Canacona, the southernmost district of Goa, has it all: lush fields, forests, wildlife, mountains, rivers, ruins, charming hamlets, and secluded beaches. Until 2000 it was unknown to the outside world. Then Matt Damon came along and discovered Palolem beach in the 2004 movie, The Bourne Supremacy. And later the Instagram era arrived and with it the ‘bucket list’ savages. Canacona's aboriginal population, the Kunbis (with Gaonkar or Velip as their surnames) live in areas around Gaondongri, Cotigao, Chapoli (the site for a new dam), Assali, Kulem, Khola and Agonda. Besides the Kunbi, there are also their tribal-priestly counterparts, the Velips. One giant banyan (Ficus) tree is located just beyond the Vaishnavite Partagal math, a religious centre at Partagal-Canacona. Closeby is the banks of the Talpona river. Some put its age at 2,000 years old, and say its shade could encompass around a thousand people. Sacred groves -- ancient, protected forests -- are numerous in interior Goa. Ka...