Souza Guiao: A versatile Konkani singer by Tomazinho Cardozo (The Navhind Times)
Francisco Xavier Guiso De Souza, popularly known as Sonza Guiao, a versatile personality, a singer and sportsman, who captured the hearts of Goans with his melodious and unique style of singing in the 1940s and 150s, is no more. He expired on January 31 at his residence at Calangute.Born in 1923, Souza Guiao studied in St Joseph�s High School, Arpora and continued his Portuguese studies in the lyceum at Panaji. He participated in hundreds of tiatrs, produced and directed by popular artistes of the Konkani stage, mainly as a singer. Being well versed in English and Portuguese besides Konkani, he mesmerised audiences by singing songs in three languages, a feat no other singer has so far achieved on the Konkani stage. Another uniqueness of his singing was that he was an excellent yodeller. His capacity to control his voice, modulating it when needed and yodelling at times, made him the darling of audiences. Because of his mastery over his voice, he could easily imitate various singers of his time. He goes down in the history of Konkani singers for imitating seven popular singers namely Souza Ferrao, Dioginho D�Mello, Balduino Araujo, Aleixinho de Candolim, Young Menezes, Kid Boxer and Johnson Carvalho, all in one song. He was a regular singer for Emissora de Goa, at present known as All India Radio, during Portuguese rule. He was the only artiste then to sing in Konkani, Portuguese and English at AlR, Goa which was broadcast to all the Portuguese colonies like Mosambique, Angola, Macao, etc. His Konkani song Tivim Ganv in praise of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, is remembered even today. He was a regular crooner for the musical band which used to play during the banquets hosted by the then governor of Goa, Dr Vassalo Silva. He was praised by him for his melodious singing. Souza Guiao had the opportunity to sing for Jawaharlal Nehru too, the then prime minister of India, when he visited Goa soon after Goa�s Liberation. He sang India Pandavachem Xar on the occasion, which was highly appreciated by Nehru. Besides singing, Souza Guiao was an excellent sportsman. He was the all-Goa carrom champion for many years. He was an intelligent carrom player and had the opportunity to face with confidence carrom stalwarts from Portugal, Britain and Germany. He is the only Goan carrom player who won the gold medal. He was also a superb football player and played for the football team trained by late Lube Tavares, a pioneer in football activities in Goa. Even at the age of 81, he was very active and enjoyed walking, cycling and singing his own songs. His funeral took place on February 1. May his soul rest peace. (courtesy: The Navhind Times) (Some on the Net are copying the text and stories already published by Shri Tomazinho Cardozo and The Navhind Times) May the great soul of my alma mater rest in peace. - Forwarded by Gaspar Almeida, Associate, www.goa-world.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/ ########################################################################## # 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 # ##########################################################################
