On 22 November 2013 11:16, Tim de Mello <[email protected]> wrote:
1: I have attended many dances here in Canada - which invariably have a buffet dinner included. 2: you should watch our Canadian Goans. 3: They will pile up their plates like they have never eaten before - quite a disgusting sight - and if shrimps are on the menu, clean up all the shrimps before the most of the others get to the buffet table. 4: It is in our DNA. Dear Tim, You are a reasonable gentleman. That is why I am reticent to disagree with you. But, on this point, I must 'disagree, albeit with a proviso' Q: Whose DNA are you referring to (1) Goans (2) Goan Catholics (c) Canadian Goan Catholics (d) Canadian Goan Catholics who attend dances in Canada? I ask because my experience with Goans, in general, be it in Poona, Panjim, London, in the US (North East), in Canada (non-dance & limited to Toronto) and in my own family unit has been quite different. We have been hosted by Goans and we have hosted Goans, we even had three large functions in the US attended by Goans (part-hosted by us). In the one we part-hosted 5 years ago, there were a fair amount of Goans (some from East Africa) - NO such negative experience, NOT even at the open bar. In fact, the bar was kept open even during the dinner as the expected (premium) liquid quota was apparently hardly expended. I have said this before and I was castigated by those have not shared my experience - even so, I will repeat it here: My first real experience with Goans (outside my parents' home in Poona and in Poona) was in Panjim in 1965. Folks were genteel and kind to each other, men would stand up when ladies came to sit at the table and allow ladies to serve themselves first at the buffet table. That was so, even during our last visit there. I submit that, IF any change has occurred, it might be a good idea to look at the environment and not the genetics ...to find pointers toward etiology. jc
