I have experienced the Sao Joao festival in Anjuna before. Here local youth - men and women - throw caution to winds. They eat the fruits of the season � mangoes, jack-fruit and pineapple, that are freely given to participants. They imbibe as much local alcohol as is available and gaily plunge into wells of willing participants. Everyone, participants and spectators get a good soaking at the end either by nature�s rain or by participants soaking one another with buckets of water. All this �joie de vivre� does not come without its share of casualties. One San Joao reveler died in Mapuca when he dove into the Acoi River in an inebriated condition.
All this revelry has, at best, a very tenuous connection with the church. According to Fr. Valladares, of St. Jerome�s Church and Dean of the Mapuca Deanery � . . These kind of celebrations have absolutely no connection to the feast or the church. . . .� He was speaking after Alex Doming Lobo, 23, died when after consuming one drink too many he tried to cross the 25 metre wide river. A probable link to the Bible is when Mother Mary was with child (Jesus), she visited her cousin Elizabeth who was also expecting her child (St. John the Baptist). It is said that on feeling the presence of Mary and Jesus, the child in Elizabeth�s womb jumped for joy. So now Goans jump in wells on that day. Go figure!
This year was my first experience at the big Siolim festival � the 8th Siolim San Joao Traditional Boat Festival on the bank of the Siolim creek in front of St. Anthony�s church. Many gaily decorated boats made their way to foot of the stage set on the bank of the creek. The crew, also gaily dresses shouted �San Joao, San Joao� as they brought their boats in and then made their way to the stage to claim their prizes. The entertainment on stage was excellent. The featured band was The Pietros from Anjuna so was the sound system. Lots of singers and dance troupes entertained the large crowd that had gathered on the main road in front of the church. Yours truly also claimed a prize �for anyone with a gold tooth� (I have four!).
Sangodd in Candolim on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. The origin of this celebration is unique to Goa. It is the celebration of the fisher folk community because St. Peter was a fisherman. �Sangodd� (as per Mr. Tomasinho Cardozo) actually means wooden planks tied together to form a raft that floats on water. He continues to explain �It seems that when the Portuguese were converting people in Goa, the Hindus from the Verna area fled with their deity towards Marcel by crossing the Zuari river in a �Sangodd�.� So there you go. The raft this day spanned three boats and a model of a chapel made of plywood was erected in the middle. The stage performances took place in front of this model. The festival was well attended and the entertainment looked professional and was very good. What struck me was that there is no shortage of youngsters willing to display their musical/comedic talent on stage. The raft with its chapel model made its way down the river up to the Chapel of St. Peter. At each stop, firecrackers were set off and the entertainment on the stage commenced.
At both the festivals this year I was lucky (or unlucky maybe) that it did not rain. So both were "suko
" festivals. I really should be careful trying to write Konkani. If I am wrong, I am sure that some self-professed Konkani expert crab will correct me.
Go to http://photos.yahoo.com/timdemello3 and click on San Joao to see some images from both festivals.
And, Oh! Yes!
VIVA GOA!!!
Tim de Mello [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goa, INDIA
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