Atika Modassir (Oxon)
This story begins in the late nineteenth century on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean, as two European colonial powers were cementing themselves. One was Portuguese Goa. It was cultivating a generation of young people with vocational training in seminaries and training institutions; in fields ranging from teaching, pharmacy, administration, accounting , banking and music. On the other side of the ocean, grew another powerhouse - British East Africa (EA). It was rapidly developing its infrastructure of commercial hubs and railways with projects such as the Uganda Railway that linked the Mombasa port to the interior. Growth demanded professionals such as teachers, railway employees, accountants, clerks, nurses and civil servants. Finally, it was on the soil of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar where the two colonial worlds intertwined - in the hands of Goans; whose dreams had drawn them across the seas. For many Goans bound for EA, migration meant leaving behind the familiarity of home and embarking on lives shaped by uncertainty, adaptation and opportunity. Their journeys would leave a lasting imprint on both EA and future generations of Goans who followed. What they carried across though, was far more than their professional capability and cross-cultural fluency. They carried within their hearts a love for their homeland- rich with faith, tradition, music, language and culture. They went on to shape one of the most consequential chapters in the history of the Goan diaspora. One of those pages tells the story of Lorraine Carneiro, a Kenyan of Goan heritage, a banker by profession with a passion for wildlife photography and conservation.
Sacrifices migration demands
Migration is often remembered as a story of opportunity, but the personal sacrifices behind it are sometimes forgotten. My maternal grandmother, Maria Angelica Fernandes, was just sixteen when she left Goa in 1938. What seems almost unimaginable today wasn’t uncommon then. It reflects the courage, resilience and unquestioning faith of a generation that left everything familiar behind, trusting the path their families had chosen for them.
How the family came to EA
My EA connection spans generations on both sides of the family. My father Agnelo Carneiro was only seventeen when he left Ucassaim in 1955 to join his two older brothers in EA, eventually joining them at the National Bank of Tanzania. On my mother’s side, the story reaches further back. My maternal great-grandfather, Manuel Fernandes from Ilhas, migrated in the early twentieth century as an engineer for the construction of the railway network in Kenya. My grandfather and mother were both born in Kenya. In this way, both strands of our family’s Goan heritage took root in EA, eventually becoming one family story shaped by both places.
Honouring Goan heritage
We grew up with Konkani music. My parents were deeply involved in Kenya’s Goan community, organising and participating in Mando festivals, concerts and tiatrs. My father, a respected musician who plays the violin now, continues to play at Masses, community functions and cultural events. My grandfather, Pedro Salvador Carneiro, composed the beloved hymn St. Francis Xavera, still sung by Goans around the world. Rice and fish curry, sorpotel and sanaas brought us together through cherished cuisine. Above all, our Catholic faith, family values and community spirit ensured Goa wasn’t just a place of origin, but part of who we are.
Belonging to two worlds
From my Goan heritage, I inherited values and customs. From Africa, a deep connection to nature, diversity and adventure. Having roots in both gives me a deeper appreciation of different cultures and traditions and teaches me that identity needn’t be exclusive. We draw strength, inspiration and wisdom from all facets of who we are.
What home means
Home isn’t a single place for me, but a collection of people, memories and experiences intertwined over time. It’s my family around a table sharing Goan food and music, stories and traditions and the friendships that shaped my journey. It is also the African landscapes I have grown up with, the golden savannahs, vast open plains teeming with wildlife and the beauty of nature awakening at dawn. It has given me a deep sense of wonder, gratitude and belonging. Home exists in what both these worlds hold for me.
Photography and a changing Africa
I believe people protect what they care about and they care about what they can understand. Photography creates an emotional connection with nature in ways facts and statistics often can’t. For me, it is about revealing both the beauty and vulnerability of wildlife. While habitat loss and expanding development concern me deeply, I remain hopeful about the growing commitment to conservation. Every photograph that inspires someone to care about nature gains another ally for its protection.
Legacy and passion
I marvel at how far my family’s journey carried us. My ancestors crossed oceans for opportunity, leaving the familiar behind. Watching the great migration, I see echoes of that same instinct to journey, endure and seek a place to flourish. I hope they would recognise in my photographs the courage, resilience, faith and storytelling they passed down to me. I carry their legacy forward, one photograph at a time.
