We need to promote our tradition, culture in carnival festival: Tourism Minister

Rohan Khaunte: It’s important to understand that carnival is a traditional festival of Goans. And in a bid to have an inclusive approach, it’s important to make them understand that it is not the government’s carnival but the people’s carnival. We want the people to feel that it’s they who are involved in doing it. Finally, it's the people’s carnival, the government can only felicitate. This is what we have attempted to do this time. This has just been a start. Next year it’s going to be much better in terms of showcasing our tradition. We need to go more on our tradition and culture and showcase it which otherwise is not happening.

TG: What is the idea of including Porvorim in the carnival itinerary this year? Is the government planning to introduce the carnival parade in new areas in future?

RK: Before Covid, there were four main areas “ Panaji, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa “ which were covered besides some minor centres. Post Covid and due to certain constraints, we stuck to these main centres this year. We are supporting smaller centres in one way or the other. They are organising the festival on their own but we will support them. Porvorim has been growing. We have the secretariat, high court, government offices and residential complexes…and people have been moving out from the capital city and settling here. All in all, Porvorim has grown as a city. We wanted to give something to Porvorim and people deserve it. We started a precursor to the grand carnival in Porvorim but the launch of the traditional carnival will take place in Panjim.

TG: People want to have spontaneous carnival celebrations in their respective areas. Like people at St Tome in Panaji wanted to have one. Is the government ready to felicitate such celebrations/programmes?

RK: Each constituency or village or area traditionally has their own events and functions whether it is zatras, shigmo, carnival, Sao Joao etc in different ways. Similarly, people welcome and celebrate carnival in their own way. It’s very heartening to know that this year many areas in every part of the State are celebrating carnival in their own fashion. As a government, we are acting as a facilitator by organising the festival in four major towns plus Porvorim. Now, we also have Morjim which celebrates carnival. It’s very heartening that people have started coming together and celebrating the festival.

TG: Carnival is being projected purely as a tourism-oriented festival affecting its cultural value and traditional fervour. Any concerted effort to prevent this over-commercialisation?

RK: Over the years…I agree that floats more than traditional, have been showing more commercial things. We need to start promoting our culture in the right sense and this year being the first year…I think we will have enough time to plan for the next year.

TG: Carnival committees in towns/cities are usually made up of politicians drawn from the respective civic bodies. Confusion, confrontation and political infighting plague them. How do you propose to tackle it?

RK: Carnival committees are not appointed by the tourism department. It’s the role and responsibility of the elected representatives to involve themselves and ensure that it is a smooth carnival. In a democracy, we cannot dictate what we want. It’s the people who come together and do it. We will evaluate the way the committees function this year and maybe with this learning, if we need to rethink, we will do it.

The Panjim Carnival Committee comes under the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP). Unfortunately, there have been a lot of coordination gaps. We don’t know what is happening. Now, the tourism department has gotten involved to assist the committees and get them going. I think every carnival committee needs to act responsibly. Otherwise, we may have to think again. It’s a celebration that the whole city enjoys. The city needs to be responsible for the tourists coming in.