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Goanetter Francis Rodrigues (Vasco/Toronto) book launch in
London, England @ the World Goa Day festivities on 15 Aug at 7pm
Details http://www.konkanisongbook.com
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My mother tells a story. No matter how poor Goans were, no matter which
community they belonged to, the men all wore suits in her day, whether it
rested on top of a neatly tied white dhoti, or a cabaia or a pant.If I delve
into the recesses of my dimly lit distant and not so distant memories, that is
how I remember our men; my men; my father, my brothers, my husband. All tall,
dapper and dressed in their suits.
No Goan whether in Goa, Africa, the Gulf or London will grace a Goan event
without his suit. The women, the women can wear anything; vistida, salwar
kameez, sari, sarong but the men must have their suits. Not for him the dreaded
Nehru jacket (with due apologies to Armando Menezes). If a man wears the Nehru
jacket then he's lost his way from the far frontiers of Sattari and mistakenly
wandered into Clube Harmonia.
And so as I neared St. Peter's Church in Staines, UK for World Goa Day, I knew
for sure a Goan function was well underway for milling outside were our men in
that familiar attire. Perhaps it's a trivial, superfluous and superficial
aspect of our culture or some would say borrowed culture that I am emphasizing
here but so what? It is an expression nonetheless, along with the steaming hot
sorpatel, xacuti and pulua that made its way onto my plate; the band playing
rock juxtaposed with dekni dancers and mando singers and even composers of
original music. Francis Rodrigues gave us a sampling of the music he had
painstakingly transcribed onto sheet, and Rene Barretto was in his element,
being the ever gracious Goan host. And there seated in their chairs next to
women in maxis, midis, minis were the men, Goan men, every one of them, down to
the last man, dressed in a suit.
So as long as there are suits to be worn, let there be World Goa Day.
Thank you Rene for a truly lovely event!!
Best,
selma
