27 Feb 2021  |   04:48am IST

Keeping bread and butter occupations alive

Attempts are being made to ensure Goa’s traditional occupations are not swept into the mist of time. Café spoke to people involved in the effort to save and promote these occupations.

 Attempts are being made to protect and promote the traditional occupations in the state. Some Goans are trying to ensure the local bread does not become history. Others are working to prevent traditional utensils made of bamboo do not disappear.

Nolan Mascarenhas has been worried about the gradual decline of the traditional poder. Deeply concerned he set up trying to do his bit. He started the Poder Chronicles concerned that cultural adaptations were descending on Goa and part of the local culture was taking a backseat.

Foreign breads as he called them seemed to garner more sales altering the culinary tapestry of the state. He traversed the length and breadth of the state and studied the situation. He found that shawarma and momo joints had now become street food instead of cutlet pao. The Poder Chronicles is an effort to take Goan breads and marry them to multi cuisine offerings with a hint of localisation to allow flavors to merge and create something unique and fulfilling. An ode to the old and way forward for the new s Nolan put it. This is presently happening at the Hilton Goa Resort.

Amandeep Grover GM said the resort wanted to collaborate with local initiatives and give back to society. He said “This was a perfect opportunity to pay our tribute to the local Goan baker. Our culinary team tied up with local bakers and all our bread in the hotel is local. We have a Goan breakfast corner and we have introduced the menu from the Poder Chronicles is part of our menu”. That may be commendable but Pantaleo Fernandes, chronicler and Author of Traditional Occupations of Goa felt attempts to revive traditional occupations and especially those centered around bread had to be done properly. He said “It is important to use toddy to ferment the bread.

Now there is no toddy which means the bread has lost its punch. If there has to be a real revival then toddy should be made available. There is no one now available to extract. To complete the revival toddy will have to be used”. He also pointed out that people were using electric oven to bake bread. Wood fired oven gave the bread its unique taste. The poie that was being sold in the market he said was made using normal flour which is sprinkled with some husk. He said this was fake bread. He however pointed out the obvious problem saying that these people were never able to command a good price for their produce. He said “There are utensils made out of bamboo but the few people who purchased these always negotiated hard and brought down the prices. Upper class people will not go to a five star property and negotiate rates but will do so here. It is important to give these people respect. It is important to look in our backyard and appreciate and encourage local talent”.

Prajal Sakhardande who teaches history at a local college said it was very good these attempts were being made. He said it was important for the relevant government departments to do their job and ensure these efforts were successful. After all as he put it, this was the culture of the state and which was unique and had to be protected.

Opinions may differ as to what and how efforts ought to be made to promote the local traditional crafts but everyone agrees it ought to be done. To not do so would be criminal.