Roots can be established by birth, by ancestry or by domicile. Migration to Goa
is not sufficient to acquire roots if the person does not have affinity to Goan
culture, language and tradition. On the other hand a person can be born and
resident outside the State and acquire roots by subscribing to the Goan ethos.
Roots can develop in any part of the world, sink deep, traverse the oceans and
terminate in the ancestral villages of Goa.
Jesus Christ related the parable of the sower who went out to sow. Some seeds
fell by the way side, some fell on stony ground, some fell among thorns, and
they yielded no fruit. But others fell on good ground, established roots and
did yield fruit. So too with the present inhabitants of Goa.
There are large numbers of people residing outside the State or abroad, whose
ancestors migrated from Goa but they do not automatically deserve to be classed
as Goans unless they are proud of their Goan heritage and wear the badge
proudly on their sleeves. There are many in this group who class themselves as
being Portuguese or Canadian or British etc. They have the choice to consider
themselves Goan but deny it.
There is some truth in the well worn cliché: You can take a Goan out of Goa
but you cannot take Goa out of a Goan. How does being Goan manifest itself?
Some of the characteristics are diet, language, thought and customs.
Goan food is unique and any Goan will be proud to partake of it. Ask a person
what his or her preferred foods are and you will sense their ethnic roots
instantly. If they announce that they do not like Goan food, can they truly be
Goan?
The language question is more difficult to define precisely in this day and
age. Globalisation and technology come with a price but any Goan worth his or
her salt should at least have a rudimentary knowledge of the mother tongue.
Goan thought has been characterised by tolerance and understanding of other
cultures. Visitors to our shores, whether they be from Mumbai, Manchester or
Moscow have singled out this trait and admire it so much that they want to be
part of us. Who can blame them!
Customs evolve with time and the Goan has learnt to adapt. Catholic, Hindu and
Muslim practices are blended into our society. We see this in our clothing, in
the syllabus in our schools, with our spontaneous exuberance in mutual
celebration of religious feasts to name a few.
Dr Oscar Rebello has called for inclusiveness. That is desirable. However, he
goes much too far in accommodating one and all.
A true Goan will always root for Goa!
Aires Rodrigues
Ribandar
Mobile : 9822684372
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