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Selma,
As you well know, my remarks were not directed at any individual (as a mere
individual does not constitute a society) but to the core issues of ethos in
any society. Religion is part of a culture of a given society. For example
within the Goan context, when one refers to GSB, it encompasses their Hindu
belief. Their way of life is intertwined with their belief. There is no GSB
community, in Goa or their Diaspora, with Muslims, Catholics or atheists.
I think what you are describing, "As we move away from this point and spend
lifetimes away from it," is a little bit like being a planet moving away from
the sun. At some point, the planet is beyond the sun's gravity and drifting
into space.
Another example of your simile, is peeling away the layers of an onion. Then,
one wonders if there are any core left (of values and practices). And perhaps
is one living a different culture? This especially applies when one, under the
guise of multi-culturalism lives / adopts mostly other communities' cultural
practices. This is the serious issue that Goans (sp. Catholics) have to ask
themselves. Being true to one's culture and living in / being part of a given
society involves painful restrictions. Or are we being "cafeteria Goans"?
As the saying goes, "Or one needs to walk the talk and not just talk the talk."
This includes taking care of one's aged parents and first degree relatives;
or not settling into a pre-marital live-in arrangements; or not seeking a
divorce; and yes practicing the beliefs and practices transmitted down to us.
So while I smile and read posts about Goan culture that talk of fluff, I keep
saying, "Where is the beef?"
My post was not meant as a reprimand to any one. But I am glad it touched on
the basic tenets of "What is culture?" Those in the Diaspora, (far away from
the main society) that claim to have Goan culture, need to make sure we truly
nurture it, beyond song, dance, food and drinks. "As we move away from this
point and spend lifetimes away from it," there are always excuses to discard
the layers especially when there is no moral pressure to enforce the cultural
ethos. There are NO ideologies in culture. The only goal is survival of the
individual, family and society 'when the going gets rough'. But then to evoke
culture (duties and responsibilities) just when 'the going gets rough' may be a
bit too late. I see this often in my place of work.
Kind Regards, GL
------------ Carvalho
As usual I feel reprimanded by your post and somehow religion seems to have
permeated into the thread. Your admonitions about "drifters" aside, let me
respond to your post.
First of all we have to expand the scope of the discussion to what is the "main
culture". Let me give you an analogy based on language.
To me culture is the same. For a Goan, the thickest point of cultural reference
will be Goa. As we move away from this point and spend lifetimes away from it,
we become devoid of ideologies particular to Goa. I don't like the word,
multicultural as I've not taken on anyone else's culture. I've just neutralised
my own.
----- --- Gilbert Lawrence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> If one does not know their own cultural identity,
> one would likely be a cultural and religious drifter
> when interacting with others. And this individual
> would fail to truly appreciate the subtleties and
> the causes behind the differences between the
> cultures one encounters.
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