NT Reporter
Margao
Japanese researcher Prof Kyoko Matsukawa of Konan University, Japan, who has been studying the Konkani language and tiatr tradition, has pledged support to the initiative seeking UNESCO heritage status for the Goan art form.
Matsukawa visited the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) office on Monday and held discussions with TAG president Anthony Barbosa, vice-president Marcos Gonsalves, and Member Secretary Carlos Fernandes on the heritage tag proposal and related issues.
“This is a great step towards earning the highest recognition for tiatr. I am very much in favour of the initiative and will support it in every way possible,” she said, also expressing interest in gaining deeper knowledge about its history, uniqueness, and cultural value.
Barbosa proposed collaborations on academic and research projects related to tiatr. “It is a great honour that TAG is receiving support from an international researcher, especially from Japan, which has no direct connection with tiatr,”
he said.
Gonsalves invited Matsukawa to share her perspectives at upcoming forums and events, stressing the importance of global engagement in promoting the Goan art form.
Matsukawa also praised TAG’s plan to launch a
dedicated research journal on tiatr, saying such documentation would strengthen the case for UNESCO recognition.
TAG officials described the meeting as a milestone in efforts to take tiatr—a blend of music, drama, and social commentary—to the global stage, and expressed confidence that international collaborations would add weight to their heritage proposal.
