GOAN HISTORY and CULTURE: Diaspora Goans This is the third of a three part series on Goan Diasporas. We divided the topic into three sections: Old Diasporas; Modern Diasporas; and Challenges for Diasporas. Abstracted from the Book Amchi Khobor - Our News - Inside Goa By Philomena Lawrence and Gilbert Lawrence Presented at the Goan Colloquium in New Rochelle College, NY June 21, 2003.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITES for Goan Diasporas to be culturally connected Diaspora Goans should know, be informed and share helpful information about Goa. Beyond that they should take care of their own Goan culture and Goan society in their back and front-yard rather than pontificate (ad nauseam) what should be done in Goa. Or am I reading too many Goan postings on the web on the same subject? I know somebody will tell me there is a DEL button! Or is writing about Goa an emotional substitute? Maintaining a culture in a new land is not something that applies only to Goans. Hence we do not have to "re-invent the wheel". America, Britain and many countries including India are full of old cultures in new lands. To know Konkani by the residents of Goa and the immigrants is a very good reflection of their learning and language skills. All power to those who know, do and maintain their Konkani. Many Diaspora Goans (usually seniors) who know Konkani are a great resource to the immigrant community and should be invited to every function for a brief (10 min.) sermaum - Amchem baxhen. To switch gears: Sometime ago we were asked by some friends to join the local German-American association. We were surprised by the request. We pointed to them that we were honored by the invitation, but we were not born or lived in Germany or spoke German. They pointed out to us that we truly enjoyed "their" music, dance (polkas, waltzes etc.), food and beer- and that was correct! We decided to join in the fun. The membership gave us a good insight into the workings of another cultural group. The association had about 45 members. A third was immigrants (spoke German) the remainder were spouses and children. The group met every month on the weekday evening - in a school, business, hospital or church meeting room. The meeting started with an oath of allegiance to the USA followed by the singing of 3 German and 3 American songs. The usual association issues and correspondence followed this, with all conversation being in English. Then there was the report on the planning of the social calendar, including the two fund raising events - German sausage and sauerkraut food booth at the town festival and hosting the annual Oktoberfest (all volunteer effort). This was followed by appointing next month's couples to make the German coffee and deserts. And the 1 hour meeting ended with coffee and home-made German deserts made by the couples appointed at the previous month's meeting. The group had a whole range of members in age and socio-economic status. Retirees were always a tremendous resource with their skill, expertise and experience of past events. Individuals who did not have time and energy to volunteer had money to donate and support. It is practically, ethically and morally difficult to find many individuals who have neither - unless they are 'free loaders'. The social calendar was a monthly Saturday event (music, dancing and eating) to commemorate the real ethnic festival. The social was very tasteful, enjoyable but not lavish and expensive. All chipped-in to work, volunteer and make the preparation and the event fun and productive. Of course one could say that all this is easy after a few German beers.=:))) The challenge of Goan Diaspora is how to make our traditions relevant to the second and third generation; and realizing that we need to maintain our customs if we are to continue to maintain our community in a foreign land. Of course these lands are now native to the immigrants and their progeny. Many American groups- German, Italian, Polish, Welsh, Scot, Jewish etc, etc, maintain their culture and grow it, without being fluent in their ethnic languages. The importance lies in celebrating the religious and national festivals, maintaining the rituals especially at home, knowing and being proud of the heritage and of our community. These practices along with songs, dance and cuisine form a continuing chain with original culture and they link one generation with the next. Taking a page from the German-American group, Goan organizations should sponsor essay writings on Goa in their own community by high school children and other projects that kids do when they learn of a new place. For the adults and the society, here is a suggested list of "Goa Specific" social-cultural events that expats should celebrate where ever they are and where ever they have been- (geographically or politically) because all come from Goa. It is something that World Goa Day (WGD) should discuss at its annual get-together next month. Some dates change from year to year as they are based on the lunar calendar. 1. Goa Statehood Day - (May 30) 2. Asmitai Dis - (January 16) with India's Republic Day (Jan 26) 3. Konkani Language Day - (August 20 or the day it is celebrated in Goa) 4. St. Francis Xavier feast - (Goencho Saib on December 3) 5. Blessed Joseph Vaz feast - (Patron of Goa and Daman on January 16) 6. Venerable Agnelo DeSouza feast - (Birthday January 21; Died November 20) 7. Ganesh Chaturthi with India's Independence Day (August 15) 8. Divali (October / November) 9. Shigmo, Holi and Carnival (February / March) 10. Navrati (September / October) 11. Gandhi's birthday (October 2) 12. Ramzan Id (November) Please add your village or gotra festival and others. Clearly current G.O.A.s that are content to host 2-3 events a year (and they are mostly non-Goa-specific except St. Xavier's feast) have to roll their sleeves and develop more programs OR coordinate their activities with neighboring G.O.A.s. Thus they support each other and there are a variety of events for the community to participate. The parochial attitudes of the organization and the presidents' of these organizations has to disappear. At the same time Goans (young and old; ladies and men) in these towns / states /regions, have to support their G.O.A. with their time, energy and efforts much more than their money. The challenge to next generations is to adopt the new, while keeping the old values that have worked well as our book outlines why. New generations are literate, educated and live in a fast-paced world. Life in the fast-lane is not necessarily incompatible with old cultural values. It does require an attempt to maintain the 'old customs' which of course can be done only if we know the 'old traditions'. Nuclear families and especially the children of nuclear families have a more difficult time to know those traditions because the cultural education processes achieved through frequent observations and learning in a standardized society is eliminated. This is even more difficult in an integrated Diaspora in a foreign land. Hence the educated and intelligent generations of the future will have, through a specific learning process, to determine ways that permit adapting to the new without discarding successful traits gathered over 3000 years of experience, practice and rehearsals. Regards, Philomena and Gilbert Lawrence. PS: Have you looked at the World Goa Day (WGD) webpage? It is stimulating and their theme song is very thrilling. Make your plans to be at the WGD in Los Angeles on the Fourth of July weekend. ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
