I was recently having a conversation with some friends about certain indigenous Goan occupations that have been dwindling since the last few decades.
Two of these occupations/professions are the quintessential Goan baker (poder), and the Goan toddy-tapper (render).
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Till today, if one is lucky, you will be able to find a few Goans who are still in these businesses. But again, I said “if one is lucky”!
There could be any number of reasons why the occupations are not as widespread amongst Goans as they were in the yester years. But in my opinion, there are at least two major reasons for this tail-off.
Firstly, the fact that since the colonial times, the people involved in these occupations have been victims of marginalisation due to the rampant class/caste systems that existed (and dare I say, still exist) in society!
poders and renders (and many other such trades like potters, cobblers, or those who made baskets from bamboos, etc) were classified as “those lowly trades”. And though we were intrinsically dependent on their produce, we wouldn’t really want to involve with them on a social level.
The second important factor is the feasibility (or the lack of it) that has accounted for the sharp decline in people wanting to delve into these businesses. We may all sigh and lament about how these professions are dying, but none of us would want to revive the same by ourselves getting into any of it! Our ancestors who were into these occupations eventually felt the effects of these untoward factors and thought better than to push for the continuance of their legacy.
Traditional poders and renders didn’t wish that their children and loved ones be made subject to class/caste based marginalisation anymore, and worked doubly hard to ensure that the younger generations are given the best education and are empowered enough to get out of the shadow of their “lowly” family professions.
It is all nice and nostalgic for us to see a Goan render who still trudges around the village in tight shorts, with his black pot made out of a certain gourd/pumpkin (I’m not sure what it is traditionally called) and his ever-so-sharp blade, the Kaati! Similarly, it is nice to wake up to the penkku-penkku of the poder’s air-horn (yes, it is penkku-penkku, and not ponk-ponk).
But have we given this a deeper thought? Why would anyone in his/her right mind want to pursue a business that is not financially sustainable? Or a profession where one would be castigated and looked down upon?
Should they pursue these occupations just so we Goans, who come back from our cushy abodes in the Middle East, UK, and from the cruise-liners, can see them and get a nostalgic kick out of it?? I don’t think so!
These traditional occupations have died a natural death. With the modernisation of industries and the dawn of the dot.com age, the world was abruptly transformed into a global village. Advanced education became accessible to almost everyone, people learnt new skill-sets, the market was thrown open to international commerce, awareness increased, and very swiftly, the humble pav was (largely) replaced by the modern sliced-bread, and the potent kopttell of maadaancho and kaazuncho was replaced by black labels, double-black labels, and Jack Daniels!
Moreover, it is difficult to change the mindset of people who still look at these professions as “low class”. That mindset is here to stay for a much longer time. But as far as the financial prospects of these businesses are concerned, there are ways and means where these professions can be revived. But generating the interest of the society at large would be a daunting endeavour.
This can only be achieved through an active participation in encouraging such professions and working to establish a platform where they can at least be given that much empowerment and exposure where they can at the very least consider pursuing the professions. It is an uphill task, but it is not impossible. We should bear in mind that the most difficult part in this battle would be changing the mindset of people; and that would be close to impossible.
It is very easy to say, “Oh! I miss the traditional Goan renders and the poders of the yesteryear!” But let us ask ourselves this question: Would any one of us be prepared to encourage our own children (not other youngsters) to take up these professions? If we think that there is such a big future in these things then why don’t we leave our jobs and our current professions and delve into these things, or why don’t we encourage our own children to do it? Think about it.
