Santiago Pereira

Santiago Pereira (22 May 1912 – 2 February 1960) was a Goan playwright, stage director, lyricist, drama teacher, and musician known for his work in khell (street play) productions.

Early life Santiago Pereira was born on 22 May 1912 in the village of Cotombi, Goa which was part of the Portuguese colonial territory of Portuguese India at the time during Portuguese Empire (now in India). Pereira's father, Vitorino Pereira, worked as a toddy tapper, while his mother was Fortuliana Nogueira. Pereira received his early education at the Paroda government school, where he completed the primeiro grau (first grade) curriculum taught in the Portuguese language. His premiere khell presentation garnered positive feedback, particularly applauding his adeptness in creating the ambiance, narrative, musical compositions, and accompanying music.

Pereira's initial success opened doors for him to present his khell performances in several villages across the region, including Assolda, Cuppamoddi (Curchorem), Chandor, Curtorim, Davorlim, Cuncolim, , Shiroda, Goa, and Panchawadi, among several others. Over the course of his career, Pereira was invited to form and lead khell troupes in several Goan villages, including Curtorim, Panchawadi, Verna, Goa, Chinchinim, Benaulim, and Utorda. As the "mestri" or director of these khell groups, he oversaw all aspects of the productions, from scriptwriting and musical composition to the training of the khellghodde performers.

Pereira was regarded as a versatile figure known for his diverse talents and contributions to the khell tiatr domain. and Bonifacio "Bonny" (born 1954), continued his legacy in the Konkani tiatr scene. Bonny's wife, Antonette de Calangute, also contributed to the Konkani stage as a theatre actress and singer.

Illness and death In 1959, Pereira's health began to decline, leading to illness that necessitated a bladder operation at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Bombay. This medical intervention subsequently rendered him unable to carry on with his previous occupation of toddy tapping. As a result, he transitioned to playing the bass for the band led by João Francisco Pacheco. Pereira's medical issues persisted, and in January 1960 his condition worsened significantly. He was transferred to the Escola Médica Cirúrgica de Goa in Pangim, where he died on 2 February 1960, aged 47. Following his wishes, Pereira was laid to rest in his hometown of Cotombi. During that period, the area did not have bridges linking Chandor-Cottombi to Paroda-Cotombi, necessitating the use of a "tar" (small boat) to traverse the river. Despite these logistical challenges, a large crowd assembled to honor Pereira and offer their final tributes.