Fr. Conceicao D'Silva's lament about Goans shying away from Konkani, reminded me of a poem composed by that late Goan Jesuit historian(who taught English at St. Paul's, Belgaum) -Rev. Claude Saldanha, S.J. Sadly, age had dimmed my memory, but here are some of the verses I can recollect.(referring to these Goans as 'Kalafirgis' who inhabit an imaginary land of KALAFIRGISTAN, he had this to say)...
"They are shy to talk sweet Konkani Because they think it's low; They rattle off in company, A foreign tongue for show. Melodious mandos, swaying song, With all their hearts they hate, Which cannot swing the girls around By arms at any rate. And so they say, 'the mando 's dead Not meant for 'cultured 'folk, But all their culture it is said, Would not impress a bloke. The men put on some pantaloons, And think they look just fine; They hardly know, the good buffoons, That borrowed plumes don't shine" (If any former Paulite can remember all the verses, I'd love to have these please!) Mervyn Maciel
