SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
ALFRED FERNANDES
SANGUEM: To the world outside, the romance and the charm of a toddy tapper perched on a tree is the stuff that postcard pictures, and now increasingly Instagram posts are made of depicting ‘the real Goa’.
But to get the full picture it’s perhaps wise to get to the ground and hear it from those, who look back on their days of climbing great heights with a sad gaze at a future that is a free fall.
“With the hard work coupled with the risk involved in the profession, the youth of today are reluctant to venture into the toddy tapping business. The income earned from toddy tapping is also moderate and just about enough to maintain a family,” said Joao Piedade Mascarenhas, underlining the ground realities sharply.
Mascarenhas is one of the last three toddy tappers left in the profession from Uguem village who has been in business for the last 43 years. Having been involved in toddy tapping from the age of 16, Mascarenhas bitterly complained of not receiving any financial support from the government for those involved in this traditional business.
"Except for the OBC benefits, we do not get any financial support from the government, and this is the primary reason why youngsters shy away from toddy tapping,” he added
While earlier it was common to see a ‘Render’ in every second house in the villages of Goa, the number has now dwindled to almost about five to ten in each village if not less. In fact, many villages across Goa, now have no toddy tappers.
According to the All-Goa Toddy Tappers Association at Margao there are only about 300 and the number is dwindling with each passing day. The Association however has around 3000 toddy tappers along with their other family members registered as OBC.
The routine of collecting the sap (sur) begins very early morning in the day and is again collected in the evening. In afternoon, the toddy tapper has to once again climb the trees to prepare the fronds-cut by broad, curved blade (locally knows as Cati) to get sap in the evening session.
While some toddy tappers could be now seen using a climbing machine to easily climb coconut trees, the traditional toddy tappers still continue climbing the trees barefooted.
Mascarenhas informed that while the sap (sur) is in very high demand, particularly during festive occasions when people come to take it to prepare sweet idly (sannas) or for vinegar, it doesn’t command a very good price. A container of 18 bottles hardly cost around Rs 1000 while that of pure palm feni is sold for around Rs 7000 to Rs 8000. There were times when the migrant labourers at the local tavernas would demand local palm feni but the demand has now changed to brandy and whisky which cost them less as compared to local palm feni.
The ancient art of toddy tipping seeds a revival, but most importantly what is needed recognition as a prestigious profession, which is a part of Goa's Intangible Cultural Heritage.
