In response to this post of mine, I got some interesting private responses. I
feel the need to address some of these. I had posed the question, is there a
difference between East African Goans and Portuguese Passport Goans in the UK?
If so why?
On the face of it, there is a vast difference. One is articulate, refined,
lives in a fine home and delicately sips Rose wine while regaling you with
stories of clubs in Africa. The other finds it difficult to converse in
English, is engaged in a factory job, gets drunk and has public brawls, some of
which end up with knives in people's stomachs.
But in reality, underneath these superfluous differences, both are very similar
creatures. The real difference in, the middle-class knows the fine art of
hiding their problems under a pristine veneer of respectability. And so what is
a social issue for the middle-class becomes a criminal issue for the working
class.
The two faces of Goa that I spoke about is really one face; one with make-up,
the other without.
The UK is one of the most fascinating place to study Goan culture. Here you
have layers and layers of Goan culture in varying states of evolution. I can
write realms about UK Goans but of course if I ever tell the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth, I shall have to change my name and address and
emigrate to the moon. So sadly it shall all remain with me, unless one night I
have too much Rose wine :-)
Take care,
selma
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