Re: [Goanet] The ridiculously September issue of the Joan Roque Literary Journal
Just forgot to mention that Selma passed negative remarks of my review of Yesterday in Paradise, and I hit back at her, reminding her that she thanked me for the review of her book, A Railway Runs Through It (I think that was the one and I can't remember if I also reviewd her first book). Eugene Sent from my iPad > On Aug 30, 2018, at 4:02 PM, Mervyn Maciel > wrote: > > As this issue contained the following article: > > > *The Literary Maladies of Diaspora GoansBy Ben Antao* > > and since I and many of my ex-East Africa friends have found the > article offensive, I feel it is only fair that I should publish this > rebuttal > by my dear friend, Francis Noronha of Alberta, Canada. > > > Mervyn Maciel > > > > > > > > A RESPONSE TO “THE LITERARY MALADIES OF DIASPORA GOANS” BY BEN ANTAO > Dear Mr. Antao, > I have just read your diatribe above attacking author Cyprian Fernandes and > the many other Goans “who immigrated to Canada from East Africa in the > 1960’s and 1970’s who still hearken back with nostalgia to the good times > of the so-called paradise they basked in under the British colonial sun.” I > am one of these Goans that you are so disappointed with because they have > failed to live up to the lofty goals that you have apparently achieved in > that your fiction and non-fiction “embraces” your experiences in Goa and > Toronto. Bravo! You point out to all of us lesser beings that “a writer has > to draw upon his lived experiences if he seeks to create literary fiction.” > Thank you for this original and inspiring insight into the art of creative > writing. Your encouraging words to aspiring writers fills me with the > desire to put pen to paper in an effort to emulate the sterling example you > have set us in your own literary creative fiction. > I confess, however, that I am confused. Even a cursory reading of Cyprian > Fernandes’ two books, “Yesterday in Paradise” and “Stars Next Door” would > reveal that they are not meant to be “literary fiction”. Unlike you, > Cyprian, (whom I have yet to have the pleasure to meet), is an > unpretentious writer who sets out in “Yesterday in Paradise” to give a > personal insight from the perspective of an investigative journalist into > events at a particularly interesting and turbulent period of Kenya’s > history. During the 60’s and 70’s, Kenya was emerging from the cocoon of > colonial rule and taking its first faltering steps as an independent > nation. During these transitional years, I was a student at the first > multi-racial College in Kenya (later the University of Nairobi) and then > away for three years as a student in Britain. I found Cyprian’s account of > the political in-fighting and intrigue of those early years absolutely > enthralling and enlightening and it filled the gaps in my own knowledge of > the events that eventually led so many of us to decide that, much though we > loved Kenya and its peoples, we had to take what was for most of us a > painful step to emigrate to other countries where we could make a more > secure future for ourselves and for our families. > From your account I gather that you were born and raised in Goa and > immigrated to Canada when you were 25. You probably had little knowledge or > interest in Kenya. I don’t say that in a negative way because there was > probably no reason for you to take more than a cursory interest in an > African country. You are probably not aware of the deeply personal struggle > that Goans and many other Indians of my generation had in leaving the only > country that we had known as “home” to venture to an uncertain future in > countries such as England, Canada and Australia. A closer reading of > Cyprian’s book may inform you of some these personal struggles. I left a > comfortable and secure job as a teacher in Kenya and arrived in Lethbridge, > Alberta in 1975 to start a new career at the age of 38. I have no regrets > and Canada has been a wonderful home to me, my wife and daughter. Most > Goans I know who immigrated from Kenya to Canada > have not spent time in wistful musing about the paradise we left behind as > you seem to think. > We have moved on, forged new careers, made many new friends and contributed > to the > communities we became an integral part of, as, I am sure, you have, Mr. > Antao. That does not > mean that we have erased our memories of the past whether we “basked” or > toiled under the > “British colonial sun”. > I have happy memories of growing up in Kenya, of travels in East Africa, of > climbing Kilimanjaro, > Kenya and Elgon, of playing hockey with my friends, no less than six of > whom were destined to > become Olympians, of teaching in some of the fine schools in Kenya > including historic Allidina > Visram High School in Mombasa, of great holidays spent at the coast and > visiting several > wonderful beaches. I have memories of dear classmates, students and > friends. I was thrilled > when I browsed through Cyprian’s second book, “Stars Nex
