From the inception, the project “Ancestral Goa” has always been associated with ventures that are related to the development of our children, the protection of their civic rights and the development of the child’s cognisance of its environment, heritage and culture. Towards this end the project began the affiliated “Big Foot Trust” a charitable organization to look after the needs of underprivileged and financially deprived youngsters.

The Nature
Workshop

The “Trust” holds annual workshops during the summer vacations for children of schools all over Goa. These workshops pursue activities that develop the child’s inherent talent for art, craft, drawing and painting. All the activities are related to the protection of “Nature” and to develop in the child a need to enhance the surroundings. Therefore there is always the use of natural material, earth colours and vegetable dyes.

The Bal Mela

An exclusive program for the interaction of the underprivileged child with those children of a more secure financial background is held in November annually. This is an event where there are children from nearby orphanages, slums and the very low income brackets intermingling with children from public schools and private institutions for a whole day of activities ranging from games, competitions in art, craft, singing, dancing etc.

Run For Nature

The village children, those from schools in and around and all other youngsters participate in these events highlighting the unifying means for the championing of the cause for the “Protection” of Nature and her depleted resources. There are skits and songs performed at the premises and around the village for the benefit of the visitors and the locals.

You have to Care to be able to Share

A “Share and Care” program is held for children where youngsters from schools in Loutolim, and the village of Curtorim and Raia are invited to the premises of “Ancestral Goa” on their birthdays. They can bring along their friends and spend time at the premises on a guided tour. They are offered refreshments and given gifts. This ensures that the students carry forward the message of a “Unified Society”

String Peace from hand to soul
A unique “Kite Flying” festival is held at the “Big Foot Kala Sanskritti Kendra” to further the cause for Communal Harmony and Peace. The competition is thrown open to the schools from the South Goa areas and prizes are distributed to the catchiest slogans and the best kites.

Art for Peace

A canvas of 37 meters was painted by 500 school children and some eminent artists from Goa to propagate “Communal Harmony ’09”, it was in celebration of the 13th Anniversary of Ancestral Goa, similarly Poster, Patriotic songs / Dance competitions are held for school children on different occasions. World Religion Day is celebrated where people of different Religions light a lamp to show that God is one “I am who I am” read a passage from their Holy Book and explained the text.

Water Harvesting

As part of the “Go Green” campaign , water harvesting which is practiced at Ancestral Goa is explained to the visitors how important it is to the environment.

Doing Things Traditionally

The Traditional Carnival or the Intruz

A gala event of the olden festivities is enacted replete with all the traditional flavour of the local travelling troupe performing the “Khell”, the “Mones” the “Mascaradas” and the usual noise of throbbing percussion instruments and wailing violins. Colourful streamers and bright ribbons festoon the whole atmosphere filling the premise with an age old gaiety that is so different from modern plastic variety of entertainment.

Sao Joao

The onset of the monsoons and on the 24th of June, each year, every foot moves towards “Ancestral Goa” for a taste of the traditional “patoleo”, “folle”, “Chonne” with jaggery and coconut pieces and the dominant taste of the local “Feni”. Throbbing drums, the “Gumott” and the voices of merry revellers shouting “Viva re Sao Joao” fill the air each year accompanied to the splashes of swimmers taking a noisy dip in the various water bodies around the premises.

Natallam

To encompass the elderly, the sick and the orphans in a celebration of meaning, the “Big Foot Trust” organizes an event where gifts are distributed to various institutions and a choir of youngsters is arranged to perform at various places.

Care for our Environment

Anything For Mother Earth
The “Big Foot” have a tradition for doing Big Things in a quiet way and making a Tidal Wave of a difference.The trend of change has people seeking to be a part of the events, from all over the world to be it in person or over the “Net”.


Mother’s Day
Cards are made and little children are asked to choose these and present them to their mothers. The cards all carry out a message towards the protection of the rights of our “Natural Resources” and that of “Mother Earth” too.


Earth Day
T-shirts with slogans and cards with messages move out from the premises. There are activities like poster drawing and painting held for children from schools all over Goa. “Make your village Plastic Free” was the slogan that kicked off the event this year,{2008} activities. In these activities the importance of taking care of earth’s resources is highlighted.

Nature my Valentine

While the shops festoon themselves with hearts and red coloured items at “Ancestral Goa” there is a festivity of different kind each year on the 14th of February. Visitors buy and wear T-shirts that carry a slogan “Nature my Valentine” and take part in a tree planting ceremony.

Make A Tree Your Friend

Instead of the slender wrists of humans, tree trunks get decorated with the colourful ribbons. All over the premises of “Ancestral Goa” guests are invited to partake of this ceremony annually thus pledging to support a tree and ensure its growth and the eventual protection for all time . The Tree knows only to give and not to take, its our true friend.

Environment Day

“From a small seed grows a big tree” , is the maxim that functions the annual events on “World Environment Day”. School students are asked to participate in this event and as incentives are given a sapling, explained its uses and entrusted with its care until the following year. The students also identify different trees which have medicinal value growing in their neighborhood.

Friendship Day

Friendship day is made special by bringing together people of all religions to tie a ribbon with a message of long lasting peace, hope and harmony, followed by a all religion prayer meet, to end in a meal.