########################################################################## # Goanetters-2004 meet in Goa. Dec 21, Tuesday. 12 noon to 2 pm. # # Clube Vasco, Near Municipal Garden, Panjim. Pass the word around! # ##########################################################################
A Goan without love for music song and dance is a just next to impossible. Atleast not those from the Velhas Conquistas (Old Conquests) Talukas of Tiswadi (Ilhas) Salcete Mormugao and Bardez (under Portuguese rule from 1510 to 1961 i.e 451 years ) and natives. But politicians mainly those in the Novas Conquistas ( New Conquistas ) under Portuguese rule from (1763 -1961 i.e. 198 years prefer to propagate their regions music song and dance as genuine while that of the Velhas Conquistas as alien. This is a futile excercise. Whatever be the feud the ground reality is that a Goan world over is recognised by the cultural trends in BOTH the regions and the Carnaval & Shigmotsav festivals witnessed come February/March is the epitome to such belief. Language however suffers -- there is no denying that Konkani is the language of the Goans and 95% speak that language; but the scripts resulted in some heads broken at the height of the language agitation. Roman script is the only script familiar to most of the Goans while the nagri script is the monopoly of the Hindu Brahmans. Hence politically the language suffers because the Hindu Brahmans a miniscule of the total population of Goa imposed roughshod post language agitation their nagri script by manipulating political and academic persons besides the diocesan run schools with their sanskritised version of nagri Konkani. Konkani with Roman script died that day when Konkani was recognised as the sole mother tongue of the state 4th February 1987 so also the few Roman lipi (script) newspapers . But over ten years later the present Chief Minister of Goa Mr Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar has sought to do justice to the cause of Roman script Konkani and the Dalgado Konkani Academy is the culmination of such efforts. The Society has an elected body (albeit a steering committee?) an account opened in a nationalised Bank at Panaji to recieve the much needed funds from the wellwishers worldwide and plans to register DKA under the Registration of Societies act & rules is underway. In revitalising, the enthusiasm for Roman "lipi" Konkani easily read, written, spoken besides being understood by the masses today the Dalagado Konkani Academi event since 7.25 p.m. on Holy Spirit Grounds the first " Ek Konknni Songitachi Sanz" a Konkani Musical evening began in South Goa district and the bastion of Amchi bhas Margao, In a tete a tete with the President of DKA ex Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Mr Tomazinho Cardozo an educationist tiatrist Sarpanch. Mr Cardozo emphasised the importance of Msgr Dalgado who infact preceded "Shenoi Goembab" late Mr Varde Vaman Valulikar ( now feted by the nagri Konkani school of thought as the Father of Konkani Movement) Msgr Dalgado had mooted the idea of Konkani in any script. This is what we need today --- Konkani script could be any. Therefore the DKA intends to pursue this to its logical conclusion. He added "our writers who infact were the mainstay of Konkani language do not find recognition for their writings by the Sahitya Academi the highest body recognising literary talents. With this in view the DKA intends to advance the cause of Roman lipi. Next year from 8th May, 2005 to 8th May 2006 the DKA plaqns to celebrate the 150 years of Msgr Dalgado . This function is solely to revive the Konkani in Roman lipi it is staged in Margao because Margao is known as the citadel of Konkani, he said. When quizzed on the criteria of awardees he said for the time being they have selected 20 persons above the age of 70 years the younger generation can wait. When asked how come there has not been much participation from the nagri lipi fans --- he cited the reason given by Mr Pundalik Naik the then President of the Konkani Porjecho Avaz who could not come due to the function of poets etc at the Kala Academy. >From the large gathering it was clear that it was essentially a tiatro crow with a few residents from the Largo de Igreja at Margao but the front seats were occupied not necessarily by some local invitees and a few recepients of the awards but the public mainly women and children. There was an excellent musical treat by Ms Sharon Mazarello (whose vital statistics pressed into tight clothings caused eye brows raised )and her 5 member group "Goan Touch" which won the appreciation of the public. The Peter Roshan duet "amcho desh amka zai" was an emotive song on love for our India the Kargil war and Pakistans overtures, which won loud applause for its nationalist tunes. Mr Anthony San own composition on Goencho Saib was due to the miraculous save from herpes which had afflicted him at the age of 8 years (1964) "I was cured miraculously when my mother touched me on the body of the Saint Francis Xavier at the Exposition in 1964 " hence the spirited