Giving credit, where credit is due Reviewinga book is a comparatively easy task (compared to the work of the original author), and the views raised are often intriguing. Sadly, they go without being challenged,establishing new hurdles for future writers. Onesuch concept is “Giving credit to prior (purported) authors.” In a recent review, the reviewer, through interestingphraseology, drops some “new concepts” and names of their originators. Below is thequote:
Another issue: This book (though only in ablurb) mentions Goans acting as a "subaltern elite". Thisconceptualisation has a significant prior genealogy in Margret Frenz'sscholarship. Likewise, the concept of Goans acting as "culturalbrokers" in different settings is mentioned, without giving any credit tothe person who earlier created this important argument (which, unless mistaken,was Peter Nazareth). Is theabove concept of ‘intermediaries’ between the ruler and the ruled new? Thepriests practiced this not merely in religion but also in politics since time immemorial. In the Konkan region, it was practiced by theGSB and Shenvi Brahmins for the Kadamba and the Maratha rulers since 1000 CE. In thecolonial context, in my Insights, the first to exploit this concept was AdmiralAfonso Albuquerque in his efforts in 1510 to have his sailors marry native girlsand create a mestizo class with Portuguese patrimony and Goan culture to livein the colonies and help the ruler administer, defend, and, if needed, die for theempire. From a British Colonial perspective, the concept was expanded by Lord Thomas Macaulay in propounding his concepts of colonialeducation in India. Long before thecurrent spate of authors for the concept, educators arrived inGoa and India precisely to create cultural, intellectual brokers among varioussegments of society. Today, Goans need to fill in the literal-space with factualinformation and different perspectives depending on their background andgeographical location; or the space will be filled by modern-dayorientalists writing stories about Goa and Goans in fictional accounts, whichin some Goan literary circles are richly acclaimed. One needs to give Carvalho credit for takingadvantage of her geographic location to daily visit the British ColonialArchival building to thumb through the archives, page by page, for any morselof useful information. Many Goans live in the UK, including those from EastAfrica. But none undertook this burden. Without compensation, it was an effortborne out of love and an inquiring mind. Kudos! Every Goan family in East Africa and their progeny spread out through theEnglish-speaking world should have a copy of her book as a legacy of theirancestors’ sojourn. Selma has truly done a service for them and the Goancommunity. We need more like Selma, who will lead by example! Regards, Gilbert -- *** Please be polite and on-topic in your posts. *** --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Goa Book Club" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-book-club/1137482005.74014.1786550908639%40mail.yahoo.com.
