“GOA: as Fernando de Noronha knew it” ‘Goa: tal como a conheci’ (‘Goa: as I knew it’) (Third Millenium, 2018; price: Rs.400) [image: Caetano Mascarenhas] <https://medium.com/@caetanomm?source=post_page-----4b51668578c3-------------------------------->
Caetano Mascarenhas <https://medium.com/@caetanomm?source=post_page-----4b51668578c3--------------------------------> · Follow 12 min read · Mar 5, 2020 <https://medium.com/plans?dimension=post_audio_button&postId=4b51668578c3&source=upgrade_membership---post_audio_button----------------------------------> Probably the most disastrous consequence of Goa’s violent rupture from Portuguese sovereignty in 1961 at the hands of Indian Army is that the entire period of Goan history after Portugal’s take over in 1510 is taken to be a black hole. It suited the narrative of Goa’s new ruling classes to stain the entire Portuguese era as one of no historical value to Goans. Unfortunately, the Goan intelligentsia of the time (mainly the Catholic elite) reacted by simply hot-footing it abroad and abandoning their Goan heritage or by going into a prolonged coma that allowed the community to be smeared by the nouveau pseudo-patriots. One of the doleful effects was the break in transmission of cultural and historical traditions (accentuated by the near-total extinction of Portuguese language) to the adolescent generation of Goans. It has been said by the ancient Roman, Cicero, that a people that does not know its own history is doomed forever to live in the state of adolescence. Goans don’t know much. The book ‘*Goa: tal como a conheci*’ (‘Goa: as I knew it’) (Third Millenium, 2018; price: Rs.400) is a book of history *sui generis*, written in Portuguese, by Fernando de Noronha, that goes a long way to fill a part of this lacuna. It is a narration of ‘what happened in Goa between 1930 and 1980’. It is neither historiography nor a memoir, although it partakes elements of both. The Author saw the writing of the book as the fulfillment of a duty to his beloved land so that its people may use it the better to understand themselves. The late Fernando de Noronha, originally from Neura, was born in 1920. He held a day-job as a bureaucrat but he also dedicated himself to teaching the Portuguese language and was clearly an ardent admirer of all aspects of the Portuguese intervention in Goan history. He contributed to whatever remained of the Portuguese press in Goa after 1961 and was also party to a valiant attempt to run a new Portuguese-language periodical, which did not last long, in the mid-1980’s. It is not a coincidence that the period covered by the book commences with the Salazar era getting under way in Portuguese politics. It is also the point of time when an uncle of the Author embarked on a public career, namely, the priest-politician Castilho de Noronha, to whom the Author professes a debt of having been a source of inspiration. The Author does not pretend to cover the entire social, cultural and historical canvas of Goa but only the part of which he knew best: Catholic Goa. Even though it provides a mass of historical facts, the purists will complain that there is no attribution of primary sources. However, the accuracy of information given is assured by the ring of truth that surrounds it. The book has separate chapters on Politics and Administration, Society and Culture and religion. It is evident that meticulous and painstaking research has gone into its compilation, which is all the more admirable as the Author does not appear to have had any institutional support or resources. The first chapter delves into the political events and institutions that are not of merely sectarian interest. Other than the recently-published ‘Resurgent Goa’ by the academic Varsha Kamat, it is doubtful if there is any other book that contains such a wealth of data and information relating to that historical era. This period had momentous historical importance for Goa. The Portuguese nation had passed through traumatic, if enlightened, times of Republican regimes from 1910. Although the legislation and the egalitarian and secular way of life that it introduced in Portuguese territories marked it out as probably the most advanced country in the Western world, its economy had run to the ground. Out of such chaos there emerged the proverbial strong man with a messianic halo, Antonio Salazar, who was a university professor who went on to dominate Portuguese life with an iron hand (but little prosperity) over the next forty years or so. The Author reveals that he holds Salazar in esteem bordering on veneration. It is hardly known in Goa that the creation of a constitutional monarchy in Portugal as early as 1820 led to the institution of a regime based on a libertarian Constitution drafted and promulgated by an elected Parliament. This Constitution conferred equal citizenship on the overseas residents of the Portuguese territories