One man, one vision, many treasures of a Goa unforgotten

Imagine the time when tabs and mobiles phones were unheard of, and television had not yet come to Goa; a time when children grew up with rich stories from folklore and family anecdotes, listening to grandparents who nurtured them and passed on their wisdom through stories.

That's exactly how a young Victor Hugo Gomes, loved to sit by his grandmother’s side, listening to stories from the past. And, these simple stories, from his grandmother’s lips, turned into an obsession which was converted into five museums, with two more in the wings.

Victor talks to Gomantak Times Digital on the occasion of International Museum Day, and shares more about his journey so far and his plans for the future.

ODE TO MY GRANDMOTHER

“As kids, my grandmother would tell us so many stories that would keep us not just entertained, but would also teach us about the past,” says Victor.

As he recalls one of his grandmother’s stories, he narrates, “My grandmother would tell us never to throw anything in the water passages. Why? Because the commuted through them, as water was the fastest route. To this day, I’ll bring back a candy wrapper home, but will not dirty a water passage."

"Those were beautiful stories that were used to make this place a healthy environment, so that we preserve it. We were not brought up on Harry Potter or other foreign stories,” says Victor, who opted for Konkani as his main subject in school as he wished to understand his mother tongue and culture.

Victor Hugo Gomes, museum curatorMy grandmother would tell us never to throw anything in the water passages. Why? Because the 'rakhandar' commuted through them, as water was the fastest route. To this day, I’ll bring back a candy wrapper home, but will not dirty a water passage.

He asks, “When you want to explain a phrase in , for instance — Fatt karun, bodkulo futlo — how do you do it? I think in Goa, or in India, we were not being educated. We were being cloned on Western models, and I could not take that. Museums can play a vital role in safeguarding cultural memory, but they must also respond to contemporary realities.”

TREASURES FROM THE PAST: Guns, clocks and furniture can be seen at Victor's Goa Cruti Museum.

PRESERVING HERITAGE AND CULTURE

Victor’s museums are all themed. Goa Chitra, in Benaulim, is a conglomerate of museums, which preserve and present Goa’s diverse cultural and ecological heritage through immersive, experiential spaces, which showcase over 4,000 traditional agrarian implements and domestic tools, narrating Goa’s pre-industrial lifestyle and sustainable traditions.

The Goa Chakra museum is a dedication to the evolution of the wheel. With over 70 non-mechanised indigenous carts, palanquins, cradles, temple chariots, gypsy caravans, dowry-chests on wheels and other carriages — this museum reveals the craftsmanship and ingenuity of India’s regions.

Goa Cruti celebrates creativity and ingenuity, and is a tribute to Goan craftsmanship.

In Betim, the Ferry Cross Historical Photo Archive and Guest House Museotel has a collection of over 300 rare archival photographs, which capture Panjim’s transformation across time.

In Betul, Neemrana’s Three Waters features over 9,000 sea shells, artifacts and corals. The boutique property is dedicated to Goa’s fishing community and marine biodiversity.

Victor Hugo Gomes, museum curatorI think in Goa, or in India, we were not being educated. We were being cloned on Western models, and I could not take that. Museums can play a vital role in safeguarding cultural memory, but they must also respond to contemporary realities.

UPCOMING PROJECTS

The upcoming Tribal Museum, in Netravali, will be a living museum and experiential stay where guests can engage with Goa’s tribal communities and witness traditional practices.

Another upcoming project is the Culinary Museum in Benaulim, which is a sensory experience of Goa’s agrarian and heritage.

Goa Cruti celebrates creativity and ingenuity, and is a tribute to Goan craftsmanship.

“From cultivation to meals being to tools used, visitors will have a first-hand experience. Besides that, a special smell chamber will help guests to interact with Goan cuisine through aromas of spices and dishes,” explains Victor, who discovered that there were 17 operations connected with rice cultivation alone.

“I realised that there were 13 different types of soil on which our ancestors used to cultivate in Goa,” he shares.

BEING A CURATOR IS NOT EASY

Every item at the museum has a story to tell. If Victor was informed of a rare finding, he would travel the length and breadth of the State to learn more about it.

The museums are built on that foundation: not merely preserving objects, but meaning, stories and the dignity of everyday lives that history often overlooks.

SHELL MUSEUM: Visit Betul to explore the various types of shells restored at the museum.

And, that includes meeting people in remote areas to understanding their , history and collecting tools, photographs and items they used on a daily basis.

“I had to travel across the State to find all these legacies. Many of the artifacts were gifted to me by people so that I could tell their stories to visitors. Some were salvaged from homes, fields and so on,” he adds.

Victor strongly believes that education shouldn't stop at students —communities must be educated, too. And, one way of doing that can be achieved by bringing the museum to them.