LONDON
After a gap of five years, the Goan Association (G.O.A) UK resumed its traditional Trook tournament at Falconwood-Kent in England on August 31.
According to GOA UK Director Greg Carvalho, the card game had been popular among the Goan community in Africa since the late 1950s.
“Trook was played in Nairobi-Kenya at the Goan Tailors Society, especially in the large compounds of some Goan homes in Eastleigh-Nairobi. Trook was played every Sunday, and the main annual tournament was held at the Goan Tailors Society, where over 20 teams took part, mainly as Goan village teams, and the prizes were gold sovereigns,” said Greg.
“Trook was also played regularly at the Goan Tailors Society in Mombasa and in Nakuru. Goans also played the game in Malawi and Uganda and they too took the game wherever they settled. My cousin in Lisbon confirmed that her father played Trook in Mozambique before they left in 1970.”
“When Goans left East Africa, they took the card game along with them and continued to play Trook in the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal.”
Trook tournaments in UK
Greg said Trook was played regularly by the East African Goans at pubs in Finsbury Park, North London, and the Tooting area in South London and at the Woolwich Catholic Club in Woolwich, arranged by Jack Carvalho every Sunday, and in Plumstead by the S.E. Goans.
“The first Trook tournament in the UK was started in 1975 by Jacinto Fernandes as Sports Secretary of G.O.A. It was held at Woodbury Hall in Manor House, North London,” said Greg.
“In 1984, Jacinto held the first tournament at the Clubhouse, where he had 24 teams. That was a marathon tournament. It was stopped after the semis, and the final continued the following Sunday with Colva Union beating Greg’s 5.”
Trook tournaments were also conducted by Simba FC, GOA, Rocky, Benaulim, Mungul, South East Goans, Carvalhos(Jack), Harringay, Candy and North London Goans.
Jacinto Fernandes organised the annual G.O.A. Trook tournaments from 1975 to 2015. He then passed the baton to Greg in 2016, and he continued the tournament till it was stopped due to the Covid outbreak.
After a gap of five years, Greg restarted the tournament at Falconwood-Kent on August 31, with the participation of eight teams.
There were eight teams: 4 Amigos teams, Alphonso 5, South London, RI & Greg’s 5.
The venue also had food catered by Jo Jo and the G.O.A. bar was run by Flavio Gracias, Juliette De Menezes-D’Costa and Jason D’Costa. The raffle was well supported, and the prizes were all donated. A number of ladies participated in the tournament, and all enjoyed the day.
The final was played between RI & Amigos “2”, with RI emerging as the winner. The trophies were presented by the G.O.A. directors, with Flavio Gracias presenting the trophy to the runners-up, Greg Carvalho to the winners and Juliette De Menezes-D’Costa to the team winning the floating trophy.
“We also remembered all the departed players and those who were unable to take part due to ill-health or other issues, for making these tournaments memorable by their commitment and skill,” said Greg.
