Hello Mr.Cornel Dacosta Just wanted to let you know that your experiences as a Goan in Mombasa, were interesting to read. I usually never bother with Goanetters and their replies as theyre usually squabbling over un-important and un-interesting things. lol I dont want to say anything against Goans coz a few rotten apples do not the barrel make. And if they are so narrow-minded I dont think theyd understand me anyway:) Besides im a Goan as well!!! and I respect where Ive come from. Keep those stories coming! Im sure most Goans have interesting experiences in all the many places weve flown away to!!! Its interesting to listen, appreciate and understand our culture..... rather than squabble over who said what and with what intent. Trust me! No one can claim to figure anyone out.... ever!!!!! Best Regards, Mish Message: 14Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:45:12 +0000 (GMT)From: CORNEL DACOSTA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Subject: Re: [Goanet] The caste debate on Goanet.. - to Edward deSilvaTo: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!"<[email protected]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Hi EdwardYou definitely say some of the daftest things I have ever heard on Goanet! It intrigues me that it is possible for you to be so switched-off as not to understand what you have been effectively told about occurrences in Mombasa a long time ago. So, hopefully, let me spell this even more clearly to you. 1. Interaction between members of the Goan Community was open and not caste bound at all possibly because the Goan community was small---everybody knew everybody very well at school, church, sports and socials. Later, for small numbers at College, interaction (including dating) was with all the communities i.e. the many different communities among the Asians, the Arabs and the Africans. At our Goan High School, Mombasa, there were significant numbers of non Goan Indians and smaller numbers of Africans, Arabs and whites. There were no white College students with me in Mombasa. In brief, the issue of caste among the Goans was non existent to most. The culture of education and socio-economic class in the modern sense mattered. Thus, most of the Goan youth knew nothing about caste unless their parents insisted on their knowing about this. A good friend of mine married a girl when neither of them knew a thing about caste. Both discovered when marriage appeared on the horizonthat one was supposedly Brahmin and then, things became difficult briefly until the couple decided to ignore the absolute nonsense about caste and just went ahead. 2. You were told that, I discovered about the Brahmin caste of two of my dates (from friends much much later). This was indeed after I had actually left the country to study further in the UK. Dating then was part of general sociability and not necessarily with marriage in mind. Further, for me, despite many a proposal, and personal contact, no marriage was ever under consideration, as an article of faith, until I completed most of my advanced education in the UK first, became professionally established and purchased my own residential place. And incidentally, I do not have a "petty" education as you also ever so daftly referred to. As per your logic and presentation this may apply to you but definitely not to me--- but I accept that you may find it difficult to understand this! 3 I pointed out that there was, in terms of club membership, a distinction between white collar and blue collar Goan club membership in Mombasa. It is a fact that the tailors, stewards, barmen, mechanics etc could not become members of the Goan Institute Mombasa. They therefore formed their own St Francis Xavier Association that was more a welfare association than just a club. It accepted without exception, all classes of Goans seeking temporary accommodation within its premises. The SFX was not, repeat not, based on caste distinction but rather on occupational distinction akin to work that was manual and non-manual. As numbers declined in the town of Mombasa, Institute membership was thrown open at first to the Goan blue collar workers and eventually to all communities. At one stage, the President of the SFX Association who had been denied membership of the Goan Institute for years, eventually became its President! 4 I lived in Goa for the first five+ years of my life and then within each five year period, until 18, for six month periods too. Therefore, I want to suggest that I have a pretty clear idea about what went on in Goa then, including understanding the many real tensions between Bamon large scale land-holders and their hegemony over those who 'suffered' them in so many different ways. Some day I may spell this out in terms of the duality of Portuguese oppression and Goan Bamon oppression upon so many. So, you see, Edward, you do not fool me one little bit with your 'knowledge' that is largely spurious and based on marked ignorance of the facts and also, your seeming difficulty in learning things quickly when the correct facts appear on Goanet. Despite everything I have said here, I am sure you will continue making further daft statements as illustrated below. edward desilva <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Unfortunately Cornel never will (The Bamon girl who dated him in Mombasa was not allowed to marry him so he bears resentment towards bamons of Goa, from Mombasa and London having not lived in Goa AT ALL).ED. _________________________________________________________________ Tried the new MSN Messenger? It’s cool! Download now. http://messenger.msn.com/Download/Default.aspx?mkt=en-in
