CANACONA: Milagris Vaz has been weaving memories through his clothes for more than 50 years. His humble beginnings in Sanguem may have been unremarkable, but his talent for tailoring was anything but. From a tiny rented room in Govindal-Poinguinim to owning his own home, Vaz has come a long way in pursuit of his dreams.
But it wasn’t always easy. After seven years of tailoring in Sanguem, Vaz realized that he needed to expand his horizons and move to Canacona for better opportunities.
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“I came to Canacona with my close friend Diago Carvalho, who is a toddy tapper, and we stayed in a rented room at Poinguinim.
I have been in this business
since 1967,” says Vaz with a gleam in his eye.
Vaz, in his 70’s now, is a family man, and the proud father of two sons and two daughters.
His wife used to help him earlier, but she has since retired and prefers challenges, Vaz is proud that he was able to raise his children solely on the income from his tailoring business.
Now, Vaz owns a tailor shop in the bustling Canacona market named ‘Filipins Tailor’. He is proud of his work and believes that perfecting his craft is more important than earning more money. “Once you have earned a reputation as a reliable worker, money comes on its own,” he says with a smile.
While the world may have moved on to readymade clothes, Vaz believes that nothing can compare to tailor-made clothes that fit perfectly. He has trained at least 25 tailors during his career and is proud of each and every one of them. He believes that it’s important for the youth to own their own businesses instead of chasing government jobs.
Vaz’s love for his roots in Sanguem is evident when he says, “I have been in Canacona for many years. I have not forgotten Sanguem and I do visit
it once in a while. But I do have to agree that I have fallen in love with Canconkars.”