and did away with the concept of ‘colony’. It was about this citizenship and equality that the greatest Goan political leaders, namely, Bernardo Peres de Silva and Francisco Luis Gomes (of the 19th century) and Luis de Menezes Braganca (of early 20th century), boasted. The overthrow of monarchy and promulgation of a Republic in 1910 further cemented the liberal polity. However, the dictatorship of Antonio Salazar overturned a hundred years of enlightened democratic rule and restored the status of ‘colonies’ to the overseas territories of Portugal. This new regime was known as ‘Estado Novo’ (New State). It reintroduced racial and religious discrimination in the colonies and adopted an authoritarian political structure around the year 1930. This book picks up part of the story from this date so far as it relates to Goa. Since there was no real involvement of the masses in public affairs in the ‘New State’, the political history of the new colonial regime shrinks to no more than the history of the local rulers, i.e. the Governors. The Author gives thumb-nail sketches about the activities of the Governors who held office, including the last ill-fated Gen. Vassalo e Silva. It appears that this last incumbent had embarked on various projects towards the economic and infrastructural development of Goa: building of National Highway, provision of piped drinking water, laying of sewerage system, restoration of Old Goa and proposals for bridges across rivers Mandovi and Zuari. He also founded naval establishments and scholarships for Goan students to study in Portugal. His greatest achievement was to sacrifice his own career rather than risk the destruction of Goan territory and lives by surrendering nobly to the conquering Indian Army on 19th December 1961. The ‘Chapter 2’ is crucial as it contains hitherto unavailable information about the political structures in Goa during the post-1930 era. The existing political parties ‘Partido Indiano’ and ‘Partido Ultramarino’ had been outlawed and only the State-sponsored party ‘Uniao Nacional’ (National Union) permitted to operate. The Republican statute ‘Bases Organicas’ of 1914 had provided for a certain degree of autonomy for Goa and the creation of a ‘Legislative Council’ to be elected by a limited suffrage. It was meant to be the first step towards a democratic process, as it also had a majority of *ex-officio *and Government-nominated members. However, in 1933 this body was designated as ‘Government Council’ and rendered toothless in view of the ban on independent parties and the introduction of the Colonial Act of 1930, which reduced Goans to being second-class subjects. The Colonial Act had been opposed vigorously by Goan political and intellectual leaders, who declared categorically that Goans would never renounce their rights for self-government. The book has a lot of minutiae of names of members, composition of committees and place of meetings but not much about the substance of the legislative powers or the subjects of its jurisdiction. It is stated that the Decree of 1st July 1955 sought to increase the area of administrative decentralization, but no details are given other than the assertion that the members of the Council has liberty to speak ‘within limits imposed by education and decency’ (p.35). The new Constitution of 1933 also provided for a national parliament, known as National Assembly. This assembly had the power to make laws and was composed of candidates proposed by the only permitted party. It is not explained what was the nature of ‘election’ in a one-party State. From the deputies so chosen, Castilho de Noronha argued for administrative decentralisation and financial autonomy for Goa. However, the life of Goans continued to be governed with an iron hand. Curiously, the Salazarist regime continued to nominate members to represent Goa, from among Goans living in Portugal, till its collapse in 1974. The new democratic government of Portugal formally accepted the integration of Goa into the Indian Union, without, it must be noted, the Goan polity being involved. The Author gives detailed particulars about the bureaucratic system and financial administration. It is of interest that the total number of Government employees in 1961 was a little over 4,000 only. The notable feature of the Annual Budget was that no deficit was allowed, i.e. the planned expenditure had to be strictly within the limits of the projected revenue. The village authority, with power to decide minor local disputes, was the ‘Regedor’ appointed by Government from the local gentility. The autonomy of the millennial Comunidades was restricted with the onset of the dictatorship. The Author holds that the dictatorship of Antonio Salazar was inevitable to bring order to a nation in chaos, to ‘re-educate’ the people, to discipline the administration and to ‘guide’ the Press. In a nod to the emerging anti-colonial