Ramponkaranchem Fest: A culture curry

In a people's festival celebrated at Arambol, the fishing village in Pernem, the fishermen will lead the show on September 17. Celebrating ‘Ramponkaranchem Fest' for the first time, the sleepy village is gearing up for the feast involving not only the locals but invitees as well that will be coming from across Goa to witness a live demo of everything that bonds Goenkars to ‘nuste' (fish).
The festival will kick start at 10.30 am on Arambol beach with a ceremonial throwing of the traditional ‘rampon' (huge fishing net) into the sea and pulling it back on the shore with the live catch, while allowing the onlookers to lend a helping hand.
‘Kanji' will be served to all present, in a ‘katti' (coconut shell) along with ‘toranchi shir' symbolising with the flavour of Goa. An exhibition of different types of fishing nets, fishing gears, heritage and traditional utility objects used in Arambol will also be displayed.
"This feast is an introduction to the traditional way of community living to today's generation and passing on the rich cultural heritage to GenNext in Goa before it's lost forever," states Fr Christo Pinto, assistant priest at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at Arambol.
Known for fishing, toddy tapping, cashew farming, football, music, tiatr and food, Arambol is one of the quiet coastal villages in Goa and the beach does attract visitors during the tourist season. "We wish to change the profile of our village and introduce our rich cultural lifestyle to the world," says Xavier Mascarenhas, a local from Arambol. "Come and join us, see how we live and experience the thrill of our lives," he adds.
Though not a fishermen himself Xavier is excited to showcase the lifestyle of his co-villagers whose day begins at dawn.
With uncertainty and a risk to life dangling on their heads every single day as they spend most of their lives at sea, one never knows whether the fishermen will reach home safely at the end of the day.
"We are eager to share the thrills, skills and chills in our unusual lives. We want to demonstrate our techniques of catching fish, cooking it, frying or drying them. We will display our fishing equipment and kitchenware too," says an elderly fisherman, excited over the idea of interacting with the public for the first time.
After the live demonstration by the fishermen, an hour-long cultural entertainment programme will be held. The programme will begin with a prayer and a welcome dance, followed by other dances like kunbi, nistekar, fugdi, dekhni, mando - all presented by the villagers who are trained under Vailankanni D'Souza.
There will also be a football camp conducted by female coach Ansu Rodrigues who has been training the village children.
"The lunch offered free to all will consist of boiled rice, ladyfinger gravy, fried fish, mango pickle, black tea, boiled grams, pej, melgor and shankarpale. During the lunch break the ‘ghumot' ambassador Carlos Gonsalves will play ghumot and pop star O'luv will sing. The programme is supported by Willy Goes. All are volunteering of their free will. A fisherman Peter Cardoso will be interviewed by another villager, Peter Rodrigues," briefs Xavier. An old wooden boat will be pulled and brought to the venue as a demo of how it was done in the good old days. Some of the fishermen will be dressed in their traditional attire ‘casti' too.
Organised by the villagers in its entirety who borrowed the idea from cultural activist Marius Fernandes, the brain behind the celebration, ‘Ramponkaranchem Fest' will be a people's festival, with no alcohol and no sponsors.