It’s the story of a dying vocation “ a traditional Goan means of livelihood that is fast fading in today’s technology savvy world. It’s not just wiping out the last traces of this local brand that gave Goa its identity but also the livelihood of those who have been making it for generations preserving their unique and traditional method.
Caazu, a short film that recently won the title of best documentary at Rajasthan International Film Festival, has succeeded in narrating this sad story in just seven minutes. Made by a young team of friends all in their early twenties, Caazu is based on three local makers from Goa.
“Our film documents their story. Each of them has a story to tell and all three have a common message for the audience,” states Ronak Kamat, a student of mass media at St Andrew’s College, Mumbai and the director of Caazu.
“The message in our film is commonly applicable for all traditional occupations “ that GenNext is least bothered in carrying forward their family vocations which are just left to die,” speaks story writer Mohit Sukhtankar, a post-graduate student of political science at Goa University, adding, “we strongly wanted to bring out this sorry state of affairs “ that there are no incentives and almost zero motivation for the locals who have meticulously carried on with the traditional businesses.”
The 23-year-old and the eldest of the four in the team of Xantaara Media Works that has produced Caazu “ Ashley Fernandes “ an audio engineer from SAE, London who has worked as the music composer and sound director in the film says, “They have no choice. They are losing their daily bread and nobody bothers. The lives of these three makers, Thomas Fernandes from Pomburpa, Umesh Sawant from Bicholim and Pandurang Gawas from Keri speaks but one tale “ of woe and sorrow that represents others in this trade.”
Sawant’s innovativehas unique flavours (like mosambi, jamuni) but no additives. He distills the fruit with cashews and has foreign customers who book their bottles quite in advance before the season starts. But with no labour and no financial support from the government, it’s becoming difficult for Sawant to carry on.
“It’s a health risk with constant encounter with smoke, fire and alchohol,” says Mohit, adding, “And youth do not want to embrace this vocation discarding it as dirty and smelly job. Sawant has no choice but to pull on.”
Gawas produces on a large scale with four all burning at the same time. He hires a team of girls from Jamboti who enjoy doing this summer job for earning their school fees for the following academic year. “It’s not a child labour, but an enjoyable process for these teenage girls,” says Ashley, adding, “The process is semi-automatic, not too laborious and fairly modern.”
Unlike Gawas, Thomas has adopted traditional process using clay set-up with earthen pots and coconut shells as equipment and no modern technology, no copper or plastic utensils “ it’s a lengthy, tedious process that requires continuous standing in the scorching heat for long hours to keep pouring water as the concoction readies.
“But Thomas has passion for this traditional method which compels him to carry on without any support “ from his family or the government. He is committed to stick to his process,” informs Anurag Verdekar, the cinematographer of Caazu who shot the long, sweaty scenes. A post-graduate from Goa University, Anurag has opted for Political Science just like his friend Mohit. All four of them studied together at Dhempe Higher Secondary School in Panaji before they parted ways and Caazu has brought them together.
Caazu was first featured at Cashew Fest at Soccorro in April 2015 where it got a good response. It was later to be shown at Cashew-Coconut Festival that would have been a perfect platform for a larger audience. The team made a shorter version with Ashley giving a separate score, with no words and only music but the film did not get screened so the team got demotivated.
“But then we thought of sending it to people, cine fellows who would watch movies and so Caazu was sent to Pune International Short Film Festival,” Anurag shares their journey. “We now plan to work on a feature film,” announces Ronak.
still has its lovers so the demand is still the same, it's just the makers who are disappearing. The makers of this traditional drink of Goa, believe that it’s going to die soon as nobody wants to continue and finding would be difficult. All modern trades have this factor and Xantaara Media Works is planning to take up such subjects to weave into a story to educate the masses.
