Tarcar mama, (Boatman) Aum saiba polltoli vetam ( please ferry me across the river ) Damuche lognac vetam ( going to attend Damu's wedding ) Maca saiba vatti dakoi ( pl.show me the way ) Maca saiba vatte collona ( as I do not know the land beyond)
The Goan traditional song celebrates immigration into economically vibrant Goa ( not unlike the modern day influx ) during the first two centuries of Portuguese rule. Goa then consisted of Ilhas - Tiswadi ( Tis - thirty villages ),Bardez (Bara - 12 villages ) and Salcete ( Sahasti - 66 villages). This territory was bound in the north by Chapora river, and in the east by Mandovi ( Mapusa river ) Canal de Combarjua and by Zuari river. Now tarcar mama (boatman) was some sort of an immigration officer for the Portuguese authorities and he had to give reasons why he had allowed people to cross into Goa i.e.Damu'che (short form of a popular hindu name Damodar ) lognac vetam. Today if you ask the American Consular authorities in India you could be surprised to know the very common reason why he/she is applying for an U.S. tourist visa is to attend wedding of a relalive. Antonio
