Goa Through the Traveller’s Lens

Goa, as the travelers have seen her across centuries

A large part of Goan identity can come from the perception of the people that have visited this beautiful land. The book, ‘Goa Through the Traveller’s Lens’, comprises papers of researchers who have studied old and new travel narratives dealing with Goa from the 16th century to the present times.

How do travelers to this place view Goa? In brief, quite a few see Goa through stereotypes and archetypes, but there have also been many accounts, some going back hundreds of years, which give an insight into lives lived here during the respective times.

Fourteen researchers have now their published their observation papers on traveler’s writing in book form. This 254 page book is based on papers they presented at a seminar held in 2017 organized by the Department of English, Goa University. Titled ‘Goa Through the Traveller’s Lens’, the volume was compiled and edited by Dr Nina Caldeira, a Professor and Head of Department of English, at the university

‘Many of the contributors are senior researchers and some young minds. All of their contributions were equally important in bringing out this book,’ says Dr Caldeira.

‘Many of the contributors came from academia, but the points they make, I think, is relevant to the wider debate on how Goa is seen by the outside world,’ says Frederick Noronha, the books publisher.

Dr Canderia concurs with the observation that Goans are curious to know about the many versions of Goa seen from the traveler’s lens.

Its interesting to ask how others see us? How does another, define I? The exercise can become an engaging identity discourse. At times, the other sees what we cannot. At times, they can also grossly misunderstand and misinterpret what they do see.

‘This book records the multiple voices of the travelers: some curious, some critical, and some who came, who loved and stayed,’ says Dr Caldeira. She further points out, in the academic field of cultural studies there has been a renewed interest in examining travel writing.

This book focuses on how examining how travel writing depicts our small, historic and often hard to understand region. For a small place like Goa, travel writing carries a lot of implications. Not only does it interpret this tiny region to the outside word and other travelers, but it influences Goan’s perception of themselves.

— Edited notes, based on an article, published by Herald, Goa, 25 March 2018

FREE e-Edition courtesy:
Editor, Nina Caldeira and, Publisher, Goa1556

Use the link provided below.