I had missed Melwyn's post but read it today. At least the GOA London has kept the festival going but the GOA Toronto had to cancel Viva Goa for various reasons. No doubt the attendance since the start of Viva Goa went down, those who came enjoyed the evening. However, most were found socializing in the food court. Many families came out because their sons or daughters were members of the football teams (five-a-side). Whatever the reason, the venue was crowd. The venue was latter either not available or the fees raised. I forget now whether there were no sponsors forthcoming. and an affordable alternate venue that would accommodate 4000-odd rolling crowd was not easy to find within the budget. Here, the young and old took part. The young and youths came perhaps for the dance that followed on the last day. As it often happens, there was a fight and chaos broke out. I wasn't there, but was told it was over a girl. GOA Toronto used to have Sports Day, Family Day or a Picnic. Some individuals organized a small picnic in the East end. Now there's annual picnic to celebrate World Goa Day. Yeah, times are achanging. GOA has undergone changes in both membership and activities. Today, groups such as Club 55 has started. Surprisingly, most of the members and office-bears of this new outfit are members of GOA and some of them were office-bearers of the GOA, including me. I joined because I was welcomed and I took the opportunity to avail myself of the membership when membership was restricted. Don't know the norms now. Many were refused because for whatever reasons, either on residential grounds, etc. What I heard then was that the GOA would start a special group for seniors or maybe it has already done so. So far the two groups are working fine and there seems to be no conflict. Each association is doing things its way and no clash of interests. Deep inside me I feel the the Club 55 comes under GOA, which can serve as a parental umbrella. It's not the membership fees that count but rather unity. I am not suggesting there's disunity but the very existence of GOA is now under some sort of a question mark. As for Melwyn's assertion that Meniono de Valpoi that he has taken the "time off to give factual coverage." Melwyn is forgetting that Menino needs to do something to boost the number of visitors to his website, Niz Goenkar. What I suggested is that the video could be done better, perhaps professionally. Besides, Menino is no video-journalist. He rattles off words as the words fall where they may. Someone who is apt at speaking in a mike in a more professional way must be found. Remember, Menino isn't doing a favour. He chooses to run a website and the website needs content. The other content in the form of articles comes from contributors. I was told he's doing a great job for Goa and must be thanked. Wow, if one wants to play a role in some form to bring or highlight Goan affairs, either state or otherwise, one must be willing to take "time off". Maybe, England Goans (forget those who write anonymously and are either part of the band of supporters of the man and his website) think he's doing them a world of good by either videotaping the event or hosting the website. As for Fred's "two paisa" worth of input, the Diaspora Goans are doing whatever possible to keep their Goan Identity, no matter where they are. GOA Toronto tried Konkani classes and there were Portuguese dance class, along with line dancing) by another senior group based in the West. Something is going on the whole calendar year. Oldtimers are getting some fun and are able to spend time with friends and people in the same age-group. The oldies are passing away one by one. How the young and the youth behave in the future one doesn't know. The young and the youths hardly patronize the tiatrs, and their duty is to drop their parents or grandparents at the venue and come back to pick them up. One talks of "Goan identity", and I wrote a piece in the souvenir of the Goan International Meet in Toronto, some years ago. Even the identity is changing in Goa and my piece today says that "communal and cultural atrophy" must be prevented in Goa. It's a wish, and the way things are going on in Goa I doubt everything is going to be smooth sailing for religious and cultural harmony in the distant future. Hope is the only thing we can hold to dearly. Hope that Fred and his ilk and even Fred's children (if they don't migrate to Europe or Canada) will keep in mind to help Goa preserve its cultural ethos handed down from its glorious past. My last "two paisa" worth of thoughts.
Eugene Correia
