Addressing the audience that comprised artists and research scholars, he explained the nuances of this unique language, how it was influenced by Malayalam and in what ways it differs from standard Portuguese.

He said that some members of this community settled in Australia had evinced interest in documenting this language and preserve it for posterity, adding that it was a positive sign.

He also discussed the now-extinct Indo-Portuguese Creole that was spoken in and around Fort Kochi and Vypin. He recalled his association with the late Francis Paynter and William Rozario, who were the last remaining speakers of this centuries-old version of Portuguese.

Dr Cardoso also recollected his earlier visits to different parts of Kerala to unearth evidence of various forms of the Creole as part of his doctoral research.

Professor MH Ilias, the coordinator of the Mar Chrysostom Chair, said the lecture was organised on the sidelines of a three-day workshop in Kodungalloor based on the theme ‘Chavittunatakam: The Past Present and Future of a Creolised Performance Genre’.

Mumbai-based multimedia artist and curator Riyas Komu also spoke during the event.