I think initiatives such as these can play a great role in taking things forward, and building talent and the can-do approach
At first glance, this might add up to just a small market, involving a few people, and totalling up no huge amount of commerce. But, the village markets that have come about in recent years, springing up off their own, and without any great official support or promotion, are one of the positive things that have happened in Goan life.
From Saligao to Porvorim, from Curtorim to Pilerne, and maybe in other places too, villagers have come together to start and continue weekly, occasional or irregular markets highlighting local skills and produce.
Goa has had its traditional markets. These grew over the decades and centuries. There have been markets -- on different days of the week -- in places like Calangute, Banastarim (recently shifted to a new market space), There have also been traditional markets in bigger spaces, like Mapusa's Friday market. Or the Ashwem beach market, and fancy-named places in Palolem or Morjim.
Another recent crop of markets has been Ingo's/Mackie's (and subsequent) Saturday night markets in Margao, More or less permanent markets are there in most municipal areas, but these lack the charm of a special-day-of-the-week market. We've seen a Tibetan market along the road to Baga. Rudolf Ludwig-Yolanda de Souza had organised, for awhile, a charming evening art bazaar at their art space in Calangute. Cyberspace will suggest you visit Caculo Mall and Mall de Goa.
Photographer Asavari Kulkarni has published a lavishly-illustrated coffee-table book called 'Markets of Goa'. She takes you to the Nagpanchami market of Verem, the betel-nut market of Mardol, brinjals and potatoes at a temple of Kavlem, cashewnuts in Curchorem, dryfish in Sanguem, among others.
Still, for a place with so many tourist visitors and diasporic Goans visiting home, Goa has a surprisingly few well-organised markets. Those that have come up are either old and traditional (despite which, can be colourful and interesting, like Mapusa on Fridays). Or they are run by small private enterprises selling their own wares.
But the new breed of markets is something different. These were set up over the last few years (maybe since 2019), often led by middle-class Goans, highly created and colourful. There is a mix of food and craft, art and music, entertainment and modest commerce all around.
Nobody may be planning to make their millions from such a market. In fact, many of the organisers work for free, or are volunteers during it with the best of motives. There is a lot of sharing going on, with one village picking up ideas from the other.
Recently, Siolim too organised a market around the idea of celebrating the coconut. Lots of stalls were put up, people kept learning from each other, including picking up coconut-craft skills. Food products were brought in by vendors from Siolim, other parts of Bardez, and neighbouring Pernem. You could talk to the vendors and they would willingly share more about their produce, what went into making the same, and why these products were unique in their own way. They lovingly spoke about how these items had changed over time, and why some of these were endangered products and skills fast vanishing out of the Goan plate.
So far, the new breed of markets have been noticed and fairly featured in the newspapers. But the wider point about these ventures seem to have be getting overlooked. That is, the role such initiatives play in spurring village creativity, bringing people together, mixing fun and commerce, breaking down barriers between people, giving people confidence in themselves, and rebuilding markets in a world where our villages have largely ceased to be productive or creative units.
Take the case of Saligao, where this columnist has interacted closely with those involved in the market initiative. Because of politics (and, sometimes, egos) this once prominent village has changed drastically over time. Also, the best and boldest and brightest have migrated, so there is a depletion of youth, talent and confidence in the village.
For the past decade or two, at least, it has been caught up in issues largely related to garbage and panchayat infighting. Also communalised politics, which might be a bit more camouflaged. Do a Google search for this village's name, and you will see this reflection for itself. At best, a few luxury places that have come up in the vicinity in recent years, and deploy it as a backdrop for their own commercial interests.
In recent years, however, the local village market -- a non-politicial initiative of the village, largely womenfolk -- drastically changed that perception of Saligao. People started talking about the place as a capable and "can-do" village.
Of course, the situation might not have drastically changed in itself. But the perception has, and that is important. It's all about perception, and about how villagers see themselves, or believe in themselves. I think initiatives such as these can play a great role in taking things forward, and building talent and the can-do approach. Some people do not see the benefits, and count things primarily in rupees and paisa. But that is not the real or only impact....
Two things strike you more than anything else. Firstly, the ability of women to self-organise and create. Specially Goan women, who are educated, talented and hardly the ones to walk ten steps behind. Despite all the talk about discrimination against women, it does seem that they can do exceedingly well for themselves when given the opportunity. (On a related point, everyone, women too, need an enabling environment that will help them to move ahead and do things better. The lack of support from government institutions -- without interfering or politicising such initiatives -- stands out strongly so far.)
The other aspect is the way the organisers of such events, in many cases, have been able to cut across divides of class, caste and community. While the 'Made in Saligao' intiative is restricted to villagers (in the broadest sense of the word, and this is understandable, given the goal is to promote local talent), it gets in people of all communities and classes. You can find people with post-graduate degrees stand side-by-side with unlettered, simple folk, all proudly selling their own products, the fruit of their hard work, innovation and determination.
All this is not to say that initiatives such as these are without challenges. For one, we all being human, there are bound to be differences and perspective clashes in organising such events. Older teams give way to the new, sometimes with a few misgivings, and this is also normal. In Saligao, for instance, the initiators of the market were led by Clarice Vaz, Aquila, Maria and Maria, among others. Recent settlers and long-time villagers, priests and laypeople, women and men, have all led such initiatives.
Goa could do with more such initiatives. Above all, local support is badly need to recognise the true worth of such initiatives and take the same forward....