dedication to the saint and the song. The comedian John de Silva (nicknamed the Charlie Chaplain of Konkani tiatro) and a look a like of late Jacinto Vaz along with Selve sent the audience into peals of laughter for their humourous jokes. Mr Elvis Goes from Quepem and his troupe who have by now won several awards and are "a must " at all State functions presented a Mando which in the words of the MC Mr Wilmix Mazarello amchem daiz and parampara (our traditional culture) Excellent sound accoustics by Edward was applauded. Xavier Gomes a gulf returnee sang on the ills of alcohol "imbibe he said but within limits or else it will take you to the grave" Another song by Oswie Viegas from Borda and the most hilarious one was the trio Mil Mel Nel who sang on the ground realities where "ghanties have taken over goa while our men are in the gulf the spouses and women thrill them and hence Goa is taken over its only a matter of time when they take over the seats in the Assembly and then --- we will have to mourn " so goes the sang which recieved the loudest applause. Another comedy skit on the drug abuse by Goan youth was by Mario Menezes and the three artists. Agnelo Dias and his musicians received a special award for his multiple musical organ potential their trumpets clairyonet were reminescent of the age old Johnson and his Jolly boys band. Mr Oswin Viegas a well wisher was so enthused by the 70 year olds that he announced a personal award for each of them. To pay due respects to those associated with the Konkani medium the tiatrist the musicians in the Bollywood the Dalagado feted a)Mr Anthony Gonsalves was awarded the momento in absentia b)Mr Sebastiao Arujo c) Mr Remmie Colaco (momento in absentia) d)Mr Rico Rod e)Fr Moreno D Souza f)Mr John Claro Fernandes g)Mr M Boyer (momento in absentia) h)Ms Philomena Braz i)Braz j)Mr Domnic Vaz k)Fr Antonio Piedade Moraes a recepient of several awards l)Mr Rom Tom m)Marcia Vaz (Jose Lourenco Vaz) n)Mr E Mendes o)Ms Titta Pretto p)Mr Martinho Dourado q)Mr Soccorro Piedade Fernandes r)Fr Langrange Fernandes s)Mr Alegre Antao t)Mr John Gomes (eminent tiatro critic) u)Mr Antonio Moraes who was the first person to introduce the non stop tiatro concept "Pirmoll" annual magazine (priced at Rs.50/- was released by wife of Mr Jerome Mendes the chief guest of the ocassion . In his address to the audience Mr Jerome stated that he had donated Rs.50,000 to the House of Professed which perished in the fire and has requested Goans world over to do the same to save our Archieves and rich heritage. He also mentioned that his interest in the activities of DKA was because his daughter in the UK where he and his families live had often questioned Goan MLA's the reason why Konkani Roman script was not recognised or is being ignored. Towards this cause he announced the donation of Rs.50,000 and said another seven of his relatives would donate Rs.5000/- and appealed to lovers of the Roman script gathered at this show to donate like wise Rs 100/- for life membership. Many during the show did so showing clearly there is an upsurge for the revival of Konkani in Roman script. Mr Wilmix Mazarelo informed the gathering that when Konkani was included in the VIII schedule of the Constitution there was no mention of script which meant that it could be written in Tulu Kanada Malayalam Roman or nagri hence why the step motherly treatment he wondered. Dr Fernando colaco also featured in the programme late evening No invites were extended to anyone except the Chief Guest becuase it was intended to guage the enthusiasm and the turn out that watched the musical evening were a sure indicator of the things to come. As of now the Goa Government has not provided any funds but there is a need to pursue this for budgetary grants . Thus far there are over 300 members and with the increase in numbers the acrtivities will improve. The audience did not trace the Konkani nagri script atleast they were not prominently visible could have been in some remote corner. This is the cause for the downfall of Konkani said Lourdes aguiar an old lady who was in tears of joy to hear of the revival of the language in Roman script. When Mr Tomazinho was asked why no hindus were in the list of awardees he explained that there were none who have crossed the age of 70 involved in the Roman tiatro music etc. He acknowledged that those that have helped in the Konkani movement and have died have not been considered now but will surely be considered at a later ocassion. When asked about the support of MLAs to the cause of Roamn lipi he admitted he had not made such a move but there were some two three who are with the movement and the Chief Minister is receptive to the idea. There were cassettes CDs on sale and more Konkani roman lipi books will be on sale. The programme is still underway at 11.35 when this report has been filed. from the Holy Spirit Church Grounds godfrey j i gonsalves borda margao goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partner online Go to: http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matrimony
