MAYA ROSE FERNANDES
Goans rarely talk about the huge cultural influence that Brazil had on Goa and vice-versa, but the recent spate of music, literary and cultural exchanges on this very topic at various places across Goa has invigorated this kind of conversation.
This is largely due to the hard work of Marcelle Feigol Guil who is the Guimaraes Rosa visiting lecturer at Goa University.
She’s been actively working with institutions, spaces and other people in Goa to bring together a programme of exchange.
There’s the Brazilian Literature book club, which has met a few times now, in Dogears bookshop, Margao, where they have discussed works by Brazilian authors Clarice Lispector, Socorro Acioli and Martha Batalha.
Then, there was a Brazilian Music and Culture Club running every Wednesday from February 28 to April 10 earlier this year, hosted by the Shenoi Goembab School of Languages and Literature at Goa University.
There’s the Brazilian Literature book club, which has met a few times now, in Dogears bookshop, Margao, where they have discussed works by Brazilian authors Clarice Lispector, Socorro Acioli and Martha Batalha.
They discussed different music genres, while learning about Brazilian culture in more depth.
There’s also a series of talks being hosted by the Museum of Goa (MOG), Pilerne, covering syncretism and indigenous cultures, culinary influences, as well as literary and musicological links.
Through interactions with Marcelle and by attending these events, I’ve realised that there is a large community of Brazilians living in Goa, even though we rarely have coordinated or institutionalised activities that bring to light these vital links, until now.
For example, did you know about the presence and influence of Brazilian music in Goa from 1947 to 1961 when All India Radio was known as Emissora de Goa, and that the Konkani versions of some Brazilian songs remain popular even today?
Brazil was colonised by the Portuguese from 1500 to 1822. For a large part of that time, Brazil was used as a stopover in the route from Portugal to Goa.
This allowed for a vibrant exchange of trade-related and other kinds of items that made it’s way to Goa from the South American continent.
Brazil was colonised by the Portuguese from 1500 to 1822. For a large part of that time, Brazil was used as a stopover in the route from Portugal to Goa.
Similarly, Goa was the gateway for Brazilian exchanges with the rest of India.
For example, Brazil is known for its vast, thriving beef industry. But, did you know that the first bovines responsible for birthing this industry were exports from Nellore and Gujarat?
In another amazing revelation to me via one of the Museum of Goa (MOG) talks, chillies, which originated from Central or South America, made their way to India via the Brazilian-Goa trade route.
When you think about how ubiquitous the chilli is to Indian cuisine today, it would serve you well to give thanks to the cultural exchange from well beyond India’s borders that made this ingredient such an integral part of Indian cuisine.
Portuguese traders are credited for introducing the mango from India to the rest of the world, including parts of Africa and Brazil in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Similarly, they introduced the Brazilian cassava plant to India during the 17th century. This back and forth continued for centuries between Brazil and Goa.
Portuguese traders are credited for introducing the mango from India to the rest of the world, including parts of Africa and Brazil in the 16th and 17th centuries.
There is much more about Goan food, language, literature, music and culture in general that was strongly influenced by Brazil and vice-versa.
But, we need to take them out of academic spaces and share the knowledge more widely, in order to re-invigorate this knowledge.
In the bargain, we will expose the realisation that no country or state exists without acknowledging the vast historical, political, socio-economic and cultural exchanges that trickle down through the ages to form what we believe are integral to our living today.
If in doubt, just think of the imported chilli.
Which brings me to my point. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has benefitted from these inter-cultural Brazil-Goa exchanges. The question is, why can’t we institutionalise them into our Goan fabric?
There is no dearth of material out there, but we need such spaces to institutionalise these exchanges and do much more beyond the expiry of Ms Guil’s visiting lecturer status.
The question is, who will take up the challenge next?
