On Fri, 11 Jul 2003, Jorge/Livia de Abreu Noronha wrote: > the other. And I am sure nobody reminisces the Salazarists but the "Estado > da India" itself, i.e. Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar-Aveli as part of > Portugal. Everyone has his/her likes and dislikes, and, if those "some > Goans" look back with "saudade" to the "Estado da India Portuguesa", so be > it.
That's the crux of the issue, to my mind. Call it brainwashing or whatever you want, but someone like me who grew up in the midst of the global de-colonisation era of the second half of the 20th century, simply can't understand this: why and how a section can yearns and wishs almost for a return of the Estado da India Portuguesa. How does one align this feeling with the reality that bulk of people back in Goa see the last four decades as opening up opportunity -- despite the many accompanying problems? The other aspect is that if things had really been so rosy in the Estado da India Portuguesa, then so many Goans wouldn't have to scour all corners of the globe to get to a better lifestyle. What is still intriguing me is: o What is the size of the section that feels they were better off under a Portuguese colonial state (Salazar or no Salazar)? o Whether this was a priviledged minority, the limited section that got access to higher education and professional qualifications? o Whether the benefits perceived from the colonial regime was actual or notional? If actual, for how large a segment of the population? o Whether part of this sentiment stemmed from a (probably misplaced) feeling that the ruler and the ruled shared the same religion and hence this was found to be reassuring in some way. The fact of the matter is that Portuguese rule (except probably in the sixteenth century and part of the seventeenth) gave Goans very little to write home about. Being a backward economic power for much of its regime, it could not provide the jobs needed to sustain the locals, even if it gave access to a Westernised form of education (which had a wider market in a period of expanding colonialism). That's the reason why so many of our families fled Goa (and particular famines or killer-diseases, as those of around 1918) to scour the world for jobs and a better lifestyle. Like some of Goa's post-1961 regimes, the Portuguese too, given the openly theocratic nature of their government, however sent out subliminal messages that their rule was good for 'Catholicism' in Goa. To what extent does this explain the nostalgia for the past? Of course, this is a complex issue. In some parts of 'British' India too, a section of the priviledged elite still longs for the "good old days". There, the angle of religion does not come in. Jorge, thanks for as usual, debating the issue in a very rational manner, basing conclusions on verifiable facts, rather than biases. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frederick Noronha (FN) | http://www.fredericknoronha.net Freelance Journalist | http://www.bytesforall.org http://goalinks.pitas.com | http://joingoanet.shorturl.com http://linuxinindia.pitas.com | http://www.livejournal.com/users/goalinks ------------------------------------------------------------------------- T: 0091.832.2409490 or 2409783 M: 0 9822 122436 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ########################################################################## # 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 # ##########################################################################
