The Goan Musical Society in collaboration with
the Goan Association (UK) proudly presented:

EKVĀT - live in London

13th May 2001, Sunday,
03.00 pm - 06.00 pm
ADT College Hall,
100 West Hill, Putney
London SW17 2UT


This was an excellent and rare opportunity to attend a performance
from one of the best Goan Cultural and Musical groups in the world.

(If you wish, you can click on the photographs to increase the size)

Programme
13th May 2001:
03.00 PM - 06:00 PM

I PART

Fugddi
Kunnbi amim
Kantar Goa
Paus
Ye Ye
Fulambai
Sontōs
   II PART

Deknni
Pescadores
Modgovantum
Ekvatan Nachunk
Portuguese Music
Mando Adeus Korcho Vellu Paulo

After a very successful tour to Goa, Daman, Diu, Bombay and other places including many 
shows in Portugal itself, Ekvāt, a Lisbon-based famous Goan Cultural and Musical Group
visited London, under the sponsorship of  Fundaēćo Oriente  (Lisbon),  Casa de Goa (Portugal)
and the Goan Association (UK). Their show held at the ADT College Hall in Putney,
London SW15, on Sunday 13th May 2001, was organised by the 
Goan Musical Society (London) 

They gave an excellent performance, which won them a tremendous applause and repeated
standing ovations from the audience.

A group of friends and enthusiasts of traditional Goan music and dance
launched Ekvāt in 1989, two years after the foundation of  Casa de Goa,
the association of people from Goa, Daman and Diu residing in Portugal.

Goan Musical Groups have been in existence in Lisbon since 1957, primarily due to
the efforts of Fortunato de Figueiredo who played a role in initiating, promoting and
leading the Goan Song and Dance Group.

Initially known as the Casa de Goa Song and Dance Group, the group was later renamed
Ekvāt, a Konkani word meaning root, in the sense of liaison or unity - an exterior sign.
To the group, the word Ekvāt has at least two important meanings: On one hand, it suggests
the relationship with the motherland Goa, while, on the other, it implies the common bond
between Goans living in Portugal and in the other parts of the world. A Goan unity based
on the distinct Goan identity.

The group arrived London on Saturday, 12th May 2001. They seemed to have brought
the Portuguese sunny and hot weather with them. It was indeed the first really hot and sunny
weekend London has seen this year. The President of the Goan Association UK - Flavio 
Gracias - and representatives of the Goan Musical Society welcomed them on arrival. 
They were then provided with a typical Goan lunch and later proceeded to rehearsals in
preparation for their performance the next day, at the ADT College Hall, Putney, London SW15.

Transport was organised for them from Heathrow Airport to St. Boniface
Church Hall in Tooting Broadway, London SW17, where a typical Goan buffet lunch was
awaiting them. Later that Saturday afternoon, they rehearsed in the ADT hall and prepared
for the next day. Most of them were accommodated with very willing relatives and friends
in and around London.

Ekvāt is organised around three components: An instrumental group, a choral group and a
dance group. The first two groups consist of individuals with a common musical past in Goa,
in Lisbon or in the ex-Portuguese African colonies, who are, therefore, the owners of the 
repertoire performed by the group. Jerónimo Silva, a noted musician and composer, was 
for many years, Ekvāt's musical director. Many items in Ekvāt's repertoire are his original
compositions. The dance group is divided in two smaller groups. One of them is made up
of youngsters born in Portugal or in the ex-Portuguese Africa. These are the children of the
first generation of Goan immigrants, aged between 18 and 33. A second dance group
consists of younger members who perform a repertoire of simpler songs and dances. 
This latter group participates only in performances held in Portugal.

The show started at 3.00 PM. A lovely catchy instrumental started in the background,
the curtains opened and Maria Virginia Bras Gomes introduced her group and their repertoire.
Extremely fluent in three languages, Konkani, English and Portuguese, she is also the author
of many of the Konkani lyrics performed by Ekvāt.

In its repertoire, Ekvāt seeks to recreate the most symbolical and charismatic aspects 
of the motherland Goa, that are frequently found in the episodes of daily life in Goa. The sound 
of the crows present in Goa from sunrise to sunset, the presence of the sea, a fight between two 
neighbours over a cock, the calling of the pigs, the separation between husband and wife when 
the husbands leave to find work out of Goa, etc., are some of these references.

The traditional Goan Mando and dulpods sung by the choir and danced by two young couples 
- Raquel & Luis Rebelo and Margarida & Nuno Rebelo - and a senior couple - Maria de 
Lurdes & Rui Sousa - were one of the highest moments of the day. 
Their expressions and movements are beyond description. The ladies attired in Goa's Goa's ethnic 
bazu-toddop and the gentlemen wearing tailcoats, took the mystified audience back in time when the 
motherland used to be agog with such cultural outpourings.

