Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral
For the Fernandes family of St. Mathias, Divar, January 3 holds a meaning far deeper than a date on the calendar. It is a marker of movement, memory, and a lifelong commitment to Goa’s cultural soul. The day is the birthday of Genevieve Fernandes, the eldest daughter of family matriarch Antonetta Fernandes, and it also commemorates January 3, 1976—the day Antonetta travelled from Santa Cruz airport in Bombay to London with her six children to join her husband, the late Bernard Fernandes.
At a time when overseas migration meant uncertainty and sacrifice, Antonetta’s decision required courage and resolve. This, however, was not her first transcontinental journey. Nearly a decade earlier, in 1967, she had sailed from Mombasa, Kenya, to Marmagao, Goa, navigating life across continents long before such mobility became common among Goan families.
The family later settled in Leicester in the United Kingdom, where Antonetta raised six children while remaining deeply connected to the Goan diaspora. She was actively involved in organising tiatr performances and cultural programmes, and ensured her children participated in the Scouts and Guides movement, grounding them in discipline, service, and cultural pride.
Recalling those years, her eldest son Marius Fernandes speaks of values passed down quietly but firmly. He remembers his mother insisting that wherever one lives, one must give something back—especially one’s culture. Even far from Goa, the family was never allowed to forget who they were or where they came from.
Marius went on to work with British Telecom, building a stable life in the UK, but the connection to Goa never faded. In 2000, he returned to Goa with his family, followed soon after by his parents, completing a journey that spanned Kenya, Goa, the United Kingdom, and finally, a return home.
Back in Goa, Marius Fernandes—now widely known as Festakar—channelled his global experiences into cultural action. Over the years, he has played a key role in organising 104 festivals across the state, from intimate village celebrations to large-scale cultural showcases highlighting Goan music, art, heritage, and local talent. For him, festivals were never just about size or spectacle, but about giving villages confidence, offering Goan artistes a platform, and reclaiming public spaces for culture.
Reflecting on his journey, Fernandes sees migration as deeply connected to his cultural mission. Living abroad, he says, teaches one the true value of what was left behind. Returning to Goa was not about slowing down but about responsibility—towards people, culture, and community.
At the heart of this story stands 94-year-old Antonetta Fernandes, whose quiet strength shaped the lives of her children. Looking back at her extraordinary journey today, her words remain simple and deeply Goan. She speaks of celebrating the move to the UK, but more importantly, of celebrating the return to Goa to live a sussegado life.
Fifty years on, the Fernandes family story is not just about migration across continents. It is about adaptability, cultural continuity, and the enduring idea of home—proof that no matter how far one travels, some journeys are always meant to end where they began.
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