I beg to differ with comments made by Antonio Menezes about the Goans in Tanganyika and Kenya. In addition to the Goan Institute, The Railway Goan Institute and the Goan Gymkhana, the spectrum of Goan society was further fragmented by the additional two clubs namely the Goan Tailor Society and the Santa Cruz Club. I wonder whether membership to the Goan Institute Dar-es-Salaam welcomed all Goans of whatever stature including Tailor's Cooks and others or were these Goans marginalized there too and deprived of memberships. The fragmentation in the Goan Society in Nairobi was perhaps overcome by the unity brought about by the Goans Overseas Association where every Goan regardless of status could and were admitted as members.Although there was no clubhouse, the organization took care of many issues affecting Goans in Kenya including building and running the Dr Ribeiro Goan School.
I also fail to understand how being born in a European ( Segregated) Hospital made Dar-es-salaam Goans superior to Nairobi Goans. I was born in Lady Grigg Maternity Hospital in Nairobi, which was administered by Whites. It did not make me superior to others some of whom were born at home with the aid of Midwifes. This is why we Goans fail. Our readiness to draw distinction on the slimmest of pretexts. Casts Creeds, occupations, even skin color (we being ALL Goons). This is what has kept our community vulnerable and taken advantage of. We cannot unite as one GOON COMMUNITY like the Patel Brotherhood or even the Muslim Association. Shame on us. Manuel ( Eddie) Tavares.
