Having said this, I don't hold out much hope. I think it's been more than five
years I made a similar stink about the state of Pai Agostinho's (the father of
tiatr) original handwritten plays and stage directions which are deposited at a
Konkani Academi in Goa. Those books are in serious peril and already under
attack from white ants. There was similar concern at the time but I doubt
anything came of it.
It is good that my research doesn't in the main require a Goa archive
repository. I would be too distressed each time I see the lack of custodial
care afforded these priceless documents.
Having said that my research does involve interviewing and documenting family
histories in Goa, UK and Canada (descendants of those who had emigrated to
British East Africa). A similar loss of history exists here. While the 20th
century can be documented with (not good but) adequate memory retrieval, not
much of the 19th century can be reconstructed through family history. And that
which is retrieved suffers from all the vulnerabilities of oral history.
Take care,Selma
On Wednesday, 3 May 2023 at 08:55:09 BST, 'Carvalho' via Goa-Research-Net
<goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Dear Jules,
We must look strange going around with our cameras photographing gravestones.
LOL.
I think digitisation of those records is the need of the hour and somehow an
appeal must be made to the government to make this a priority. They could even
make it a paywalled site earning thousands in foreign currency because so many
Goans abroad want to trace their roots.
Take care,Selma On Wednesday, 3 May 2023 at 08:15:08 BST, Jules Fausto
Mendonca de Sa <faustodes...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hi Selma,
I have been reading the posts regarding your visit to the Goa archives with a
great deal of interest and it is not far off from what I highlighted to you in
a post a couple of months earlier. Since 2009 - I have made at least two visits
to archives on each of my trips to Goa and have seen no improvements or
modernisation. I have been given to understand that no major funding has been
provided for the maintenance of this valuable resource - which an organisation
like ancestry.com, Myheritage.com or family history.com would gladly assist.
The latter had undertaken work on goa Church records from 1914 to 1996 which
were initially microfilmed but now digitised. The same could be done for
records at the archives meaning that the books could be copied and stored away
with access given via screens set up within the Goa archives. Anyone wishing to
avail of records from the comfort of their homes either locally or overseas
could take up a subscription which could be used for this maintenance. I do
believe that there is some scope for this. I am aware that some records are
available via a Goa Government link but these are no use to people like me who
does not have an Aadhar Card or Indian cell No.Many suggestions but requiring
the will.
Kind regards
Fausto PS. I do agree that many old tombstones carry a wealth of information
and this has been a valuable resource for me in my genealogical work. My wife
often jokes that whilst people take pictures of scenic beaches - my camera is
full of gravestones after a visit to Goa.
Sent from Outlook
From: goa-research-net@googlegroups.com <goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> on
behalf of Crispino Lobo <cslo...@gmail.com>
Sent: 02 May 2023 02:17
To: goa-research-net@googlegroups.com <goa-research-net@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [GRN] Update about Goa Archives Hi Selma,Would be grateful if you
could also send it to me - cslo...@gmail.com.Thank you.Crispino Lobo
On Mon, 1 May, 2023, 9:26 PM 'Carvalho' via Goa-Research-Net,
<goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Certainly, John, I'll email it to you privately.
Warm wishes,Selma
On Monday, 1 May 2023 at 16:43:34 BST, John de Figueiredo
<johnde...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Dear Selma,Please get the name and contact information of the person who helped
you. He/she is precious.Best wishes,John
Sent from my iPhone
On May 1, 2023, at 2:25 AM, 'Carvalho' via Goa-Research-Net
<goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Dear all,
Thank you for the numerous helpful response regarding Goa Archives. I did
indeed visit the Goa Archives. I arrived at 10am and sat patiently for an hour.
Eventually someone recognised me as the writer and hastened my entry into the
archive hall. This office defied any semblance of modernity and had an
estranged relationship with technology. By some antediluvian method, I ordered
a documented assisted by person who recognised me. I then took a seat and
awaited said document. I sat in a hall full of men who pored over centuries-old
documents with their arms spread on these books, brandishing felt pens, the
documents spine straddled without support. After I saw this, I felt nausea
creeping up and tried to avoid eye contact with anyone, most of all the clerks
in the room.
I sat for another one hour and could see all the peons chatting but no document
had arrived. I went to the head clerk and asked about the possible arrival of
my book. He nodded to a peon, they laughed, and one frail creature departed on
his search with all the enthusiasm of a man being led to the guillotine.
Finally he returned clutching the holy grail of a book but when I took custody,
it was the wrong book. I went to tell the manager who sat in a class cabin with
the surly look of a government officer, pressing a buzzer to summon people. He
dismissed by not looking up. I did not wait for the right document because had
it arrived, I could neither photograph it nor photocopy it. I would have to
make an application for the record and collect it 15 days later. So I left.
Every department, institution and organisation of governance in Goa (and
unfortunately I have had to visit many) is a failure of efficiency, procedure,
custody and care. We are light years away from any semblance of modernity and
our sense of Goan exceptionalism is utterly misplaced.
The story does have a happy ending. The man who recognised me researches
records for a living and I shall simply hire his services.
Take care,Selma
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