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Goans in Kenya... proving themselves under adversity From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 02:36:54 +0500 ***************************************************************** GOANS-KENYA | From Frederick Noronha ***************************************************************** GOANS IN KENYA... PROVING THEMSELVES UNDER ADVERSITY It's easy to locate Dr Teresa Albuquerque. You simply need to keep track of the villages and localities that she has written about, and you can guess she'll be somewhere there. But of course, this prolific writer's pen has taken on many more areas than one person can live in. She earlier wrote on Anjuna (her scenic but fast-changing village in Bardez) and Santa Cruz (where her family home in Bombay), apart from other subjects. Her focus has now shifted to Kenya, which happens to be the land of birth of her husband, as of quite a few other emigrant Goans. Albuquerque's latest book, released just days back, deals with the Goans of Kenya. Awaiting a suitable publisher for some time now, this work is based on her research to that region in 1994-95. When we met the other day at her family home at Chinvar, Anjuna, she had many stories to narrate. Albuquerque said her story was one of how Goans "work best under adversity" and how they managed to "come out winners again" in the trying post- colonial times of that East African country. She pieced together this story in a country she had not visited earlier by meeting many Goans there. In particular the three widows of prominent persons who dared to stand apart from their community and play a crucial role in Kenyan political affairs. Published by Michael Lobo of Bombay, this book is not in the same coffee-table series as Albuquerque's earlier 'Rachol', focussing on that historic Salcete village. So, it is priced far more affordably, and could find its way to many more Goan homes. Says Albuquerque: "I had interest in Goan migration, and earlier worked on the (Catholic) Goans of Bombay in my book called 'To Love is To Serve'. During my PhD research, I came across many references of Goans. It struck me that though such a small community in Bombay, they too had done quite something in fields like education." Reading the files of decades-old periodicals like the 'Anglo- Lusitano' was a fascinating experience. This bilingual periodical threw much light on the early Goans migrating to that city at the turn of the century. Albuquerque came across references to her own grandfather, the late B.X.Furtado. He was one of the founders of the prominent St. Xavier's High School at Cavel and ran a shop of music and religious articles. "That really whetted my appetite," she recalls. She realised how Goans had struggled to come up. She also got particularly interested in East Africa, one of the places of Goan migration. Her father-in-law had worked under the British administration there, and her husband was born in a place called Lamu, near Malindi in Kenya. "He had never seen it after returning as a child. Africa was a sort of fascination," she recalls. She then happened to mention this to Placido D'Souza, the Pune- based former High Commission for India in Kenya and in many other places. He offered to help, and put Albuquerque in touch with an influential Goan there Dr Fitz D'Souza. Barrister D'Souza had supported the defence of Jomo Kenyatta in his trial. In free Kenya, he rose to become Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and was also a businessman. He currently spends time between homes in Goa (Bambolim), London and Nairobi. D'Souza introduced Albuquerque to a wide range of Goans in Kenya. By the time of her study, this figure had of course dwindled considerably, to just a few hundred families in Nairobi. "By then, Goans had been established. Earlier generations of pioneers had come and risked their lives, and braved hazards of the deep and of the jungle, unknown terrain and unfamiliar people. That stage had passed. The second-generation were white collar workers. They had got into the administration and had done very well for themselves. They were quite happy," she recalls. But when Uhuru (independence) came, Goans found themselves in a very peculiar situation. Many were Portuguese subjects. "Finally, they found they were neither fish nor fowl. The vast majority was not really really interested in politics, many still remaining apolitical today too. But, retracing their footsteps, Albuquerque found that a few had really done outstanding things. People like Pio Gama Pinto who fought for Kenya's freedom, and was assassinated. Then, there was the half-Goan Joseph (Zuzart Murumbi) -- whose mother was Masai and father from Goa -- who rose to become Kenya's Vice-President for awhile. There also was Jawaharlal Rodrigues, who Albuquerque describes as a fearless journalist and pro-independence fighter, who also died under