SALIGAO MAN MR. ANTONIO SEBASTIAO REMEDIOS 108 YEARS NOT OUT
(1896....)
Among the centenarians from Saligao whom I had a chance to meet and watch their performance from close quarters were Fr. Estevao Luis Gonzaga de Carvalho (Grande Morodd), Mrs. Rita Joaquina D'Souza (Arrarim)and Mr. Luis Caetano Figueiredo(Donvaddo). Today they are no more, yet as Canon Orlando Ribeiro de Santana, ex-Vicar of Saligao says" they lived hectic days of the
Portuguese monarchy, right from King Luis I, up to its sudden end in 1910.They were witnesses, though from far, to the troublesome days of King Carlos and his sons Prince Luis Felipe, assassinated with him in 1908 and the unfortunate king Manuel II, who left the throne two years later and fled
hurriedly to England where he lived in Richmond and expired in 1932. Then they went through the changes the Portuguese Republic brought to the nation and her colonies.
Following the sequence of time they came in contact from 1928 onwards with Dr. Salazar's dictatorship and the prosperity it brought to Portugal, though it was little felt in Goa." Then came the two great world wars , India's Independent in 1947 and its turning into a Sovereign Republic on 26th January, 1950 and other happenings close at home in Goa especially the blockades between Portuguese territory of Goa and India Free India made them dream that Goa would also be freed one day from the Portuguese colonial rule.' Unexpectedly one night the Indian army walked in and they changed overnight their nationality. They went to sleep as Portuguese and awoke as Indians in December, 1961.There were long faces, but also there was the fanfare and joy of something new coming in.'
Another personality who watched some of these events from far off Uganda was another Saligonense Mr. Antonio Sebastiao Remedios from Tabravaddo, Saligao. He is still living and is 108 years old. In Saligao he is known as Bostu or A.S. Remedios' while others simply call him Jose (after Sao Jose, as he was born on 19th March).
Recently I met him at Mrs. Lucy Cordeiro's residence at Mollebhatt where his daughter Mrs. Maria Severina Remedios Cordeiro alias Rina Cordeiro married to Caridade Cordeiro alias Carey Cordeiro, who besides, taking care of her two sons and one daughter, also looks after all the needs of her father Antonio Sebastiao. After an interview with the centenarian, his close relatives I walked to the Church of Saligao where the Rev. Vicar Fr. Francisco Ataide was kind enough to hand over to me the Registration Book of Baptism of the year 1896 and this is what I found:
A child of male sex was solemnly baptized in this Church of Mae de Deus of Saligao on 5th April, 1896 and given the name Antonio Sebastiao Remedios Born at Tabravaddo, Saligao, on 19th March, 1896, he is the legitimate son of S. Anna Michael Remedios( Tabravaddo) and Ritta Carlota Fernandes ( Donvaddo), married in Nagoa Church Paternal grand-parents are Eugenio Sebastiao Remedios and Maria Severina Albuquerque and Maternal grand-parents are Vicente Xavier Fernandes and Maria Angelica Pinto. God-father: Diogo Sebastiao Aleixinho Pinto and God-mother Preciosa Escholastica Cordeiro. The Parish Priest is Fr. Caetano Vicente Rosario(1879-1903)..( Vide Baptism Registration Book, Mae de Deus Church, No.59/1896, page 84).
Antonio Sebastiao was married twice . His first wife was Anna Severina Saldanha from Salmona. They got married in 1920.. From this couple three children were born, two sons and a daughter. Napoleao Remedios the eldest was married to late Mina.. He lives in Canada and is 81 years old. The second son is Denise Remedios is married to Anne. He is at Abreu-vaddo, Saligao and is 76 years old while Linda Remedios is married to John Paul Pinto from Nachinola. She was born in 1932 and is in Canada.
After his wife's death Antonio Sebastiao got married the second time to Maria Aurora Bonifacia de Souza from Bambordem, Moira in 1961.Of this wedlock they have a daughter Maria Severina Remedios alias Rina married to Carey Cordeiro in 1984. She resides at Mollebhatt.
Antonio Sebastiao is the last among the brothers. His eld4est brother is Antonio Francisco Xavier Remedios married Filomena de Souza from Arrarim. She is aunt of Fr. Edwin de Sousa. The second brother is Camilo Remedios. He married Florentina from Arrarim. The third brother is Caetano Paulo Remedios . He married Carmelina Abreu from Chorao. His sisters Clotildes, Lucinda and Josefina were married in Porvorim, Vaddem de Socorro and Moira respectively.
Meeting the venerable old man and talking to him was great fun. Lucid in his mind , clear in his speech, he told me that he first went to school at Hortencia Cordeiro's residence in Mollebhatt Then followed his studies at Aula, St. Mary's Boys School at Arrarim and finally at St. Stanislaus in Bandra, Bombay. Whilst in Goa he loved agriculture and worked in the fields. In Bombay hr got a job as a typist and later on worked in Uganda, Africa, for 40 years in the Government Treasury as Special Grade Clerk and Head of Accounting Section. He retired from service in 1955 and is a pensioner till date. In late fifties he came to Goa, and settled in Arrarim de Saligao .A voracious reader of National Geographical Magazine, Reader's Digest, Time Magazine he records dates and events quite faithfully. He had the compilation of all these magazines which he offered to a library, he said .Lover of his mother tongue konkani he scanned the pages of his favourite konkani weekly Vauraddeancho Ixtt. He kept himself abreast with the world and current affairs listening to his radio
I asked him the secret of his long life. He replied that he was methodical in his work, play and prayer life. He ate at fixed hours and never compromised on timings. As said earlier he loved agriculture. He interrupted me and said in konkani " TANKAM MOROM NA."( Pointing to farmers). He walked daily for long hours and is fond of silence. He has daily one peg of brandy. He believed in natural food and shunned AC's, Fans, etc. One should sleep in the open, he added.
Antonio Sebastian loved pets. As a hobby he learnt tailoring by himself observing his wife Severina who was an efficient tailor herself. His face brightened when he said that he loved to help the needy and poor. On his 100th birthday in 1996 he donated one lakh rupees to Saligao Church( Most of the information was supplied by his son Nap and daughter as well as his niece Lina Remedios e Mascarenhas.) To whom I am very grateful).
Dr. J. H.Cuncolienkar his doctor who regularly checks him says" Mr. Sebastian Antonio is in good health and walks about in the house. I find nothing wrong in him. The Rev. Parish Priest of Saligao, Fr. Francisco Ataide, as well as his Assistant, Fr. Andrew Mascarenhas take care of his spiritual needs. They visit him periodically...
As time passed in Saligao he got accustomed to the new change in regime and the new designations for the local and zonal authorities. Instead of Reeder, Junta Local and Administrator there were the Tualatin, the Serpent and the Malodor and lying on his bed and reviewing the film of his life Antonio Sebastian said" I have attained my well-hoped target" And that was the fruit of his simplicity in life and popular wisdom; though his second wife is no more.
Surely he is the only one so far to attain that age of 108 years not out, in Saligao, Bardez. He has left 4 children, 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren to be proud of their father, grand-father and great grandfather Mr. Antonio Sebastiao Remedios . Saligao is indeed rejoicing.
Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas.
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