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Like Rui Collaco's mlther, I was also born in Goa before 1961, left Goa "for greener pastures" a few years before the integration of that territory in the Indian Union, live now in Portugal, and have never had any other nationality but Portuguese. I am totally in agreement with what Rui said in his post below, of March 05. - Jorge ----- Original Message ----- From: Rui Collaco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 6:15 PM Subject: [Goanet] Re: [Goanet]Not all Goans are Indians > > Just a quick note to reinforce the idea that not all Goans are Indians, as > has been said. My mother, for instance, was born in Goa before 1961. She is > a Goan, but she has never been Indian. India is a political entity created > only in 1947, centuries after Goa was part of a distinct political entity. > Thousands of Goans like my mother are attached to Goa but not to India. By > definition, an Indian is a citizen of India. If by Indian one means the > ethnicity, then we all have our roots in the subcontinent, but that is a > vague concept, which means very little to me, since there is no Indian race > and the Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Nepalese and Sri Lankans can claim the > same ancestry. As for me, I do not deny my origins, let me be clear about > this, I am proud of it. I am brown-skinned and my colour is highly > appreciated here in Portugal (several women have praised it.) I was born in > Mozambique of Goan parents, and all my grandparents were born in Goa. I > define myself as a Portuguese citizen of Goan (not Indian) origin, and am > quite happy with that. Never had any identity problems. Being Portuguese and > living in Lisbon, I know that any cultured fellow citizen here knows only > too well the difference between a Goan and an Indian. There are more than > 1000 million Indians, there are less than 1 million genuine Goans. Even > though I am thorougly integrated in the Portuguese mainstream (Goans and > their descendants are not treated as, and do not consider themselves as a > minority in this country)I enjoy feeling culturally and above all > emotionally attached to the Goan flock. > > Rui Manuel Miranda Colla�o (Lisboa) > _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
