Where have the Toronto Goans gone? Goans from the US, Australia and Goa attended the Goan International Convention in Toronto. Despite the small group, there was a buzz of activities and bonds of friendships renewed VICTOR RANGEL RIBEIRO Times News Network
Consider this paradox: A Goan International Convention is held in Toronto, Canada, a city that with its suburbs claims a Goan population of 20,000, and is home to the Goan Overseas Association. You would expect attendance in the hundreds, if not the thousands, right? Now look at who showed up for the convention held in Mississauga, a Toronto suburb, between July 23 to 26: Nascimento Caldeira came from Melbourne, Australia; Virginia Bras e Gomes from Lisbon; Cornel da Costa, his daughter Joana, Renee Barretto and two others flew from London; George Pinto and Filomena Giese and eight others from California; three flew in from Wisconsin as well. NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro, fashion guru Wendell Rodricks, architect Dean D'Cruz, State Bank manager Trevor Fernandes, cartoonist Alexyz, and a 14-person mando troupe came from faraway Goa. My wife and I drove 1,600 kilometres to get there, 800 each way. At the end of that hard 11-hour drive we found, not hundreds, but just 80 or so registrants who attended the workshops and presentations.Thirty-nine of these were from outside Canada, another six were from such distant Canadian cities like Vancouver and Quebec. Of the remaining 35, most were from Mississauga; only a handful were from Toronto itself, even though that city is only 40 kms away. The low numbers did not dampen the enthusiasm, as guiding spirits Kevin and Lisette Saldanha, along with Ben Antao, Francis and Clare Rodrigues, Bosco De Mello, Mervyn Lobo, and Walter Tavares kept things flowing. Participants in Wendell's fashion workshops came away enthused; the thirteen at my writing sessions kept demanding more. Audiences were stirred by the screening of The Rape of Goa, and Dean's presentations of environmental and architectural issues and of Clinton Vaz's pictorial essay on Goa's garbage crisis. Konkani received a push. Alexyz's fabled cartoons lined the walls of an entire room. Novelist Ben Antao presided over book launches that included Marinella Proenca's Heart Beat, Alexyz's Goa, Goan, Goaing, Gone?, Cheryl Antao-Xavier's Dance of the Peacock, Ben's own novel, Living in the Market, and his travelogue, The Islands of Sicily. A new book titled Goa: Aparanta -- Land Beyond the End, was also unveiled. Christine Pinto and Lea Rangel-Ribeiro spoke on identity and the diaspora; Coralie D'Souza unfortunately was taken ill as she began to speak. Francis Rodrigues conducted a music workshop and a session on Goan music. He also introduced the Lady Mayor of Mississauga and NRI Commissioner Faleiro. The Mayor praised Goans' contribution to the city; Faleiro promised to give NRGs a seat on various boards. Evening events included a beauty contest and Goan Idol. Both drew a crowd. A mando performance was well received, as was a Konkani tiatr that ended at 1 am. Close to 400 attended the Saturday night ball, proving once again that we Goans, while blessed with two extremities, prefer to cultivate the one that lies closest to the ground. Attendees agreed the convention had been a success. New friendships were formed, old bonds renewed. Best of all, Renee Barretto announced plans for yet another conference next year, this time in London. http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOIGO/2008/08/07&PageLabel=17&EntityId=Ar01700&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T