava, chikoos (sapodillas) and many other varieties were brought to Indian shores, while sugarcane, pepper, mangoes and many other spices landed on Brazilian shores.
“Even the sabudana khichdi, which is eaten by Hindus during religious fasts, comes from tapioca brought by the Portuguese from Brazil,” states Kerkar.
“Hence, Portuguese-brought ingredients have been steeped into Goan and Indian culture, becoming integral parts of these cuisines and making them recognisable at the global level today,” he adds.
The exhibition, ‘Maresia’, is open for public viewing until January 15, 2024 (10 am to 6 pm) at the Museum of Goa (MOG) in Pilerne.