[Goanet] The ridiculously September issue of the Joan Roque Literary Journal
As this issue contained the following article: *The Literary Maladies of Diaspora GoansBy Ben Antao* and since I and many of my ex-East Africa friends have found the article offensive, I feel it is only fair that I should publish this rebuttal by my dear friend, Francis Noronha of Alberta, Canada. Mervyn Maciel A RESPONSE TO “THE LITERARY MALADIES OF DIASPORA GOANS” BY BEN ANTAO Dear Mr. Antao, I have just read your diatribe above attacking author Cyprian Fernandes and the many other Goans “who immigrated to Canada from East Africa in the 1960’s and 1970’s who still hearken back with nostalgia to the good times of the so-called paradise they basked in under the British colonial sun.” I am one of these Goans that you are so disappointed with because they have failed to live up to the lofty goals that you have apparently achieved in that your fiction and non-fiction “embraces” your experiences in Goa and Toronto. Bravo! You point out to all of us lesser beings that “a writer has to draw upon his lived experiences if he seeks to create literary fiction.” Thank you for this original and inspiring insight into the art of creative writing. Your encouraging words to aspiring writers fills me with the desire to put pen to paper in an effort to emulate the sterling example you have set us in your own literary creative fiction. I confess, however, that I am confused. Even a cursory reading of Cyprian Fernandes’ two books, “Yesterday in Paradise” and “Stars Next Door” would reveal that they are not meant to be “literary fiction”. Unlike you, Cyprian, (whom I have yet to have the pleasure to meet), is an unpretentious writer who sets out in “Yesterday in Paradise” to give a personal insight from the perspective of an investigative journalist into events at a particularly interesting and turbulent period of Kenya’s history. During the 60’s and 70’s, Kenya was emerging from the cocoon of colonial rule and taking its first faltering steps as an independent nation. During these transitional years, I was a student at the first multi-racial College in Kenya (later the University of Nairobi) and then away for three years as a student in Britain. I found Cyprian’s account of the political in-fighting and intrigue of those early years absolutely enthralling and enlightening and it filled the gaps in my own knowledge of the events that eventually led so many of us to decide that, much though we loved Kenya and its peoples, we had to take what was for most of us a painful step to emigrate to other countries where we could make a more secure future for ourselves and for our families. >From your account I gather that you were born and raised in Goa and immigrated to Canada when you were 25. You probably had little knowledge or interest in Kenya. I don’t say that in a negative way because there was probably no reason for you to take more than a cursory interest in an African country. You are probably not aware of the deeply personal struggle that Goans and many other Indians of my generation had in leaving the only country that we had known as “home” to venture to an uncertain future in countries such as England, Canada and Australia. A closer reading of Cyprian’s book may inform you of some these personal struggles. I left a comfortable and secure job as a teacher in Kenya and arrived in Lethbridge, Alberta in 1975 to start a new career at the age of 38. I have no regrets and Canada has been a wonderful home to me, my wife and daughter. Most Goans I know who immigrated from Kenya to Canada have not spent time in wistful musing about the paradise we left behind as you seem to think. We have moved on, forged new careers, made many new friends and contributed to the communities we became an integral part of, as, I am sure, you have, Mr. Antao. That does not mean that we have erased our memories of the past whether we “basked” or toiled under the “British colonial sun”. I have happy memories of growing up in Kenya, of travels in East Africa, of climbing Kilimanjaro, Kenya and Elgon, of playing hockey with my friends, no less than six of whom were destined to become Olympians, of teaching in some of the fine schools in Kenya including historic Allidina Visram High School in Mombasa, of great holidays spent at the coast and visiting several wonderful beaches. I have memories of dear classmates, students and friends. I was thrilled when I browsed through Cyprian’s second book, “Stars Next Door”, to find that it recorded the achievements of many Goans for posterity. I knew many of the people who are mentioned as classmates and friends and reading about them brought back many happy memories. To use your own terms, Mr. Antao, I was astonished and filled with anguish that you so casually and superciliously discredited the efforts of a fellow Goan whose two books have put on record events and persons that needed to be recorded by a writer who had a unique opportunity as a reporter to get the inside scoop in a way that the rest of