movements, Salazar had permitted token elections to a new parliament. In June 1946 the public meeting addressed by Indian socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia at Margao had thrown the local government out of balance. According to the Author, the movement of Goan nationalists in British India was made up of haters of Christianity, idlers, criminals and mercenaries. The militant group Azad Gomantak Dal is said to have been promoted by Indian official agencies. He points out that not only Nehru but other top Indian political leaders in 1950’s, specifically Morarji Desai, had opposed any use of force in Goa. In 1948 Portugal and India broke diplomatic relations. The Author asserts that the economic blockade imposed by Indian Government against the territory of Goa in mid-1950’s only caused serious discomfort to India-based Goans without success in putting pressure on Portugal to release its hold on Goa. This tactic is said to have actually contributed to economic development in Goa such as construction of airports, direct international flights, improvement of canals at Paroda and Khandeapar and import of high-value products including motor-cars. A meeting between some Goan political leaders and Antonio Salazar in 1947 did not generate in the Dictator any appreciation for the political aspirations of Goans. The account of Indian military takeover of Goa on 19th December 1961 does not contain any new information. The chapter ‘Post-1961’ contains perspectives and narratives that are not currently popular. It lists many little-known publications of 1962 onwards that record various opinions worldwide with respect to the military takeover of Goa. The Author notes that the pacifist professions of Indian governments were merely a pragmatic ruse, not a matter of principle. The Author links the military attack by China on India’s north-east region in 1962 to this diminution of India’s pacifist prestige. The new Indian regime introduced censorship over Press and even private postal correspondence. There were nascent attempts in Goa to create political organizations and to address the travails caused by imposition on local bureaucracy of outstation ‘deputationists’, seen as corrupt and incompetent. There were also cases of excesses from lower-level military personnel. A brief reference is made to the attempt to merge Goa with Maharashtra and to the unique ‘Case of Fr. Chico’ (who refused to recognize Indian sovereignty over Goa). Disruptions were caused to Comunidades and to the sanctity of private property by new legislation. The Author accuses the new regime of intentionally destroying recorded Portuguese music at the radio station of Panjim as part of the design to uproot Portuguese culture and language from Goa. Despite recurring episodes of Goan manifestations of unhappiness with post-1961 system of government, the post-Salazarist democratic Government of Portugal unilaterally recognized Goa as legal unit of Indian Union. In the part about ‘Facets of society and culture’, the Author speaks fondly about the Lyceum, founded in 1854, which was the only institution of learning above school level other than the fabled Rachol Seminary and Goa Medical College. Till 19th century the Portuguese language was prevalent mainly among the upper-class Catholics of Old Conquests. From the establishment of Republican regime in 1910, education in Portuguese was promoted among the Hindu community, the beneficiaries of which were its upper echelons who then became prominent in local life and even abroad. The Catholic clergy were particularly proficient in the language. After 1961, the language fell into official and even social disfavor, till the ties with Portugal were re-established in 1980. The Author points out that the continued cultivation of the Portuguese language among the youth of post-1961 generations would have better connected them to our culture and appreciation of past Goan writers and historical research as well as linked them to the 200-million-strong Portuguese speakers worldwide. The first Portuguese daily ‘O Heraldo’ was also the last to shut shop, in 1983. A new weekly ‘A Voz de Goa’ had a short life in mid-1980’s. The Portuguese language has then been featured only in a weekly radio program ‘Renascenca’ and in private gatherings. The Portuguese presence has survived in music, in names of hotels and roads and in vocables that have become part of Konkani language. Portuguese, which is still the mother-tongue of many Goan families, got a shot in the arm with its introduction in the 1980’s into the school and college curricula. There are many Goans who have continued the literary tradition in contemporary Portugal. The chapter on ‘Journalists and Writers’ is a most valuable record of writers and polemicists who are all lamentably forgotten and unknown today. The sheer quality and volume of writings in Portuguese in such a small territory