Panaji: Goans who migrate to England after obtaining Portuguese citizenship usually don’t forget to pack their bags with lots of sausages, feni bottles and, if it’s season, Mango Manturad.
Recently, there are other additions.
Coconut.
It all began as a hobby during the ‘Konsasach Fest’ or harvesting of the Thanksgiving ritual where worshipers prayed for God’s sustainable blessings – when traditionally people would pamper themselves in violating coconuts in individual contests, with the winner who took home coconut that he went bankrupt.
But immediately the bet was raised, because betting was placed and competition that violated coconut coincides with the party, even for Gouops in England.
Immediately, coconut with a thicker shell is a lot in demand.
“They now do this even in London and they all take coconut from here,” said Namdeo Kankonkar, winners of several coconut breaking competitions in the state.
“I got a lot of requests, but we were left with only one tree (which produced strong coconut), unlike three in the past.
There isn’t much I can do to help all my contacts.” Goa has around 25,000 hectares of coconut plantations and produces More than 100 million coconuts a year.
‘Goans have done it well to keep the culture of living in the Uk’thousands Gouops have migrated to England, making the best from the Portuguese national law stating that those born in Goa before liberation, and their three generations can obtain Portuguese citizenship.
They settled throughout England with around 20,000 Gouops living in Swindon alone.
Not surprisingly that the first coconut breaker competition began in Swindon by Jesus Nazareth Boys of Siridao in 2007.
“Goans has done it well to keep this tradition alive in England,” said Caetan Braganza, who added the coconut breaker competition to other annual sports events Events like football and volleyball that he arranged in the memory of his brother Leo.
“There are many who carry strong coconut or ‘Gott Nall’ as they say in Konkani, from Goa, but this is used for individual contests and bets.
When we arrange competition, we use coconuts available here in the UK,” he said.
For 10 pounds (around Rs 1,000), participants were allowed to choose six coconuts of their choice of stacks placed in the venue.
Every competitor then holds coconut in his hand and destroys him against the opponents.
When competitors are removed, which with maximum coconut is finally declared the winner.
Last year, there was complete termination for coconut breaking competitions in the UK because of the covid-19 pandemic and subsequent locking.
However, this year, the competition has been held in Swindon, Wembley, Hounslow, Upton Park, SouthAll, Hayes and, for the first time, reading.
There will be more before the festival is pulled to the close on August 24.
“We bought three coconut bags from the market and in the end, nothing left.
It is a good event.
We have around 40 participants and families.
Everyone has fun,” said Milton Rodrigues from the East London Boys, who organized the competition at Upton Park earlier this week.
Santa Cruz Boys has their own competition at Wembley on Friday.
The party harvesting tradition dates back to more than 500 years, since March 15 became appropriate, but how and when the tradition of violating coconuts began to not be documented.
Whatever the reason, Goans likes this tradition, whether they are at home or in England.