It would be helpful for me to know if there is any written document indicating that the Portuguese government suppressed Konkani from the year 1750 till 1961. I could not find a single one. There was even a chair of Konkani and Marathi at the Liceu Nacional Afonso de Albuquerque (funded by the Portuguese government). Professor Martinho Faleiro and Professor Esvonta Sinai Talaulicar (both of whom I knew well) taught those languages at the Liceu. I do not know if that chair survived because of lack of attendance. Let us not blame the Portuguese government for what appears to be neglect on the part of many Goans. Cunha Rivara’s appeal fell on deaf ears (with some rare exceptions, as we all know). Prior to the year 1750 is different. And I continue to be surprised at how quickly the Portuguese language was eliminated at the Seminary of Rachol, thus depriving their students from first hand knowledge of important written materials on the history of Goa. Sad. John Sent from my iPhone
John, the suppression of Konkani is well documented and was corroborated by various older Goan folk whom I had met and spoken to, my late grandfather and father included, but I forgot to add it had happened during modern times, in the last decades prior to
1961.
Yes, pre-1900's there was no problems about Konkani being spoken in Goa - the Jesuits were strong supporters of Konkani and other native languages - despite pushing for Latin and Portuguese too - but since they were expelled from Goa, there was no official
support to the Konkani language. It just merely existed.
Konkani did get a push in the 1840's due to the introduction of Manddes and Dulpods in Goan folk music form, where educated Portuguese and Goans would ask their servants to translate Portuguese lyrics into Konkani. Hence the language spread amongst more refined
cultural circles in Goa.
However, mid 20th century things changed. Possibly due to Salazar's policies, I wonder.
Portuguese is still spoken at Rachol seminary as well as at the Bishop's palace, but amongst older priests on conversations, I visit both places regularly. I wonder if the Rachol seminary students themselves have anything to do with this, as most new generation
post 1961 do not speak Portuguese and many students come from very poor backgrounds too, hence Portuguese would be hard for them to understand, unlike English. Perhaps English was a solution to bridge language barriers at Rachol? I doubt Government policies
had anything to do with the language switch at Rachol and Saligao seminaries.
Joao Paulo
Sorry but that is not correct. Since 1750 I do not know of any attempt by the Portuguese to suppress Konkani. Quite the opposite. They advocated the development of Konkani as the work of Cunha Rivara and Mourao Garcez Palha
demonstrates. There were also Marathi schools in Goa approved by Mourao Garcez Palha's grandfather who was Viceroy of India. There was significant opposition to Konkani from some Goans (such as Suriargi Ananta Rao, for example).
What I cannot understand is why Portuguese was banned at the Seminary of Rachol in favor of English. The Seminary of Rachol was not a government institution, so the "tit for tet" explanation does not apply to them.
John
On Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 04:22:45 PM EST, Joao Paulo Cota < [email protected]> wrote:
The French government signed the Treaty of Cession in 1956 with India, which guaranteed French to be included as part of Pondicherry's future, post 1954 referendum.
The Portuguese government was treated as a war enemy, unlike the French, hence the Indian government preferred Portuguese to go away and Goa to embrace what India had to offer - English and Hindi.
The Portuguese also did not encourage Konkani being openly spoken on the streets, as per my older family member / older friend chats. Usage of Konkani was suppressed.
Hence, it could had been a tit for tat game... to get rid of the Portuguese and traces of their language.
Why was Portuguese dropped as language of instruction? It could not be because it was a “colonial language” because English is definitely a colonial language. Historically, English was never a language spoken by Goans in Goa.
John
Sent from my iPhone
Admission to Rachol was restricted to Charda and the Brahmin groups. They were conversant with
the Portuguese language and belonged to the civil services. The new era dates to the early 70's when
the language of instruction also changed to English and Konkanni.
On Wed, Jan 29, 2025 at 6:15 AM 'Carvalho' via Goa-Research-Net < [email protected]>
wrote:
Dear members,
I need your opinion on this. Researching one family of nineteenth century Velsao, Goa, I discovered through archival documents in Lisbon, that one brother from Velsao travelled to Zanzibar and was likely a table waiter and cook, and most likely illiterate,
but later hugely successful. Although there was some reason to treat this information taken from a 1890 source with some scepticism, it did have details for the employer etc. and in the main not really discreditable.
I have now discovered through the assistance of the brilliant geneologist Richard Souza, that another brother born in 1829 was ordained as a priest.
Was not the priesthood in Goa driven by caste and largely restricted to upper-castes?
How do I square this information?
Your help would be most appreciated.
Selma
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