on 4/26/07 9:10 PM, [goanchris] at [sbcglobal.net] wrote: > Sorry to inform you all that my grand-aunt (dad's aunt), Clementina > Saldanha (of Sailem, Arrarim, Saligao) died this morning at 7.30 am > (Friday, April 27, 2007) at the Mother Mary Haven, Calangute. She was > 89. > > Aunty Clemy, as we called her, is someone who was very simple and very > nice. My memories of her go back to the age of three or so, when she > took care of us while our parents went to work. She introduced us to > the life in Goa, which we encountered with a mix of awe and amazement > and surprise. In the 1960s, that meant grazing goats on the lane near > St Cajetan's Chapel. Pooling resources to collectively take the > village's cows grazing to the local hillock (not yet a concrete jungle > for industry). Tending to coconut trees. Doing all that it took to > cultivate paddy fields. Tapping the coconut tree for all its bounty, > including working on the tedious process of extracting oil from it. > Living largely off the village soil. > > My brother Ricky and myself were fairly naughty boys. Aunty Clemy was > a spinster, and being fairly spoilt and Brazil-returned, we at times > gave her tough times. But she was always kind, always patient. For > years together, she would painstakingly craft typically Goan-related > sweets to match with every season and feast of the year. > Pyramid-shaped pudde, leaf-wrapped patoiyo, sweet letri, local sanna > (both the pain-white sourish ones, and the brownish jaggery ones), the > stringy shirvoiyo and so many more. > > She was a nice lady, and the memories of the past are the best tribute > one can pay her. The funeral is expected to be this evening, leaving > Mother Mary Haven for the Boa Viagem Church at 3.30 pm this evening > (Friday, Apr 27, 2007). Confirmation awaited. > > She was born on March 3, 1918 (and would have been 90 last year), and > was the daughter of the late Pedro Caetano Saldanha and late > Florentina Monteiro Saldanha. Aunt to Ezilda Saldanha; Tony > Noronha/Felicia Coutinho Noronha. Grand-aunt to Americo/Clare, > Frederick/Pamela, great-grand aunt to Riza/Aren.
My heart felt sympathies are extended to the Rico, Ricki and to their families. I too remember Aunty Clementine as a kindly person who was a mainstay in Arrarim when I was growing up. Just last December on my short visit Julian and I joined Saligao Carolers to bring some X'mas cheer to the aged home in Calangute. I'm was surprised to see her there as I was out of touch and even more surprised when she remembered me. God rest her soul. Regards to all Christi _______________________________________________ Saligao 403511 website http://saligao.goa-india.org Saligaonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goacom.org/mailman/listinfo/saligaonet
