Call it crap, stupid talk, unadulterated rubbish, articulated facade or what have you, but I shall fail in my duty towards Goan community if I resist from putting in the electronic print my perception of Goa of 1961. As Mr. Teutonio R de Souza has brilliantly put it recently on Goanet in connection with the launch of Selma Carvalho's book Into The Diaspora Wilderness,: ''' If more Goans would follow Selma's example and keep a record of the lived experiences.....of every single Goan at any time in the past or present or future will go into the completion of Goa's history'''
Goa or rather coastal Goa of 3 talukas of Ilhas, Bardez and Salcete was conquered by the Portuguese during the period 1510 - 1543. The Portuguese administrators being few in numbers, had to rely on Mestisos who were occupying the middle rungs of the administration But accoring to Dr. Gilbert Lawrence they started leaving Goa for Mocambique, Angola and Brazil. Mestisos in Goan administration were followed by their brothers - in - law in the official duties most probably by the end of the 18th century. Thus it came to pass a new ruling elite who were mostly the so called upper caste villagers along the interior Mandovi and Zuari rivers. They learnt to speak Portuguese language, aped their manners and thus detached themselved from the larger section of indigenous konkani speaking population. Some of them became the blue eyed boys of the Patriarch of East Indies and formed the famous ''batinado bramanico'' who effectively ruled many outlying villages. The humble villagers came into contact with the Latin language, took part with it in religious rituals, and also sang religious hymns in the same language without any formal education: unlike their hindu neighbours most of whom did not even dare to hear Sanskrit language spoken and were now even allowed to enter their temples. Thus the Latin connection of the humble Goan villagers by 1961 was the basis of their superiority over adherents of other religious practices or so I was told in 60's by a half literate Goan kuddwallah in Bombay. * * * UK STOCKS EXHAUSTED! After a community-supported launch at Croydon, Selma Carvalho's *Into the Diaspora Wilderness* is available at Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. Ask a friend to pick up a copy. Details of the book http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *
