They may be focused on their studies and careers, but when it comes to celebrating Goan traditions and showcasing service and generosity, Goan youth in Vancouver have been worthy ambassadors of Goan heritage for nearly two decades.
From hosting a ‘Thriller’ dance and forming a ‘Moira Bananas’ soccer team to performing in an ‘Archie’ themed float and participating in community outreach programmes, the Goan youth in Vancouver have been an active and vibrant component of the Goan Overseas Association (GOA), Vancouver.
The Youth GOA (Y-GOA) took shape in 2005 under the leadership of the then GOA-Vancouver president Willie Lobo, when it was decided to introduce new sub committees to engage the whole Goan community. Among the many new groups to be introduced was the Youth GOA (Y-GOA).
The goals of this sub-committee were two-fold. First, to promote the Goan heritage among those born and raised in Canada and secondly, to generate a positive momentum from the younger generation to sustain the long-term growth and sustainability of the parent organisation.
Over the past 17 years the Y-GOA has seen many changes, but the principles on which the Y-Goa was founded on have stayed intact.
More recently, the Y-GOA has been under the watchful eye of Andrew Nazareth, current President of Y-GOA.
“I have been attending GOA events since I was a baby, and over time, grew to appreciate the values and goals of the parent organisation,” explained Andrew.
“Prior to the Covid pandemic, my sister, Ashleigh, and I organised a Halloween-themed dance known as ‘Thriller’. The overarching goal was to bring the Goan youth together, but it actually resulted in so much more.”
“It brought together like-minded youth from different cultural backgrounds and allowed the Y-GOA to showcase our values and traditions in a very cosmopolitan cross section of our society.”
The ‘Thriller’ was such a success that the Y-GOA organised the event for two years in a row before the Covid pandemic brought it to a halt.
“They also put together a youth team for the GOA Soccer tournament and called themselves ‘Moira Bananas’. We have also done various dance performances over the years, including classical Goan dances such as ‘Maria Pitache’. The Y-GOA put on an ‘Archie’ themed float at the Carnival Fiesta and the 30 youth won the first prize from among four floats,” said Andrew.
The Y-GOA have also been very focused on outreach, even when the Covid pandemic struck.
For instance, with Covid restrictions in place, there were many kids who lost out on the magic of visiting Santa. Sensing an opportunity to do a good deed, the Y-GOA organised free personalized zoom calls with Santa.
“Each child got to spend 10 minutes with Santa to ask him whatever they liked. Santa even sang Christmas carols and took photos with them. Parents were indeed grateful, and because it was a virtual visit, they had kids from around the world signing up! The Y-GOA was able to spread Christmas cheer in both a memorable and responsible way,” recalled Andrew.
The Goan culture has certainly impacted how Andrew lives his life.
“It has taught me from an early age how to respect my elders, reach out and help those in need, open doors to make those less fortunate than us feel welcomed and loved and not to forget how to have a good time with a caring community.”
“I am very proud to be a Goan and I see a great opportunity to continue to share my love and passion for my ancestral land. I know that I will
always cherish my rich and beautiful cultural heritage, and I hope to
inspire this same appreciation for Goa in our youth moving forward,” he adds.