as Goa is a matter of amazement. There are also short notes on the many periodicals published during the period covered by the book. I do not think there is any other publication that contains this precious historical record that has shaped the social, cultural and political ethos of 20th century Goa. The ‘Instituto Vasco da Gama’, founded in 1871, merits a whole chapter for its unmatched contribution to the widening of literary and scientific horizons of young Goans. (This institution was renamed as ‘Menezes Braganca Institute’ after December 1961.) The hoary ‘Seminario de Rachol’ is said to have had academic standards that were higher than in Europe. The book gives valuable information about its scholastic structure. The chapter on ‘The city and the village’ gives interesting particulars about the administrative divisions of Goa. It also names the many wards that formed ‘Nova Goa’ (now Panaji), its squares, streets, entertainment, social profile and classes, including the now-extinct ‘descendentes’ and ‘mesticos’ whose ‘bon vivant’ lifestyle spiced up the local social life. The Margao town was known as the cultural and political capital of Goa on account of its manorial and intellectual life (which was lampooned in the novel ‘Jacob e Dulce’ by Francisco Joao da Costa). The towns of Mapusa and Vasco da Gama enjoyed less prestige. Village life was tranquil and secure. Society was homogeneous and, not withstanding its caste divisions, lived harmoniously. There was no religious strife. Incidents of crime were low and one almost never heard of serious offences like rape and murder. Corruption among public officials was not known. The economy was basically agricultural operations of paddy and coconut cultivation with other fruit-bearing trees. There was an attempt to develop the extensive barren land of the New Conquest agriculturally. The only industry that existed was small-scaled factories for canning and preservation of fish, meat and fruits. The mining of ferrous ores began only in 1950’s, which also lead to the improvement of Mormugao port. Emigration for employment was widespread and it balanced the local economy. The chapter ‘O Clero’ (The Clergy) dilates upon the contribution of Goan Catholic priests to public life by way of education and writings. Interestingly, it notes that late Francisco Xavier Gomes Catao wrote extensively on the history of Goa Archdiocese in various periodicals. As there is no comprehensive history of Catholic Church or Christianization of Goa, one hopes that these writings are soon collected in a single or more volumes. The Author gives the roll-call of Goan clerics who made history by being the first Indians to hold offices as Cardinals and Bishops and Patriarchs of Goa. The collapse of the Republican regime in Portugal around 1926 ended the separation of Church and State. The Church began to reassert itself in civil public life and even political institutions. The religious Orders, which had been expelled from Portuguese territories in the 18th century by Marquis de Pombal, returned to Goa in the 20th century and run prestigious educational and welfare institutions. The Author asserts that the Catholic Church has been a force for good for the general public in Goa. The Christian influence, he says, has contributed to the creation of a distinct identity of the Goan, no matter his religion. There is an interesting account of Catholic apologetics in Goa that is not likely to be found in any other historical account. The chapter contains an invaluable record of the many Catholic periodicals (the first ‘*O Crente*’ being founded in 1895) and writers (lay and clerical) who battled in defence on Catholic orthodoxy. The elite of educated Goan youth of early 20th century was largely indifferent to religion, many of whom (such as Antonio Floriano de Noronha and Luis de Menezes Braganza) went on to become celebrated flag-bearers of liberal thinking in Goa. The concept of religious polemics itself dissolved when Vatican Council II opted for dialogue, instead of antagonism, with other phase. In the chapter ‘The Faith of the People’ the Author reviews the many peculiar practices and events surrounding the Catholic religion in Goa, e.g. the caste-based sectarian formations (‘Confrarias’), the prevalence of ‘evil eye’, the invocations to different saints for specific favours and the naming of various villages after different cognomens of Mary, Mother of Christ. The Author attributes the typical Goan qualities of honesty, sincerity and loyalty as being the fruits of (mainly Catholic) religiosity. The book is written in unpretentious and elegant Portuguese prose. Everybody interested in things Goan should be grateful for this labour of love. https://medium.com/@caetanomm/goa-as-fernando-de-noronha-knew-it-4b51668578c3 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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