Rather that present a theoretical essay on Goan practices, I thought I would frame it in a context and connect it to a living person facing a problem. As I was settling-in to write this real-life account, I spent considerable time trying to come up with a suitable title. For a Goan readership, the above appeared to be the most applicable. For an American readership, a more appropriate heading would be "Applying Old Practice Patterns in the modern world." For a medical audience, this real-life story could be entitled: "A one-dollar advice for a five-dollar treatment, after a five-thousand-dollar work-up for a one-million-dollar healthcare problem."
This rather long account of a Thanksgiving weekend can best be recounted in a several-part story, with the first part giving the background and laying the ground work to the account. The other parts will provide further details related to the anecdotal story. The final part, will review the evolution of the issue and the larger picture of this story. This may benefit many readers, as this is a common problem to the reader or their relatives. Readers are welcome to give their perspective, as this account evolves. I grew up in Goa in the early fifties. Village life was one of peace and tranquility. Young kids kept themselves busy with school and outdoor games, chief among which was soccer. There were few toys for indoor games. This especially applied to the hot summer months, which coincided with the summer school break, followed by three months of monsoon weather. The hot summers in Goa and India can best be described by the English phrase, "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun." Indoor entertainment included conversations with one's siblings, playing musical instruments, and interest in board games including scrabble, etc. There were a few things we played with, which was supposed to be out-of-bounds! This including rocking on dad's or granddad's rocking chair and playing with their walking sticks. Here, we imitated the walking style of relatives and acquaintances, and pretended how we would do it when it was our turn. One could play for hours with grand-dad's walking stick, usually when the seniors took an afternoon siesta and it was too hot to be outdoors. Ah! The walking stick, was a fixture in every man's home. It stood by the front door, next to the hat and the umbrella stand. Men took their evening stroll with their walking stick in the right hand, swinging it as they walked, displaying their swagger. Unquestionably, the walking stick, also called a cane (as opposed to a modern walker), was a man's accessory. This added to his personality, a source of pride, and was a topic of conversation along with the brand of cigarettes he smoked. My older American friends tell me that the walking stick was a common sight in the US in the twenties. But, by the fifties, it was out of fashion in the USA. Very likely, it continued in England, as we see the walking stick in English portraits. The most memorable of these portraits being that of Winston Churchill making his rounds through the ruins of bombed London with his walking stick in one hand and his cigar with the top hat in the other. Other Lords, Barons and masters of the mano r in Eng land and India did the same when they toured their estates. Lesser personalities imitated them, as they took their stroll for an errand, pleasure or work. So prized was a walking stick that they came in expensive and intricately carved wood, metal, ebony or ivory. Each cane had an accompanying unique handle to compliment the cane and match the persona and the elegance of the owner. All this became a topic of lighthearted conversation and greeting when men met each other. The suave men knew how to parley their walking stick, top hat and cigarette to maximize their personality, and let the visual display do the talking for the owner. A walking stick was a status symbol in many cultures in various parts of the world. The cane was only rarely used as a weight-bearing device. In the summer and monsoon, the umbrella replaced the cane as a walking stick. The issue for the readers (whose response is welcomed) is: What was the true purpose of the walking stick a.k.a. cane. Was it just a flair and a fashion statement? Why did the fad go out of style in the fifties in the USA and in the seventies in Goa? Regards, GL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Goanet supports BMX, the alumni network of Britto's, St Mary's and Xavier's -- three prominent institutions in Mapusa, Goa. Events scheduled from Dec 16 to 21, 2006 For more details visit http://www.bmxgoa.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------
