Hi Dr.Carmo
Thank you for your interesting family background. I had often wondered about
the origins of the name Carmo and now I know the answer.
Regarding your observations about Portugal, when I also said about four
years ago, in a substantial article titled "In The Portuguese Vortex," that
Portugal was then among the economically poorest countries in the European
Union of 15 member states, a certain Jose Colaco literally went berserk and
implied that I did not know what I was talking about. However, not only had
I been to Portugal at least six times and driven around extensively and
stayed in different places, I had also researched my material for the
article most rigorously. Unfortunately, some Goans have utterly colonised
minds to the point that they can hold the Portuguese in some kind of
mystical awe. This is utterly mind-boggling to me.
Indeed, I have often asked on Goanet what Portugal did for Goa in 451 years
that was of real/significant value? Unfortunately, the particularly serious
Goanet apologist for Portugal, Jose Colaco, has failed to 'pen' even a few
lines in response, nor have I had a response to this question from anyone
else on Goanet, including Bernardo in distant Macau. But I| am still hopeful
for a future response out of genuine curiosity.
Let me be absolutely clear that I am not anti Portuguese at all and inclined
to agree with Miguel that not everything Portugal did in Goa was bad.
Further, I have a lot of indigenous (mainly academic) Portuguese friends,
some of whom are utterly embarrassed by former examples of Portuguese
brutality (some personally endured and also witnessed by me) against fellow
Goans for peacefully endeavouring to seek democracy and human rights. I also
have several relatives seemingly contented in Portugal as permanent
residents. For me, the country is great for a holiday and it has made
considerable economic and structural advances from EU money/membership. It
has also proved to be a useful conduit for adventurous Goans wanting to get
to the UK via Lisbon! However, as an ethnic Indian of Goan origin, I find
adherence stances to Portugal, like those of Jose Colaco, to be utterly
incomprehensible to say the least.
I will send my article "In The Portuguese Vortex" to you privately not only
because it so incensed Jose Colaco (whom you supposedly know well), but also
because I should appreciate your comments on the article which first
appeared in the Herald Newspaper. If you were to see Jose's public and
private comments about the said article to me, you would most certainly be
staggered.
As to the very reasonable question from Henrique Salles da Fonseca in Lisbon
why you, with much dislike for Portugal, and implicitly other
Catholic/Christian Goans have retained Christian names, I want to suggest
firstly that, the names are not specific to Portugal at all. They are to be
found all over the world and in some pretty unexpected places too. Secondly,
it may take time for many such Christian names to be reverted, if by choice,
to former Indian surnames. In my own case, I have not been successful, as
yet, to discover my former Hindu surname as the Church records have been
destroyed by white ants and the partially available records in Panjim are
not yet computerised and require considerable time and effort to unravel
details.
However, and thirdly, I also suggest that, just as many Christian Goans have
adopted at least one indigenous Indian forename for a variety of reasons, we
may see increased use of indigenous Indian surnames as Goa is becoming
mainstreamed fairly rapidly. Fourthly, the Christian names are invariably
indicative or expressions of religious affiliation just as Sikhs, as well as
Indian Muslims, among others, retain their religious identity and manifest
this through their names, attire etc.
In sum, Portugal definitely has no monopoly on Catholic Goan names. Indeed,
if we were to take Goanetter Mario Goveia as seriously as I try to do, it is
Goan Catholic names that were adopted by the Portuguese in Portugal rather
than the other way around! And of course, Mario repeatedly indicated that,
he has firm evidence for such a thesis! So, thank you Henrique for your very
fair question---it made my day today!
Cornel DaCosta, London, UK.
----- Original Message -----
From: "CARMO DCRUZ" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]>;
<[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 7:01 AM
Subject: I am a Proud Goan from Goa,India-I am not from Portugal.
