> From: Viviana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Goanet]Caste adverts.
> Thank you Gabe and Gabriel for your responses, one from England and > one from Australia. As an "outsider" I find the whole caste thing to > be very interesting. Is it really much different from the "class > system" Hi Viv, A larger number of proportion (than earlier) now marries "outside" their caste. This happens more among the younger generation, than earlier generations -- who probably grew up in a Goa which was more hierarchical and "status" conscious. But the number might still be small. Now, the 'filters' for choosing whom we associate with might have shifted to other 'barriers' like education, class, financial status, level of Westernisation, etc. These are biases too; but nothing so immutable and rigid as caste. Also, with possibilities growing for young people to meet each other in colleges, at work, beyond village and caste boundaries, marriages beyond the traditionally-accepted limits are bound to happen increasingly. Also, when you say "beyond" caste, there are also degrees involved. A Chardo and a Brahmin marrying isn't a step as radical as one where the matrimonial alliance happens from the extremes of the traditional hierarchy. Do you know, some time back (probably now too) the government had a scheme to offer a token (small) financial incentive for someone marrying radically outside their caste, and someone from what is seen as a sub-altern group? Not sure if Catholics are entitled. The problem is that the community's elite has taken a position that "Caste is not Christian". This means that we simply ignore its existance, and the problems that the social acceptance of caste brings to Catholics, specially those at the non-elite end of things. This has been an argument put forth right from the days of the Constitutional Assembly (which was framing India's constitution in the 'forties) by a Jesuit priest from Mangalore, who was himself probably born with a golden spoon in mouth! So, today, while Christians (including Catholics) continue to face the ravages of having a caste system operating within their society, those who suffer from it are not entitled to any affirmative action as 'scheduled castes'. (They can be categorised as 'other backward classes' though, for lesser benefits.) FN -- Frederick Noronha (FN) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Independent Journalist
