From the cradle of Konkani History_6
This is the sixth instalment of our serialization of the biographical
sketches of those meritorious veterans who have been deliberately or
otherwise denied a place in the book of History of Konkani in spite of
having made an honest contribution in the field of Konkani. We appeal to
our readers to point out any lacunae that might have crept in our account so
that it could be corrected. We also invite them to send any further inputs
so that the information could be updated. We would also be much obliged if
any photographs of these revered personalities were handed over to us so
that the same could be published along with the acknowledgement of the
person supplying the same. (F. C.)
Micael Martins (1914-1999)
Musician, folklorist, musicologist and Goa's outstanding composer of
classical music, Micael Martins first studied music in the parish school of
his village (Orlim, Salcete ) and later, in early 1920s, at Colegio de
Musica in Margao. He taught music in Goa till 1946 when he shifted to
Mumbai. Here Martins studied music under Prof. Craen, Adrian D'Mello and
Dominic Pereira. He also began playing for the "Chamber Orchestra." He
composed "Pav Maye" a hymn dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 4 voices.
He was a leading member of several famous bands of Mumbai and Delhi such as
Cecil Mendonca's Bombay Symphony Orchestra, Paranjoti's Choir, Madrigal
Singers' Organisation and Arnaldo de Andrade's Tuna Portuguesa. He also
led orchestras of films in Bombay. While in Bombay, he lived in Mahim.
In 1933, he began collecting traditional Goan songs, art and folk, and
collaborated with Dr. Jose Pereira in recording Konkani songs from 1954,
compiling as many as 11,000 numbers. Martins incorporated several motifs
from traditional Goan song into his classical musical compositions. He was
best known for the grand concert, GOA SINGS, Religious Music and folk
dances, performed by Newman Choir, in 1977, (available in Library of
Congress, U. of Chicago, Central Library, Panjim and perhaps other
libraries).
He was the first to conduct a Konkani opera in 1968 in one act in the
compound of St. Pius High School at Orlim and also the first ever religious
concert in Goa in Panjim Church in 1966. In appreciation for these services
rendered during the Marian Year programme, Pope Pius XII sent him in 1955 a
certificate showering his benedictions on the entire Martins family. Prof.
Martins worked assidously for the promotion of Goan folk songs and dances
like the Mando, Dekni and Fugadi. The Fattradache Velleryh (on the shore of
Fatrade) is perhaps his first work of this kind using Goan fisherfolk
themes. He has composed a number of Mandos and Goan Folk songs. His Konkani
musical album 'Gõycho Sad' projects the Konkani musical research work of
this Goan virtuoso.
It should not be misconstrued that this Maestro had a penchant for music of
the Occident alone. Hindi film music was another genre which fascinated him.
He was the leader of the Ranjit Movietone Orchestra and of the Films
Division Orchestra from 1946 to 1949 and played under the late Mr. Vasant
Desai an Indian film music director in the Raj Kala Mandir. Other
illustrious stalwarts whom he occasionally played for included names like C.
Ramachandra, Naushad, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, R D Burman, Kaslyanji-Anandji,
Sharda, and Bappi Lahiri. In 1962 he was decorated with the "Ashoka Pillar"
award by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at a tea
party held at the Prime Minister's residence. In 1964, he composed the
scores and directed the orchestra and choir for the documentary film 'Goa'.
Prof. Martins has a myriad of publications and papers presented within and
outside the country in Konkani, English and Latin such as Song of Goa (an
anthology of mandos with Dr. Jose Pereira's co-authorship), The Goan Music
(a paper written in English in the book 'This is Goa'), 'A Sheaf of deknis',
and 'Orlim's contribution to Goan Music' (X1 Semana De Orlim)
Prof. Micael Martins began his career as a violin teacher; and in this he
had no equal. He had the unique gift of teaching music by the anathomy
method. His students are today spread over the entire world. On hearing
about his demise, a former student of his came down all the way from Toronto
and paid homage to his mentor by playing the last post solo as his mortal
remains were lowered into the grave.
Soter R. Barreto (1944 - )
Soter Renato Barreto, our longtime co-writer, a ganvkar of Benaulim, was
born in Margao on 22-04-1944. While still in his childhood, he became an
avid reader of Aitarachem Vachop which his father would bring home every
week. He completed the 5th Year of Lyceum just as Goa was liberated. He
then enrolled as a working student for the B.A. Course of Bombay University
at Chowgule College and, upon graduation, followed that up with two years of
Law. In the meantime he completed a Lab. Technician's Course and joined the
Department of Health of Goa Government from which he retired after serving
for nearly 40 years.
Inspired by the writings of Felicio Cardoso, he began writing in Konkani in
1962 and has been at it consistently since then. During this half-a-century
of endeavour, he has handled several genres of literature; thought-provoking
articles, esays, poems and short stories which have appeared in Felicio
Cardoso's Goencho sad weekly, followed by Loksad daily, Sot, Divtti, Novem
Goem, Goencho Avaz and Vavraddeancho Ixtt. Presently his writings appear
regularly in Gulab, The Goan Review and other periodicals in Roman script
like Umalle, Konkann Daiz, Fulam etc. He writes in Devanagari too; his
contributions are found in Sunaparant daily as well as in Jaag, Bimb and
Konkan Times. Many of his short stories have been broadcast on AIR,
Panaji.
For some years he has worked as the Executive Editor of the Annual issue of
Goencho Avaz.
He is a past Secretary of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Goa. He has been given the
"Best Konkani Writer" Award by Gulab for the year 2007. Konkani Bhasha
Mandal conferred on him the "Seva Puroskar" for 2007 and the "Best Konkani
Journalist" award for 2009.
