Entre Nós, comprising of some fine musicians and singers from Goa namely Omar de Loiola Pereira - vocalist, guitarist and musical director, Nadia Rebelo – vocalist, Selwyn Menezes - violinist and mandolinist and Nigel Vales – keyboardist, has been staging it’s ‘Sounds from Goa’ Heritage Concerts at various venues across Goa for the last couple of years. The uniqueness of these concerts came to the attention of the Communicare Trust, who then invited Entre Nós to stage the quartet in various locations around Portugal.
“Our concert is a story of music in Goa that covers traditional and folk songs such as the fugddi, dekhni and mando, music from Goan cinema and tiatr, music from some very noted Goan composers, as well as a fado or two, to shine a spotlight on the influence the fado has had on Goan music,” says Omar de Loiola Pereira. The general curation of the concert remains largely similar to the group’s performances in Goa, with a few tweaks having made here and there considering that they will be performing to Goan diaspora overseas. “The only difference between the concert we have been performing in Goa and the one we are performing in Portugal is that the narration there will be in Portuguese. So, we have to brush up on our vocabulary,” he mentions with a smile. “But we are all excited about every song we are going to perform!,” exclaims Omar.
When asked how performing in Portugal connects with their Goan heritage, all four performers were of the same opinion that, Goa and Portugal have a sense of nostalgia for each other. This concert, they said tries to acknowledge some of that nostalgia to those who know about Goa and its culture, but also aims to introduce Goan culture to new audiences that do not know Goa. After 450 years of Portuguese rule, Goan music, whether folk or otherwise, has absorbed some of this western influence. The troupe will be focusing more on this Indo-Portuguese aspect of Goan music. “We will be starting and ending the concert with two distinct Goan folk songs which are completely different to each other in every way imaginable. And yet they are just as Goan as can be. The rest of the concert will connect these 2 ends of the Goan musical spectrum,” explains Omar.
Omar started playing the guitar at the age of 7 when he was handed a guitar by his uncle, Fr J Loiola Pereira. “And somehow from that moment I was possessed,” he says asserting that he did not choose music, but rather music had chosen him. “My Goan background has served as the basis for my musical tastes. The exposure we had here for music from all over the world, just as much as we did to our local music, put me at a significant advantage when years later I moved to Australia,” he says.
Further he states that during instances where he has performed at international festivals, his Goan troupe had the unique advantage of being able to jam with almost every delegation from any part of the Western World. “My Goan heritage is one I’m extremely and unabashedly proud of’, says Omar all geared up to represent Goan music in Portugal. ‘We are very proud to have the opportunity to take Goan music overseas, not just to Goan diaspora, but in this case, to Portuguese audiences that have never known Goa or Goan music before. It is as exciting as it is humbling, says the troupe hoping that the Goan diaspora will receive, what we have to offer, with fond nostalgia and that the Portuguese will receive it with interest and curiosity. They stated that they hope to take a piece of Goa to Portugal and among those who don’t know Goa, they hope to spark enough interest and curiosity for them to want to know more and hopefully visit Goa someday.
Omar mentions that, to start with, the troupe will be accompanied on the ghumott at their first concert by Neil Fernandes, a Goan musician now settled in Lisbon. In addition, for their concert in Ovar, they will be collaborating with the Portuguese ensemble – SENZA. The quartet is truly looking forward to these collaborations considering them as opportunities to learn new perspectives. “Our music can always grow when we learn something new. And traveling, collaborating, hearing new forms of music are always sources of inspirations that help one’s music evolve,” they strongly believe. The only real challenge faced by the troupe has been funding. Other than that, they have approached this preparation in the same way they have approached every other performance - with sincerity and diligence, they said.
“All the logistics of this whole trip to Portugal are being handled by Nalini Elvin Sousa of the Communicare Trust. She is a miracle worker for whom no obstacle is too big. She has ably handled all the financial, logistical and promotional aspects of this venture,” Omar points out. Goan music, with its very unique blend of East and West has the potential to create a splash on the international scene like Cuban or Carribean music has done. It’s up to us Goan musicians to take it out to the rest of the world, states Omar as he lastly says, “I think all of Goan music needs to be better preserved and promoted in Goa, around India and across the globe.” Through their musical journey, this Goan quartet is fostering greater appreciation for Goan culture, contributing to a deeper cultural exchange between India and Portugal. Their work serves as a testament to the power of music as a universal language that can transcend borders and bring people together.