First of all I wish all Cuncollkars a very Happy Feast of Saude (Bolaikechi) Saibinn in Cuncolim, Goa on February 2nd. I also would like to wish a Very Happy Birthday to my son, Shawn.And to celebrate this great day I am dedicating an original joke of mine to the Goan poder-s of old who made our life very interesting with their undde, bhakrio, kanknnam, bol, polli, etc.Who can forget the days when our breakfast did not include the usual cereal, rice krispies, milk, oatmeal, porridge, bacon and eggs?Instead the poder would carry on his cycle or head, a basket full of warm bread for us. And we would put the kankonn in our hands like a bangle, break the bread into pieces and dip them in our futti chau in a mog (mug) and eat our breakfast. Most of us could not afford milk, we just add sugar to the black tea and that sugar also was contaminated with ants and our parents would say the ants were good for your eyes. May be that was true, since as soon as I left Goa I started wearing glasses. And who can forget the days of bhikream-jevonn, when we had the 'buddoun-jevonn" and we would mix pieces of bread wth sop, verdur and massacho and savour the great festa-jevonn.But now "Te poderui gele and te Portugues-ui gele" But those memories still linger on!Cheers!Viva Goa! Silviano Barbosa,N.B. ********************************************** Angelina Jolie and Goencho Poder! Angeline Jolie entered a Goan poder’s house to buy kanknam for her kids. It was early morning and the door was closed. Angeline forgot what she had learnt in Konkani, but shouted "Oh House, Oh House!"So Rosario poder opened the door and saw a white woman outside and said "Oh it's you! Come in, come in, Bai. And it's not 'Oh House, Oh House'.- It's Oh Gara Oh Gara. Our houses don't speak English!""Oh I am sorry, I forgot my Konakni""It's Konkani" Then she introduced herself - ‘Hi Poder I am Angeline Jolie” and walked in and sat on a chair. And at once the Rosario Poder came running to her and hit her hard on her shoulder saying “Angeline Zollo” But she said “No Jolie, Jolie. Angeline Jolie” But he said, “No zollo, zollo” Finally the poder caught and picked up the flying zollo (cockroach) which had crept inside Jolie’s blouse and showed her “This is a Goan zollo”. “Oh I see”, she said and hugged the Poder to thank him. While they were hugging, The Poder got excited and kissed Angeline Jolie on her huge lips. Just at this time, the Poder’s girl-friend Rozy entered the room from the furnace room with white flour all over her face. And she caught them kissing and said. “Aha! Kit korpoi kotai re?” And Angeline Jolie said “Hey, what’s this white stuff on your face, go?” And Rozy, the poder's girlfriend, without even thinking, shouted loudly - “Bread Pitt”. And like a lightning, Angeline Jolie got the hell out of there, muttering under her breath “Sorry Brad, I did nothing” And Brad Pitt wasn’t anywhere around (Bread Pitt= flour for the bread, unddea pitt) Copyright! Silviano Barbosa, Toronto, Canada, February 2, 2008************************************************************************* N.B. And on a sad note I cannot end my posting without conveying my heartfelt sympathies to the family of the great Goan author Lino Leitao, who was a Niz Goenkar and who wrote in his novel and in his many short stories, accurate descriptions of a Goan' ways of live, their habits, customs, hopes and fears, afflictions and aspirations from the core of his heart. May his soul rest in peace. Thanks Lino for your help and for writing a review of my novel, "The Sixth Night"http://ca.geocities.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/reviews/book_review_lino_leitao.htmSilviano Barbosa _________________________________________________________________
