“Te undde gele ani tepoderui gele”: g one is the bread with them, the bread makers . This is a common phrase in Goa while lamenting about t...
“Te undde gele ani tepoderui gele”: gone is the bread with them, the bread makers. This is a common phrase in Goa while lamenting about the good old days.
Goan bread was introduced by Portuguese Jesuits in the 16th century. Today, this humble food item – handmade, wood-fired and available in various shapes and sizes – is intertwined with the culture and identity of Goans. What happens when migrants inherit the business? This is among the themes explored by Sonia Filinto’s Bread and Belonging.
The 50-minute documentary has sections on the Alziras from Ribandar, who have been making bread for generations, Ajay and his co-workers, who have taken over a business in Anjuna, and attempts to revive traditional baking methods.
“There is a heightened nostalgia about Goan bread over the past few years,” Filinto said after a recent screening of the documentary at the Fundacao Oriente in Panaji. “I was keen on looking closely at this triptych. I was also interested in this whole idea of something like bread that came from outside and became an insider and an integral part of Goa. Is something similar possible in today’s age?”
Although Goan bread is a staple, family-run bakeries have been shutting shop due to...