some rather peculiar circumstances. As chance would have it, she managed to meet the "widows of these three really outstanding Goans". Pio's wife Emma had just come in from Canada. Joseph Murumbi's wife was British, and Cyrilla Rodrigues helped piece together another side of the Goans-in- Kenya story. Albuquerque says Goan migration to Kenya really gathered momentum at the turn of the century. It was the Railways that opened up opportunity. Goans generally didn't work on technical jobs, but went as cooks and as other support staff for the railways. Soon, some opened little 'dukkas' (shops), working as tailors or in such jobs. Gujaratis and others engaged their services. By 1915, Goans started moving into white collar jobs. Soon they grew overwhelmingly dependent on this. "Perhaps that was because they were so comfortable with the administration," says she. In free Kenya, Goans had the choice to leave or stay, after taking local citizenship. Most moved away, and went to the Commonwealth countries. They are now doing "extremely well" there, opines Albuquerque. Those that stayed on were quite comfortable with their pensions, but had to prove their mettle once again. Otherwise they would be nowhere. "Surprisingly, again they had an answer to a challenge... our people always work when there is a challenge. Earlier pioneers had worked because there was a challenge. They had faced all kinds of odds and had come out the winners. History repeated itself," says she. Some, like the Gama Rose family, branched out into industry and trade, and even the tourism sector. But the period when she visited Kenya was a troubled one. "Many houses we went to had double-doors, locked, with dogs outsides, and watchmen," she recalls. Financially, Goans were doing well, but were not very secure there then. Over the years, Goans in Kenya invested heavily in education. Many had given their children university education, sometimes in the UK too. Quite an impressive showing for a community which first went as humble menial employees. Many set up schools to fend for their own educational needs. Goans there also set up gymkhana-type clubs. Earlier, they also had their 'kudds' (residential clubs). They still celebrate their village feasts. And Goans -- including women -- exhibited their prowess in sport, in East Africa. Even if colonial policies produced a rift between Indians and Africans, the latter were somewhat closer to Goans, who they felt did not directly exploit them, avers Albuquerque. Migration to Kenya was at it peak after the latter half of this century. There must have been "many thousand" Goan families in that country there. There were pockets of Goans in all major East African cities. Later the number fell and drastically dwindled. Were Goans attracted to Kenya primarily by the possibility of higher salaries? "Even now they're better off. Those who went to the Commonwealth countries are doing very well. Their children had excellent education. Our own relatives who went there could afford many things which we could not. Even though some of us were better educated. Now, their pound goes such a long way in Goa," says Dr Albuquerque. Goan women in Kenya proved to be very independent, and accomplished -- including doctors, musicians, or running their own boutiques, or travel and tourism businesses. "It was nice to meet the girls from an independent younger generation. The older generation always harked back to their elders, and the glorious days," recalls Albuquerque. Today, a few have moved over to Goa. Many more buy flats here, for a respite from the northern cold. "Many try to find their roots, and try to recover their houses. But it has been difficult -- houses have invariably been taken over or demolished." To piece together this not-well-documented story, historian Albuquerque worked on a lot of oral sources. She also got access to early Goan publications, including souvenirs. Then, she did much work at the University of Bombay's African studies department. One of the person that "fascinated" Albuquerque was the Porvorim physician, Dr Rozen Ribeiro. He imported the cinchona bark into Africa, and used it effectively to treat malaria, being treated as some sort of a wonder-worker. Albuquerque found the Goans in Kenya to be migrants largely from Bardez. But their gymkhanas remained divided by caste. "There was a lot of segregation or discrimination. They could have rallied together and been a much more potent force. Later on, they became a little smarter, and sport brought them together," she says. Only much later did the "stupid Goan pride" evaporate. Goans began integrating and mixing socially with the Africans. "A little too late, but better late than never." "What surprised me was that Mombasa is just like Marmagao. It's very beautiful and in a way it's like a replica of Goa. Perhaps that's why our Goans took to it and felt very much at home," says Albuquerque. (ENDS)
