Dear all, Thanks to Himanshu for his note of self-introduction, and spelling out his suggestions.
When he first spoke to me about this (I also know Dr Kyoko), it struck me as a venture which could be of utility to Saligao. We have been working with Lourdes Convent, though only sporadically. Sister Lily has been supportive of the idea, though the school has its own pressures and priorities for its students. It would be nice if others interested in the same could also get involved. I was suggesting to Himanshu that he looks at the other groups active in the village, and see where there is some common group and overlap that allows for join initiatives. For me, primarily, I look to such initiatives as having the potential to build local skills and talents. We have so many talented people here, who could really go places if only they got the right opportunity at the right time. Himanshu, maybe you could veer some work to focus on activities that could help Saligao understand itself and its strengths better. On behalf of Saligaonet, a welcome to you and Malini, and here's hoping that the village also benefits from such ventures. If I could help in any way, I'd be more than happy to share skills in encouraging villagers to build their writing and photography skills. Others could pool in too, and encourage the process of skill-sharing. It would be nice to create/activate a Saligao group blog (where everyone could post their writing, as done by the Siolim [http://siolimdiaries.blogspot.com/] The challenge is how to match what your plans are with some initiatives that could build 'social capital' for Saligao in the long run. Documenting the village life could be a nice initiative... the last book on Saligao was written in 1973 (though Fr. Nascimento also has plans for updating one). Saligao could benefit from having more public reading spaces (which we sorely lack), and hobby and skill clubs. We also need to acknowledge the work that has already gone into creating the children's reading centre at the Saligao Institute, and so many other 'social capital' building ventures that has made the village what it is. FN PS: Did the others know that there were magazines and books published on Saligao decades ago? Will send you an article which Yvonne Vaz's book republished from the C. Hubert D'Souza's book 'Sloreata Saligao'. I was surprised to learn about it myself. On 21/01/2008, Himanshu Burte <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hello everybody, > > Frederick Noronha very kindly put us onto this list > some time ago so that we could share with everyone a > small 'neighbourhood project' that we have started > work on in Saligao. > > A bit about us. We live in Merces. We are architects > (Malini is also an urban planner) and independent > scholars who moved to Goa from Mumbai three years ago. > We worked as consultants to Dean D'Cruz for two years, > and last year decided to work full time on research > and related activities. One of the projects we began > work on is the one in Saligao, which we find very > exciting. > > What we hope to do in Saligao is related to a larger > project initiated by a Japanese anthropologist Dr. > Kyoko Matsukawa who has done many years of research on > Goa during and after her Ph. D. Kyoko's project (being > supported by Toyota Foundation) is to develop networks > and linkages between villages and people across Asia. > Given her links with Goa, Kyoko proposed to begin with > two villages in Goa and one neighbourhood in Japan > (near her university). Each would document their own > history, culture and other relevant aspects of social > life to begin a web-based communication with the other > villages. When we were invited to work on one of the > two villages in Goa we chose Saligao, because of its > vibrant social life, and rich cultural history. > > The real potential of the project is that it provides > an occasion for the village to reflect upon itself. > This is not about Kyoko or us coming in from outside, > collecting data and then producing either a personal > thesis or some other product. It is about people- > anyone interested really- taking the opportunity to > tell and record their own stories, those from the past > or those about the present or the future. > > Many things can be done. Photography workshops for > children , a village newsletter run by young people, > or a community museum to which every house > contributes. But the agenda should ideally be set by > those who dwell in Saligao (and those even if far > away, in whom Saligao dwells). > > We are hoping to catalyse people in Saligao to > document their own history, environment, culture, > traditions and ideas of the future. All of us know > that this documentation is interesting and important > in itself, so that every village or neighbourhood > knows itself well. We believe that such documentation > and debate would help build a deeper sense of > connection with one's own neighbourhood. > > We have already begun with some exercises involving > senior students at the Lourdes convent. > What we would like to ask is : What is it that Saligao > would like to share with its Asian neighbour? How > would she tell her tale? > > Do tell us what you think and what ought to be done. > We really look forward to hearing from you either > through this forum or personally. In any case, > Himanshu will be in Saligao on the coming Wednesday > (January 23) in the evening. He can be reached at > 9822489314 if any of you would like to meet up. > > Regards > Malini Krishnankutty and Himanshu Burte > > > > --- "Frederick Noronha [फ़रेदरिक > नोरोनया]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Dear all: > > > > Himanshu is an architect friend of mine, and his > > wife Malini is an > > urban planner. Himanshu has been working with > > architect Dean D'Cruz. > > I'd like to introduce him to SaligaoNet so that he > > could share some of > > the ideas he has about plans that involve the > > schoolchildren (being > > worked on for some time) and others. FN > > -- > > Frederick Noronha http://fn.goa-india.org Ph > > 0091-832-2409490 > > 12000+ downloadable, sharable hi-res photos > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/ -- Frederick Noronha http://fn.goa-india.org Ph +91-832-2409490 Links from Goa: http://goalinks.livejournal.com/ Campaign for real beauty : watch this film. Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does :: http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/home.asp
_______________________________________________ Saligao 403511 website http://saligao.goa-india.org Saligaonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goacom.org/mailman/listinfo/saligaonet