The show also included kunnbi, dekhnni and fugddi dances and popular Goan songs.

It ended with Ekvāt inviting the Goan Musical Society to the stage to sing together with
them the traditional Goan Farewell Mando - Adeus korchó vellu paulo. 
Everybody else joined in as well.

The audience was moved with Ekvāt's repertoire. The entertainment was the best London 
has seen so far in Goan folklore. It made the audience feel truly nostalgic so much so, that
many Goans went back home and played the Ekvāt CD - Goean Pautōch, over and over again.

Ekvāt’s Goan musical rhythms and spoken Konkani were authentic. It almost looks like they 
left Goa yesterday. Their choreography was excellent as well. For almost every musical number, 
there was a dance to go with it, a different set of lights and a different combination of colours, 
dresses and stage set up.

In the end, the message was crystal clear. Goans might be citizens of
India,Portugal, UK, US, Canada and many other different countries in
the world,but Konkani is their undeniable identity. 
Konkani and the motherland Goa is what is deep in their hearts and
minds. That's precisely what Ekvāt is all about, Goan unity based
on the distinct Goan identity.

They are doing an excellent job to keep the Goan Culture alive and surely Goa and the Goan 
Communities which have witnessed their shows in the world are proud of them.

All the very best and tumkam dev borem korum Ekvāt!


Ekvāt members:

Though each of the members clearly recognises the responsibility of his or her role
in the group, the activities of Ekvāt are oriented by three directors:

1. Musical Director: Arvi Barbosa.
2. Dance and Choreography Directors: Raquel Soares and Nuno Rebelo.
3. Manager and Co-ordinator: Aleixo Fernandes

Maria de Lurdes Lemos Sousa, previous manager of the Group, played an important role giving 
all the support and assistance required to the group.

Instrumentalists:


Arvi Barbosa - Classic Guitar
Jerónimo Silva - Classic Guitar
and mandoline
Angelo Soares - 1st. Violin
Raul Costa - 2nd. Violin
Rui Sousa - Gumat


Singers:


Dalila Braganēa
Lia Soares
Rita Lobo
Ana Barbosa
Virginia Gomes
Aleixo Costa
Francisco Sį
Mįrio Noronha
Reginaldo Almeida


Dancers:

 

Tānia Lavra
Nuno Rebelo
Raquel Soares
Luis Rebelo
Margarida Costa
José Henriques
Ana Henriques


The younger members of Ekvāt have been strongly encouraged by their parents to actively
participate in the group. In spite of the fact that some of them have never been to Goa, 
they express an identity absorbed from their parents' past experiences and testimonies
and today they proudly take on the objectives of the group as their own, thus fulfilling one 
of the most important goals of their parent association - Casa de Goa.

The historian Luis Filipe Thomas, refers to Goan emigration to Portugal as
"quality emigration". Indeed, majority of Goans in Portugal have emigrated to
improve their career; in their present professional activities, they have always
been an important part of the most prestigious sectors of the Portuguese Society.
If some of them travelled to Portugal for university studies (since their chances of
doing so in Goa were restricted to Medical School founded in 1842), others chose
Portuguese Africa, especially Angola and Mozambique, to settle down.
There, they held very high posts in public administration, maintaining at the same
time a certain geographic proximity with the motherland Goa. Following the
independence of the Portuguese colonies in Africa, in 1975, these Goans then
moved to Portugal where they chose to live.

Goan integration is finally sanctioned by marriage to the Portuguese. Though
many Goans still marry among themselves, marriage between Goans and
Portuguese is a reality which is well accepted by the former as well as by the latter.
This is a two sided sign; on one hand, it is a clear example of how easily Goans
integrate, but on the other, it favours dispersion, contributing to the fact that Goans
in Portugal are increasingly a fluid, integrated reality, progressively indistinct from
the reception society.

(several extracts from the EKVĀT Goen Pautōch CD, text by Dr. Susana Sardo)

According to the records, there are Goan immigrants in Portugal since the 17th
century. However, the first formally organised Goan association - Casa de Goa -
was founded only in 1987. Why so late? Maybe because Goans in Portugal have been
always fully integrated in all fields of the Portuguese Society and refuse to identify
themselves as a minority group and indeed they are not officially recognised as such.
The total number of people of Indian origin living in Portugal today is believed to
exceed 100,000 (Catholics, Hindus and Muslims) and they are believed to be the
second largest Indian Community in Europe (after the UK).

Enjoy the Goan way ! Do not miss these Programmes. This website is yours ! Visit this website for future Programme dates !

EKVĀT - live in London 13/05/2001

Sponsored by:

http://www.foriente.pt/

 

Casa de Goa (Portugal) - http://www.goacom.com/casa-de-goa

 

Goan Association (UK)

Thank you Compčre:

Tony Luis

Links

 

Photographs of the 13th May 2001 Show:

 

More photographs to get to know Ekvāt:

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