A file photo of the late Maurice Coutinho (left) at one GOA Prize Food Festival.
CANADA
The Goan community in Karachi mourned the demise of founder and ex-president of Goinkars Own Academy (GOA) Maurice Coutinho. He was my father, who proudly supported and promoted Goan causes, culture and language till the day he left for his heavenly home on August 16.
Maurice Coutinho travelled from Goa to Lahore in the 1940s, married Clarina in 1960 and spent most of his life in current-day Pakistan, but his love for Goa, Goans and the Goan culture was unwavering.
He moved to Karachi in 1975 on a promotion/transfer with American Express Bank and this is when he started his quest to support the Goan tradition and culture by being a part of the Karachi Goan Association (KGA), Serra Club, and the Goan community.
Family was very important to him; he made sure they followed the Goan traditions and culture, but he also wanted to do more. The opportunity was presented to him when he was given a call by Rene Barreto, the Chairman and Coordinator of the World Goa Day movement to celebrate World Goa Day in Karachi.
Maurice enthusiastically accepted the challenge and this is when the Goinkars Own Academy (GOA) was founded in 2000 by Maurice Coutinho to fill that desire to promote the Goan culture and language.
With the collaboration of Angelo Lopes then President of KGA and the Goan community in Karachi, GOA organised a major function at the KGA Hall in solidarity with all Goans globally. This function included recognition of the Goans of Karachi, Goan cuisine, Konkani language and music, dance and comedy skits.
This first function was outlined with the goals and mission of GOA which is to promote Goans, the Goan language Konkani, its cuisine, and culture while promoting social and spiritual unity. This organisation gave the Goans of Karachi a forum to promote what it is to be a Goan.
Goans of Karachi are well known for their integrity, hard work, fairness and kind-heartedness. The GOA now helps them preserve not only their reputation but also their culture. It is also a part of the movement of celebrating the global unity of Goans.
Each year, the GOA celebrates World Goa Day and has functions that are both religious and social to promote the Goan culture with music like Mandos, Dulpods and hymns. Goan cuisine is always a part of these functions alongside Konkani comedy skits. There is also a different side where GOA is always ready to assist in calls made by the Archdiocese or churches, and also supports charities.
After Maurice and Clarina Coutinho migrated to Canada to live close to me and my family, the reins of GOA were handed over to Deborah Santa Maria and she actively continued the mission of the Academy.
Today, Peter Mendes is the President of GOA and is taking the academy to new heights in promoting the Goan culture and its mission. I am sure that Maurice Coutinho is happy that Goinkars Own Academy is in good hands and will continue to grow and prosper.
