Hi Cecil: Thanks for taking time to enlighten us on the situation in Goa. My comments to your answers follow your responses.
Cecil Pinto: Just a few replies to Gilbert's excellent questions. The questions were originally asked of Fred but since he has not answered I am taking the liberty. GL responds: Was Fred again stoking the caste issue among Goans? He had no hesitation 'going beyond' responding to the post on Caste among Catholic Goans. Cecil Pinto: Also Fred lives in Saligao, which despite a veneer of advancement still has a lot of caste discrimination among the Catholics. This is mostly because of the large number of East African Goans who brought their prejudices back with them, when in Goa itself these same caste prejudices were on their way out. GL responds: Do the East African Goans treat upper caste Goans with conceit? In this case it is not caste discrimination as much as economic stratification. ---------- Gilbert question: 1. Is "Mharvaddo", a defined region / area in the village as we have in the west "the other side of the tracks"? Cecil: It used to be. But that has changed with property being a prized commodity and real estate values going through the roof. It has as much meaning today as say assuming only Naiks stay in Naikawado or Gaunkars in Gaunsavaddo or Brahmins in Bamonvaddo. Besides Fred's assertion of a Mharvado in every (dominantly Catholic?) village is also highly suspect. GL responds: So really a visitor to a village cannot distinguish a "Mharvaddo" region from another. Reading between the lines, the rich (nouveau riche) have become neighbors of the Mharvaddo people. Great! Also like the Mharvaddos have become rich. ----- Gilbert question: 2. In your village of Saligao how many residents (%) are there in "Mharvaddo"? Cecil: In your village/town how many residents (%) are there on "the other side of the tracks"? GL responds: In my village here no one is 'confined by birth' to any side of the tracks. If and when you have the money or hit the jackpot, you buy or build the house of your choice / dreams in the place where you want it. ----- Gilbert question: 3. Thanks for mentioning they are not a religious outcaste. i.e. they can kneel anywhere in the Church. Cecil: No they cannot. The altar table and beyond; the pulpit; and many such places in the church are off-limits for them and all other church goers for purpose of kneeling. GL responds: Good to know that the Mharvados can and do kneel where the upper caste Goans can and vice versa. ---- Gilbert question: 4. You mentioned about their social outcaste status. Did you ever invite them to your personal social functions including your wedding or your child's baptism etc? Cecil: How many children from the ghetto on the other side of the tracks did you invite for your daughter's wedding? GL responds: I did not complain about the inherited social outcaste system in Goa or in USA. My house and place of work has been an opportunity for 'the outsider' to meet 'the insider' in more respects than one. ----- Gilbert question: 5. I am sure you also invited them for one of the many social functions you have in you home through the year, where they can intermingle with your family and the other members of the community, and are no longer a social outcaste. Cecil: Ditto! Gilbert please mention to us how many times you have invited strangers over to your house? And before you ask the obvious I will tell you. I have had people of all classes and castes and religions over to my house for personal and family functions. Because they are my friends and not because of any attempt to build any bridges or score petty social points. GL responds: Ditto! You have missed the point. The idea is to use one's house or place of work as a meeting place for people of different communities, walks of life, religions or other persuasions to meet each other. Thus one is 'the bridge' to groups rather than complaining about the differences. This does not refer to you personally! ------ Gilbert question: 6. If the answer to 4 and 5 is yes, what was the reaction of the other guests? Cecil: What 'other' guests? By this question you are assuming that the majority of the guests were of some privileged caste and are able to identify those who are not of their caste. This is ridiculous. The few (high) caste conscious Goan Catholics socialize and procreate among their own and hence there is no question of gauging 'their' reaction. They are not invited for normal functions. And who cares what they think anyway? GL responds: Please see the prior response which will answer the purpose of get togethers - a bridge to social and economic networking and mutual advancement. ------------ Gilbert: 7. If a resident of Mharvaddo, Saligao goes to Panaji, Margao or Maphsa, would his social status be recognized from his name? Cecil: Interesting question. Fred seems to be of the opinion that given a person's surname and 'original' village it is possible to tell his caste. I don't have access to that surname/ village / caste list but obviously there are people like Fred who are in the know on these matters. But in answer to your question... his, or anyone's, 'social status' (as different from caste) will be obvious from his behavior and outward appearance (dress, vehicle, where he eats) and not from his name or surname. GL responds: Precisely my point. There are no 'inherited' signs of caste. Now there are the 'acquired' signs of caste i.e. people who are obnoxious and lazy are more likely to be ignored, left behind and be outcaste compared to those of the educated-suave hardworking any-caste background. Then the upper caste complain of 'reverse discrimination' or 'political clout' etc., without looking at themselves in the mirror. Gilbert's New Question: Does our dear friend Fred have a personal agenda to exagerate Goa's caste issue? Are he and others doing enough to break down the barriers beyond just complaining about Goan attitudes and what others should do? Regards, GL
