Team Herald
PANJIM: Water has always been the lifeblood of Goa—shaping its landscapes, sustaining its communities, and embedding itself deeply in cultural traditions. Yet, as modern development and climate change disrupt this delicate balance, urgent questions arise about conservation, sustainability, and the role of indigenous knowledge. Goa Water Stories, an initiative that has taken nearly two years to develop, delves into these complexities through 18 interactive projects that document Goa’s relationship with water, in all its forms.
Curated by artist and documentary filmmaker Wency Mendes, this series is a result of extensive research and storytelling by over 30 young researchers– some of them Goa University students, some of them artists or scholars with deeply personal connections to the community and the terrain.
“This initiative engages and intersects with local and indigenous communities in Goa, shedding light on the challenges of water and its intersection with livelihoods, cultural practices, and the environment,” says Mendes.
The project began in March 2023 as a civil initiative, launched through an Open Call fellowship that provided grants for research on water, ecology, and climate change. With institutional support from the Centre for Public Policy and Governance at the Goa Institute of Management, the University of Goa, and the Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts, the initiative has fostered a growing cohort of scholars and practitioners dedicated to water advocacy.
The 18 projects featured in this series span Goa’s diverse ecosystems, from the salt pans of Pernem to the khazan lands of Chorão, from the mangroves along the Mandovi to the wells scattered across its villages. The body of work includes research on the impact of tourism in Morjim, soil erosion in Chapora, and the pastoral traditions of the Gavli-Dhangar community in the Western Ghats. It also highlights Goa’s rivers, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems, addressing the urgent need for sustainable water management.
“Apart from the importance of the research itself, these projects are also proof of the passion and competence of young Goan researchers. Goa hosts numerous exhibitions, summits and lavish film festivals, but most of them display the work of people from outside the State – Goa is often reduced to a venue,” says Mendes.
“With a focus on interdisciplinary storytelling, Goa Water Stories is research for and by Goans, on a crucial subject. The project combines text, imagery, audio, and video, building a digital archive that is community-curated and freely accessible on an interactive platform,” he adds.