As joegoauk writes, the book launch of Selma's 'In the Diasora Wilderness' was attended among others by : "Valmiki Faleiro, Wilson/Sharon (Wilmix), Ron Fidelis, Cleofacio, Adv. Radharao Gracias, Prof. Augusto Pinto, Frederick Noronha, Cecil Pinto, Mr. Soares, JoeGoaUk and many others"
After Rui Lobo's musical interlude of instrumental renditions of Konkani songs on the classical guitar accompanied by a tabla, started off the occasion, followed by an introduction by FN who moderated and explained how the book was brought out, Selma spoke. She said that she was appalled at the things that were happening in Goa, including the fact that women were treated extremely badly, worse still by those who were in power in Goa. She made a reference to T.B. Cunha's polemic 'Denationalisation of Goans' which was to be the spur to the subsequent discussion. I praised Selma for her book, one which I had privately told her I would have been proud to have had my name on the cover. I felt it was one which conferred meaning to the lives of 'ordinary people' like my parents and grand parents and their ancestors. History is usually regarded as the deeds of kings and queens and emperors and other such 'great' people quoting from Bertold Brecht's poignant poem about history books, 'Questions of a Worker Who Reads': "Who built Thebes of the 7 gates ? In the books you will read the names of kings. Did the kings haul up the lumps of rock ? ... Great Rome is full of triumphal arches. Who erected them ? Over whom did the Caesars triumph ? Had Byzantium, much praised in song, only palaces for its inhabitants ? ... The young Alexander conquered India. Was he alone ? Caesar defeated the Gauls. Did he not even have a cook with him ? ... in his introduction Every page a victory. Who cooked the feast for the victors ? Every 10 years a great man. Who paid the bill ? So many reports. So many questions." I suggested that although Selma has shied away from calling her book a work of history, and her publisher Frederick Noronha in his introduction rather unkindly said that it was not a history or a scholarly work, it was indeed a well researched history that means more to us than the nonsense that is doled out to students in schools with all those boring references to kings and queens and 'historical movements'. I suggested that 'Diaspora' was a history that gave meaning to the lives of Goan people. The significance of Selma's book lies in giving significance to the accounts of the trials and tribulations of Goans, more particularly the Goan Catholic community by giving a a context to the trials and tribulations they went through over the years. It helps document a fantastic transformation of a people who are genetically not much different from other Indians of the Konkan coast who the Goans fondly call "ghantis". This change has not always for the better as the Goans today are a people who no longer have any innocence. I also suggested that Selma's mention of the political tract of T. B. Cunha's 'Denationalisation of Goans' was important. Sadly it has been used by Hindutva groups to figuratively beat up Christians in Goa. I stated that Cunha used the term 'denationalised' to refer to both Christians and Hindu elites; and at any rate the behaviour of even those elites was in all respects typically Indian. I said however that denationalisation was what emigration did do to masses of Goans, whether it was emigration to Portugal or emigration to the British colonies. Once the first generation of those emigrants had children, the progeny's connection with Goa and the Konkani language became gradually loosened. Nationality wise they became citizens of the countries that they had emigrated to, and began to behave in the 'in Rome as the Romans do' manner. And they have very little understanding of Indian norms and customs. They were and are in most respects 'denationalised' literally and figuratively. They may have some sentimental attachment to Goa because they know their parents or grandparents came from there, but second and third generation emigrants do not have much idea about what it means to be Indian. Radharao Gracias who then spoke was the toast of the occasion. He asserted in the forthright manner of a Saxtti politician, that Goan Christians were not 'denationalised'. Rather they were forced out of Goa because governments over the ages had neglected to take care of the interests of Christians. This he said was to be expected because rulers always look after their own first, and are little concerned with those of minorities. He suggested the reasons for labelling Christians as being 'denationalised' by various forces were frivolous. He pointed out that clothes, food and other customs were not issues that should be used to marginalise people. Radharao lamented the fact that Goans could not unite and cooperate with one another, unlike other ethnic Indians like the Keralites or the Gujaratis. He said that dual nationality might come to Indians but no thanks to the Goans but rather to the Gujaratis in Britain and America who want to retain their Indian links and who may make Narendra Modi to fight for getting them this right. Radharao also blasted the current government of the Congress for their neglect of the minorities. He pointed out that even though it owes its existence to the support of these minorities, it completely ignored their interests. He pointed out to statistics that had been brought to light by Dayanand Narvekar in the last Assembly session that of the 11000 government jobs doled out during the three years of Congress rule, only 700 were given to minorities. Radharao also criticised the laws which have been made saying they were loaded against the minorities, especially the Tenancy Act. (A report of his speech is published in the Herald of 30 August, 'Goan Laws Heavily Loaded Against Minorities: Radharao') He also referred to a passing criticism I made of 'Diaspora' in that Sunday's Herald that Selma may be mistaken in assuming that it was the Chardos who were the early emigrants, and rather many different castes were involved in migration including the Bamons of Bardez. He said that the Chardos of the AVC belt (Assolna Velim Cuncolim) because of an early revolt against conversion; and the Bamons of Bardez because of the fiasco of the Conjuracao de Pintos where they were heavily involved, were not much trusted by the Portuguese, and were not favoured for employment by them and hence sought to seek their fortunes in British India and their colonies and on ships. They took with them their abilities at music, cooking, tailoring and scribing and prospered through this. He pointed out that nowadays almost everyone wore shirts and trousers; one of the markers of those who were 'denationalised' in pre'-Liberation days. Radharao thundered,"Why are all those who wear shirts and pants now also not called 'denationalised'? Nowadays who wears dhotis? Those Goans who first wore shirts and pants, had understood it was a functional attire. They were not 'denationalised' but they were pioneers. They taught the rest of India to wear pants and shirts. The Goan tailors were the ones who showed the Africans to use these types of clothes..." playing to the gallery of mainly Catholics in the audience. All in all it was a fairly interesting morning. -- Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal, Moira, Bardez, Goa, India E [email protected] or [email protected] P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Now available in Toronto, a few copies of *Into The Diaspora Wilderness* by Selma Carvalho. Contact Bosco D'Mello [email protected] (416) 803-7264 http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
