Re: [GRN] Indian cinema and Vasco de Gama

[John de Figueiredo]

It is important not to lose sight of the time perspective in our conversation about the history of Goa. Let us not confuse what happened in the 16th century with what happened in subsequent decades and centuries. Contrary to what Teotônio de Souza wrote or implied, the Escola Militar was not abolished by Pombal. It was abolished in 1871. Pombal died in 1782. What led to its abolition is a complex set of events that cannot be summarized in a few words. The Escola Militar was a wonderful teaching institution where courses were taught not only on military subjects but also in mathematics, physics, biology, and engineering. Here is what the great Menezes Bragança wrote about the Academia Military and the Escola Matemática e Militar. He wrote that these institutions “marcaram na história do ensino público na Índia uma fase de grande lustre” (highlighted in the history of public education in India a phase of great luster); “a sua ação na cultura mental foi brilhante e fecunda” (its action in mental culture was brilliant and fruitful); “o seu ensino despertou as inteligências para a luz”(the teaching awakened the intelligences to the light). He then goes on to describe this period as “período áureo da mentalidade indo-portuguesa” (golden age of the Indo-Portuguese mentality). The teachers, he writes, were truly outstanding. He mentions its teachers, among others, Mourão Garcez Palha (Viscount of Bucelas), whom he describes as a great scholar (“uma verdadeira mentalidade de sábio). And he concludes: “Criando estes Institutos e a Escola Médica … deu Portugal um testemunho irrefragável de que a sua ação colonizadora não descurou de aproveitaras superiores aptidões mentais dum povo colonial. E em tão alto grau o fez que pode desvanecer-se de ter ido mais longe do que foram outras nações muito mais ricas, muito mais poderosas, muito mais fortes que vieram depois dele para o Oriente”. (By creating these Institutes and the Escola Medica Portugal gave an irrefragable testimony that its colonizing action did not disregard the superior aptitudes of a colonized people. And (Portugal) did it to such high degree that it can pride itself of having gone much farther than other much richer, more powerful, and stronger nations, that came to the East later on.) This was written by Menezes Bragança and not by a Salazarista. Of note is that there were native Goans among the teachers at those Schools, not just Europeans and their descendants. Obviously the abolition of the Escola Militar would cause resentment among those affected by that abolition. Does that mean that there was no prejudice among Europeans and their descendants in Goa? No. But my point is that many Europeans and their descendants most certainly were not prejudiced and there was prejudice among native Goans as well. Therefore we should refrain from using biased readings of the history of Goa to make accusations and generalizations to justify our current political views. John M. de Figueiredo   Sent from my iPhone Sent from my iPhone On Jul 24, 2024, at 5:26 PM, 'Pedro Mascarenhas' via Goa-Research-Net <goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote:  John  You didn't understand what I wrote. Ask people in today's villages who can tell you about the situation before the liberation  of Goa. The history of 20th century xenophobia can be heard in Salcete from the lips of the elderly. Teotónio d'Souza left  well-founded documents about this, and Salazar's former admirers will not allow its publicity. The wounds are still wide open, especially among the Hindus of Goa. That's why the film URUMI is of great importance  and was seen by millions of people. On Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 12:04:44 PM GMT+1, John de Figueiredo <johnde...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: Come on, Pedro! I could not go back to 514 years ago, then move forward in time for 451 years to “personally inquire with the people in the villages to understand the situation in loco”. I am dealing with history as revealed by existing documents. Folclore is not history. John Sent from my iPhone On Jul 21, 2024, at 4:24 PM, 'Pedro Mascarenhas' via Goa-Research-Net <goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote:  -- 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 goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/701498335.3652274.1721820916766%40mail.yahoo.com. -- 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 goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/4B5EBD7D-3E0E-4540-A44D-11C06DD7B12A%40sbcglobal.net.