Today December 9 is 60 years since we gained Independence. I was between Bukoba and Mwanza on Lake Victoria on my way to Dar. However I was here for the Republic Day Celebration and my Dad, Ophelia, then my Girlfriend from Zanzibar, were among the very, very few Asians present at that ceremony at the old airfield.
As a Goan I have an interesting question related to Music. A few weeks ago, at the end of the Mass, in St Josephs Cathedral. Fr. Denis the Tanzanian Priest said that three musicians would perform. What took me by great surprise was two young Africans, came in front of the altar and both had violins. I was surprised because it occurred to me that I had never seen an African with a violin !. The third person who came to the front was a young lady who sung. The piece they had picked was the *Ava Maria*. Slightly more than 58 years ago Ophelia and myself exchanged vows in St, Joseph. Right in front of the altar but raised high up was the piped organ and the choir. The Choir included a few Goans, Swiss nuns Right at the end Elma Cota sang the Ava Maria solo. No mike but her voice vibrated in the huge cathedral. It was a great moment. I cherished it for a long time especially when I was in California. God had really given Elma a very great gift. Sometimes I wondered who trained her to sing. So here I was in St Josephs Cathedral in 2921, listening to the trio. At the end of the Performance, Fr Denis had another big surprise. The young lady was a convert from a Lutheran! This was even more surprising because these Christians do not even know the Hail Mary ! I learnt it the hard way when a Post-Graduate who wanted to be a students Union President was rudely told that an African could not take such an important position. Staying in the street opposite, she talked about depression. One fine day she asked me about the <<<*Hail Mary ! >>>>* *African Choirs in RC Churches * While African used drums and all types of other instruments including the hand held piano, gourds etc. In complete contrast were the Goans and I even know the place where the Arabs had their Musical meeting place, near Franco’s Bakery. (Not far from where Mel Quadros and a cluster of Goan Families stayed, a couple even were part of the Orchestra. So as a Tanzanian Goan I asked myself....where do the Goans get their violins. I suppose the first ones came from Portugal but subsequently were they made in Goa. Another big surprise awaited me ...I was reading *conVersation* a consortium of Universities from the Republic of South Africa Stellenbosch Martina Meincken Associate Professor, Stellenbosch University, enlightened me to a whole new world of *tonewoods, etc etc. Let me quote her*::::: >>>>>>The sound quality of this instrument, named the “African violin”, was then compared to a violin made from traditional wood species by the same luthier, with the same methodology. Both instruments were played by the same player with the same bow>>>>>>. >>>>>The sound quality of the two violins was determined by recording audio frequency spectra – ranges – of various single notes to analyze the discernible overtones. This is a musical tone which is a part of the harmonic series above a fundamental note. A good sound quality generally consists of many harmonics at higher frequencies. >>>>>> There is one final reason for my interest in ….I have a grandson Aaron …he is a born violinist still not a teenager but he played the violin solo at his uncle/aunts wedding. Grandolfo PS: The violin has its roots in Italy around the 16th Century ......How did it get into Portugal and Spain. Do we have to thank SFX ???
