22 Feb 2019  |   05:05am IST

In an age of hashtags, true Goan products to get a tag

Goa is known for its vast culture and rich heritage, with a multiple traditionally based products sold efficiently in Goa. However, these products do not carry the tag and brand identity ‘Made in Goa’. The GTDC has declared that soon Goan items will acquire a brand identity; But will the brands that matter get the tag and identity

Nicole Remedios

From jaggery, to moleo to dudsheri to sannas, from Kunbi

saris, wooden toys, to Azulejos, and pottery, from Boca De Vaca to Fonte Phoenix, these pristine ambassadors of true to kind Goan products and places may finally get a tag “Made in Goa”. This will give them the stamp of authenticity to the outside world, and potentially increase their value, with possible benefits to those who create and market them.

In the last meeting of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), a process of selecting a merchandise partners to develop a brand for Goan products was discussed. The GTDC have planned on opening Goa brand stores across the state along with online purchases and promotion. But it is important that GTDC consults the right people, those who have dedicated their lives to preserving unique Goan products, historians, researchers, academics, to give this exercise the seriousness and authenticity it deserves

Café identified some of them who should be a part of this conversation and spoke to them GTDC should read this

‘Fake in Goa’ According to the founder and curator of Goa Chitra, Goa Chakra and Cruti Museums in Benaulim, Victor Hugo Gomes, Goan culture itself is a brand and that needs to be preserved, protected and showcased. He says “If as Goans, we do not respect and conserve Goan traditional products and lifestyle, then we run the risk of losing the essence of Goa. It is not only the tangible products that need preservation. Gomes acknowledges that restaurant menus in Goa do not feature traditional vegetarian dishes like tambdi bhaji or tidki-midki, but is easier to find Chinese cabbage, lettuce or cherry tomatoes. “Our traditional vegetables aren’t allowed to grow or be promoted much like our other products, so how can we popularize and brand it?”

NO PAIN NO GAIN

“The problem is that no one is interested to develop these markets and promote what is truly goan”, observes Pantaleao Fernandes, a photo journalist and Goan Cultural Researcher. Through his understanding, the private small time entrepreneurs and businessmen have to be provided special incentives to produce these items along with marketing support by the official machinery.

“In my book, Traditional Occupations of Goa, I had suggested that a local occupations hub should be created on line with an industrial estate and encourage artisans to work there.”

We face the risk of losing ourselves in this sea. If we don’t brand them and keep the local artisans going, it will be a precursor to the destruction of our culture and identity will follow suit.

ITEMS THAT DESERVE THE TAG

In Goa a number of products that are originally made by locals and vendors are often left abandoned and found only in few areas due to less exposure. A few products are identified with the geographical locative tags like the goan sausage, caju Feni, caju nuts, and bebinca, yet they deserve to be branded as ‘Made in Goa’. Since the GTDC has planned to name only a few items with the ‘Made in Goa’ brand, Goans argue on couple of items that deserve to be out there.

Vishal Rawley, a designer and urbanist suggests that water springs like Boca De Vaca and Fonte Phoenix should be branded and marketed as compared to the packaged drinking water produced in a factory. “These springs are the specialty of Panjim and the water is pure and rich in mineral. This will make both locals and tourists more aware and sensitive towards our natural, historical and architectural heritage of Panjim city associated with these springs.”

Honorary Secretary of Goa Heritage Action Group and Architect Raya Shankhwalker expresses the importance of Kokam to be branded as a pure Goan item. “Look at the benefits of that fruit! It is organic and nutritionally rich used for traditional cooking.” Raya agrees that not all the products have the chance to be branded, but choices have to be made with logic. “We need to take things positively and it is good for a start even if it has to be few items”, he adds.

Apart from that, products like Benaulim coconuts, range of flavored feni’s - dudsheri, alem, cidre, and masala feni, sweets like bebinca, do Dol, Pinac, coconut baath, cocado, perad etc.

Coconut vinegar and related products like sorpatel, recheado masala, fish moleo, para, sannas need to be tagged as a brand of goan items.

Meanwhile, coconut jaggery has a demand in Goa and other places for home use. It is the jaggery that is an important ingredient to a lot of traditional Goan sweets.

The non- edible items include handicrafts, kunbi saris, wooden toys, azulejos, pottery, goan carpentry products and art.

All of them have a stamp of approval from Goans. They are a part of their lives. They now need a brand identity which would officially make them unique and non- replaceable and safe from copying.