Hi Fred
Re your post, surely the issue is that, upward social mobility brought
about largely through education and higher occupation is what most parents
want for their children.
My understanding is that upward social and occupational mobility creates
space for those who literally step in the 'lowly' shoes of those who have
moved up. It is also my understanding re those yet to become occupationally
mobile, and unfortunately
identified in some Goanet posts as "gulfies, shipies" etc as well as
ramponkars,
renders (who may incidentally wish to retain their historic occupation)
that, human dignity is indivisible and that we need to treat all with the
respect they deserve.
I know the writings of Srinivas, of course, but am I missing something in
terms of your specific post on this issue?
Re your point about the Goan tourist worker who may be more at ease with a
white tourist than a local bigwig, this is inevitable in the utterly
obnoxious Goan caste climate that endeavours to label by caste or casteicise
(my construct and not yet in dictionary!) every Goan in sight even if the
'recipients' of such attention have absolutely no clue about caste,
especially if they have been Goan diasporians and away from India for three
or more generations. Indeed, if they did discover the depth of Catholic Goan
preoccupation with
caste, (assuming not having imbibed it with their mother's milk), they would
be dismissive of something that exercises resident Goans in Goa so much
that, they simply can't resist the key question about where you or your
father come from---a question they generally forget to ask the white man in
Goa and when it would definitely be more appropriate!
Regards
Cornel
----- Original Message -----
From: "Frederick "FN" Noronha" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 7:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Goan "shippies" and "gulfies"
Much of Selma's "lack of dignity of labour" is about the low social status
and contempt that the "upper castes" (Bamons and other so-called elites)
have attached to the work of the less-affluent. How many of us, giving big
talk here, would like our children to grow up to be ramponkars, renders,
toddy-tappers, and day-labourers in the village fields? Or is dignity of
labour a concept only for others? It is no surprise that a fisherman's son
would prefer to leave his traditional job, move to a less caste-stratified
tourism sector, and at least be treated as almost-human by a White tourist
for whom social markers in Goa are less strong or visible than for the
average Goan!
