Going through the goanet mail that had accumulated as I enjoyed a few (... ahem ... 25 or so ;-) movies at IFFI I found this thread about Nirad Babu who had written some pretty unsettling things about Goans in his 'The Continent of Circe'
Perhaps not many are aware that a Robert De Souza had written in 1971 a rebuttal to Chaudhari's opinion that Goans were half caste menials. The book 'Goa and The Continent of Circe' Wilco Books, Bombay, is a quite scholarly refutation of the Bongoli Babu's opinions. What I liked about De Souza's effort is that he had the gumption to set out in print his objections and not take it all lying down, although of course his book had a small circulation and therefore will never match Chaudhari's reach and influence. But having said that, I think that Goans tend to be over- touchy about these types of negative opinions. I think we ought to accept that Goans like most other people can be many things, good and bad, including incompetent dotors and corrupt advogades and excellent butchers and bakers and candlestick makers, not to mention pimps and prostitutes and drug peddlers. I think this touchiness is the result of the caste consciousness of some who dread being associated with 'lowly' professions, conveniently forgetting that it was such labour which had been done by their forebears which have made their lives comfortable today. Incidentally the De Souza book's Introduction was written by Khushwant Singh. In it he wrote,"Nirad Chaudhari's remarks on the Goans being half - caste mestizos who supply Bombay's cooks, waiters, fiddlers, maid-servants, and bordellos is to be taken in the same way as his opinions on other subjects. Nirad has great affection for the Goans as he has for all go-ahead robust people. He has adopted a young Goan boy living next door as his own and throws a birthday party for the child every year. He is devoted to the boy's mother. But none of that will stop him from poking fun at her half-European dress. curried pizzas, and chi-chi Hobson Jobson. That is Nirad Chaudhari - the prickly pear with thorns outside to screw the flesh and succulent juicy friendship within." Cheers Augusto -- Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal, Moira, Bardez, Goa, India E [email protected] or [email protected] P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350
