STORIES CRUCIAL TO BUILD CHILDREN'S IMAGINATION, SAY WRITERS
On Children's Day 2012, while schools in Goa were closed for the mid-term
break, promoters of Konkani of the Dalgado Konknni Akademi released three
books specially written for children.
The well-attended programme at the Campal Forest Department's children's
park saw children of different background mingle, join in for a magic show,
and play the role of book-releasers in a participative function.
Speakers on the dias agreed that much needed to be done to promote
children's writing in Konkani, particularly in the Roman script. The
25-year-old DKA works to promote Konkani in the Roman script in Goa.
Author Fr Pratap Naik, who released a Konkani edition of Aesop's Fables with
Shilpa Salvi, recalled how his granddad would tell them stories when he
visited home. Stories of Attu and Bittu, Koli-Koli (fox and the vixen), the
vagh and shinv (tiger and lion). "That's the way my love for the language
grew, and today I work for it throughout," he said.
He explained how co-author Salvi and he collaborated over the project,
overcoming issues of dialects and standardisation.
"I myself became a child while doing this work. If you must, study in the
English medium. But at home talk in Konkani, read Konkani, and your
knowledge will grow over time," he said.
The Magical Treasure Chest (Jaduchem Pettul) was described by author Vincy
Quadros as a fantasy-novel for children.
"Our elders didn't tell us stories. But in primary school, one teacher told
us stories each Saturday. And I wondered if I would be able to tell the
same someday," Raia-based Quadros said. Today, he writes a lot of short
fiction, particularly in the Konkani magazines.
He stressed the need for children to learn both Konkani and English, and
learn it well. DKA's secretary Jose Salvador Fernandes said the
organisation planned to organise book reviewing workshops for children, so
that they could get more into books, and also a day-long event for children.
"Espi Mai Is Stuck Again" author Anita Pinto, whose work was rendered into a
Konkani edition, also spoke. Translator Isidore Dantas praised her
well-written work, which proved to be a fast-seller in English earlier.
"She has the talent needed to get into a child's mind. Her animal-characters
like Masu the Fish, Devika Duck, the Bibto Wagh and Foxy the Dog are
something that the children would find endearing," he said. Cartoonist
Alexyz has done the illustrations for this book.
Fr Feroze Fernandes, editor of the Konkani weekly Ixtt, narrated some
episodes from his days in Nagar Haveli, and called on children to work smart
and wise. Deputy Conservator Dionisio Carvalho was the guest of honour.
DKA president Premanand Lotlikar said the academy planned to take reading to
the villages, specially for children, and to build skills there. DKA was
also working for the standardisation of Roman script writing, he said, and
announced that Dr Pratap Naik's book for learning Konkani in the first
standard would be released soon.
***** Konkani Edition *****
DKA-chi BHURGEANCHEADISA Veglle Kolponechi Karyavoll Zali
Puray desbhor Novembrache 14 tarker BHURGEANCHO DIS monoytat. Hea vorsa
Dalgado Konknni Akademin-ui (DKA) aple porim BHURGEANCHO DIS somarombhunk,
bhurgeam khatir kherit bhaxen karyavoll ghoddoun haddli, ani te karyavollint
bhurgeam sahitaychim tin pustokam uzvaddaylim.
BHURGEANCHEA DIS-a nimitan ani vorosbhor chalu aslolea aplea Rupea Utsovache
karyavollincho ek bhag mhonn, DKA-n ghoddoun haddlole he karyavollik
‘Vavraddeancho Ixtt’ satolleacho som’padok Pa. Feroz Fernandes mukhel soiro
aslo. Tache vangdda, karyavollik hajir aslolea dog lhan bhurgeamni
‘Isopacheo Kannio’ pustok uzvadda haddunk aple hat fuddem kele.
‘Isopacheo Kannio’ hem pustok Inglezintlea ‘Aesop’s Fables’ pustokacho
onnkar (transalation) asa. Ho onnkar, Konknni zannkar ani sôd-vavr korpi
Pratap Naik, S.J. ani Shilpa Salvi hannim kela.
BHURGEANCHEA DISA dusrem pustok uzvaddaylem tem Konknni borovpi Vincy
Quadrosan bhurgeam khatir boroyloli kadom’bori – ‘Jaduchem Pettul’. Dobajeak
manacho soiro aslolo manadik Dionisio N. F. Carvalho, zo Deputy Conservator
of Forests, Wildlife & Ecotourism (North) podacher asa, tachea vangdda dog
mannkulea bhurgeamni ‘Jaduchem Pettul’ pustok uzvaddaylem.
‘Espi Mãy Porot Xirkoli ani Gõycheo Her Kannio’ hea pustokachi uzvaddavnni
mukhel soiro Pa. Feroz Fernandes ani dog bhurgeanchea hatantlean zali.
Hem pustok hache poilim, ‘Espi Mai and Other Goan Tales’ hea nanvan
inglezintlean uzvadda ailolem asa, ani tea pustokachi borovpi Anita Pinto.
Konknni borovpi Isidore Dantasan hem pustok ‘Espi Mãy Porot Xirkoli ani
Gõycheo Her Kannio’ hea nanvan rupantor kelam.
Tin-ui pustokam uzvadda yetoch, tea pustokachea borovpiamni, onnkar korpian
ani rupantor korpian aplem mon ugtem kelem.
He karyavollint, mukhel soireak, manachea soireak, borovpiank, onnkar ani
rupantor korpiank bhurgiamninch machier vhelim, bhurgiamninch tankam fulam
bhettoylim ani DKA-cheo mogacheo bhetto-i tanninch umedin bhettoyleo.
Karyavollichea xevottak legit, lhan Conchita Vasan upkarachem ulovp kelem.
He karyavollint mukhel ani manchea soireanchim-i ulovpam zalim. Zalear,
karyavollichem yezmanponn cholovpi DKA-cho Odheokx Premanand A.Lotlikaran-ui
ulovp kelem.
Dobajeak hajir zaloleank DKA-cho sekretar Jose Salvador Fernandesan yeukar
diun, puray karyavollicho karbhar choloylo.
Karyavolliche survatek Savio Giligilin bhurgeanche avddicho ‘magic show’
kelo. Tea bhair, bhurgeam modem bhurgeanche avddichim Donald Duck ani Mickey
Mouse him patram bhurgeam modem misoll zaun tankam umedir dovortanam
distalim.
Bhurgim tor zalinch, punn bhurgeanchim avoy-bapuy ani Konknni mogi-i he
karyavollik hajir aslim.
Jose Salvador Fernandes
Sekretar
Dalgado Konknni Akademi
AS-6, Dusro Mallo
Campal Trade Centre,
Campal, Ponnji Gõy
Fon: 0832-2221688/9881810832
Email: [email protected]
