Goa has seen the absolute destruction of its past. Far from preserving it, the glorious past of not just our heritage buildings and structures but the essence of the Goa way of life-our traditions, our culture, the food we eat, the easy access to mother nature’s bounty, have all been snatched away, by the long hands of greed.
On World Heritage Day, let us think, have we preserved what was dear to our ancestors and kept it for our children?
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
And our actions have led to devastating fallout. We have betrayed our civilization in a manner in which it is not recognizable anymore.
Our culture and heritage are far more expensive than money. Because in real terms they are far wealthier than any other currency. We have not preserved this wealth, allowing it to get devalued. It is society’s loss, it is Goa’s loss, and most importantly it is a loss for our future, a future where our children and grandchildren will live.
If we have not managed to save what is most precious, our heritage and culture, what have we ever achieved?
Societies from the time of the great Greek Aristotle- arguably the world’s greatest philosopher, opined all communities aim at some good. The state (polis) by which he means a city-state such as Athens, “is the highest kind of community, aiming at the highest of goods” (Aristotle’s words). And communities are bound by culture, traditions and value systems woven into our heritage. A community creates a city-state but it is the cultural and human heritage that defines a community and preserves it.
Heritage is everywhere; in our rivers, forests, hillocks, and trees, in the food that we grow and eat
Therefore, on this World Heritage Day 2023, it is even more important to underline that today is not only the day to remember and look back at our architectural heritage, which of course is grand and ancient. But heritage is beyond architecture, our buildings our monuments. From the palm trees that wrap around our rivers, to our little hillocks, to the backwaters, to the fish in our waters that become a part of our food heritage, to the forests and wildlife that are a part of our environmental heritage, all add up to our combined heritage.
The best-loved and visited places are those that keep their heritage intact
Macao and Goa share the same historical heritage. But look at the manner in which Macao has preserved and protected its Portuguese lineage. In Macao, the legislation on heritage preservation says, “Given its historical and cultural value, Macao’s architectural, natural, and cultural heritage must be preserved. To this day, it bears unique testimony within Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. The destruction of this heritage, rooted in the coexistence of the two cultures which converged in the territory, would lead to the disappearance of its legacy.”
It has a strict cultural heritage protection law that has the power to prosecute and go to any extent to assure that heritage norms are not tampered with.
In Goa heritage conservationists and protectors have to fight those very bodies that are mandated with the task of protecting our heritage. Can you imagine any other place where a massive residential villa has been built right in the middle of the heritage precinct in Old Goa, by manipulating so many agencies? And to get that building demolished legally and through the courts, a tireless and so far unsuccessful battle is being fought. This is the biggest example of how we have not just compromised our systems but our ethics.
Remembering our heritage is not a one-day affair today. It should be as natural as the way we breathe. Today the Director of the department that is tasked with preserving heritage said that the government has “decided to draft a heritage policy”. To those who love Goa, this will come as a cruel remark since the time to “decide” to preserve has long gone. We have lost too much. We need more than a policy. We need honest intentions to save whatever little is left or else we may only have a heritage policy at some stage, but nothing left to preserve.
