Many thanks to you and Marise. I will start on the suggestions provided. Roland Francis 416-453-3371
On Fri, May 10, 2024 at 6:07 PM Joao Paulo Cota <joao_c...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hi Roland, > You can start at the Museu Militar de Lisboa. > They have an amazing collection of documents and a lot of memorabilia, all > military related. > They are very helpful and the documents are well organized and indexed, > that can be also searched digitally. > You can contact them directly, with preliminary question on > musmillis...@exercito.pt > Their service is one of the finest I have ever experienced, they have a > lot of stuff related to Goa. > > https://www.exercito.pt/pt/quem-somos/organizacao/ceme/vceme/dhcm/lisboa > <https://www.exercito.pt/pt/quem-somos/organizacao/ceme/vceme/dhcm/lisboa> > Notícia > <https://www.exercito.pt/pt/quem-somos/organizacao/ceme/vceme/dhcm/lisboa> > Descobre mais no link abaixo. > www.exercito.pt > Good luck, > Joao Paulo Cota > ------------------------------ > *From:* goa-research-net@googlegroups.com < > goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Roland Francis < > roland.fran...@gmail.com> > *Sent:* 09 May 2024 21:09 > *To:* goa-research-net@googlegroups.com <goa-research-net@googlegroups.com > > > *Subject:* [GRN] Pe Alfredo d’Araujo (late) > > The last posting prior to retirement of my maternal uncle from Loutulim > born in 1912 was as vicar and parish priest of Margao’s Holy Spirit Church. > > In his younger days, he was an officer-chaplain in the Portuguese army in > Goa and I think, in a couple of African colonies. > > Can anyone please tell me where to start my search to find his military > service records? > > Another question kindly. On my parents’ marriage certificate the priest is > listed as Alfredo de Asarejo. While my first thought was that this uncle > might have officiated at his younger sister’s marriage service in Bombay’s > Holy Name Parish in 1948, is Asarejo a Goan surname and the priest thus > have been someone other than my late uncle. > > Many thanks in advance for your inputs. > > Roland Francis > 416-453-3371 > > > On Sat, Mar 30, 2024 at 2:16 PM Goa-Research-Net < > goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote: > > “GOA: as Fernando de Noronha knew it” > ‘Goa: tal como a conheci’ (‘Goa: as I knew it’) (Third Millenium, 2018; > price: Rs.400) > [image: Caetano Mascarenhas] > > <https://medium.com/@caetanomm?source=post_page-----4b51668578c3--------------------------------> > > Caetano Mascarenhas > <https://medium.com/@caetanomm?source=post_page-----4b51668578c3--------------------------------> > · > > Follow > 12 min read > · > Mar 5, 2020 > > <https://medium.com/plans?dimension=post_audio_button&postId=4b51668578c3&source=upgrade_membership---post_audio_button----------------------------------> > > Probably the most disastrous consequence of Goa’s violent rupture from > Portuguese sovereignty in 1961 at the hands of Indian Army is that the > entire period of Goan history after Portugal’s take over in 1510 is taken > to be a black hole. It suited the narrative of Goa’s new ruling classes to > stain the entire Portuguese era as one of no historical value to Goans. > Unfortunately, the Goan intelligentsia of the time (mainly the Catholic > elite) reacted by simply hot-footing it abroad and abandoning their Goan > heritage or by going into a prolonged coma that allowed the community to be > smeared by the nouveau pseudo-patriots. One of the doleful effects was the > break in transmission of cultural and historical traditions (accentuated by > the near-total extinction of Portuguese language) to the adolescent > generation of Goans. > > It has been said by the ancient Roman, Cicero, that a people that does not > know its own history is doomed forever to live in the state of adolescence. > Goans don’t know much. The book ‘*Goa: tal como a conheci*’ (‘Goa: as I > knew it’) (Third Millenium, 2018; price: Rs.400) is a book of history *sui > generis*, written in Portuguese, by Fernando de Noronha, that goes a long > way to fill a part of this lacuna. It is a narration of ‘what happened in > Goa between 1930 and 1980’. It is neither historiography nor a memoir, > although it partakes elements of both. The Author saw the writing of the > book as the fulfillment of a duty to his beloved land so that its people > may use it the better to understand themselves. > > The late Fernando de Noronha, originally from Neura, was born in 1920. He > held a day-job as a bureaucrat but he also dedicated himself to teaching > the Portuguese language and was clearly an ardent admirer of all aspects of > the Portuguese intervention in Goan history. He contributed to whatever > remained of the Portuguese press in Goa after 1961 and was also party to a > valiant attempt to run a new Portuguese-language periodical, which did not > last long, in the mid-1980’s. > > It is not a coincidence that the period covered by the book commences with > the Salazar era getting under way in Portuguese politics. It is also the > point of time when an uncle of the Author embarked on a public career, > namely, the priest-politician Castilho de Noronha, to whom the Author > professes a debt of having been a source of inspiration. The Author does > not pretend to cover the entire social, cultural and historical canvas of > Goa but only the part of which he knew best: Catholic Goa. Even though it > provides a mass of historical facts, the purists will complain that there > is no attribution of primary sources. However, the accuracy of information > given is assured by the ring of truth that surrounds it. > > The book has separate chapters on Politics and Administration, Society and > Culture and religion. It is evident that meticulous and painstaking > research has gone into its compilation, which is all the more admirable as > the Author does not appear to have had any institutional support or > resources. > > The first chapter delves into the political events and institutions that > are not of merely sectarian interest. Other than the recently-published > ‘Resurgent Goa’ by the academic Varsha Kamat, it is doubtful if there is > any other book that contains such a wealth of data and information relating > to that historical era. This period had momentous historical importance for > Goa. The Portuguese nation had passed through traumatic, if enlightened, > times of Republican regimes from 1910. Although the legislation and the > egalitarian and secular way of life that it introduced in Portuguese > territories marked it out as probably the most advanced country in the > Western world, its economy had run to the ground. Out of such chaos there > emerged the proverbial strong man with a messianic halo, Antonio Salazar, > who was a university professor who went on to dominate Portuguese life with > an iron hand (but little prosperity) over the next forty years or so. The > Author reveals that he holds Salazar in esteem bordering on veneration. > > It is hardly known in Goa that the creation of a constitutional monarchy > in Portugal as early as 1820 led to the institution of a regime based on a > libertarian Constitution drafted and promulgated by an elected Parliament. > This Constitution conferred equal citizenship on the overseas residents of > the Portuguese territories and did away with the concept of ‘colony’. It > was about this citizenship and equality that the greatest Goan political > leaders, namely, Bernardo Peres de Silva and Francisco Luis Gomes (of the > 19th century) and Luis de Menezes Braganca (of early 20th century), > boasted. The overthrow of monarchy and promulgation of a Republic in 1910 > further cemented the liberal polity. However, the dictatorship of Antonio > Salazar overturned a hundred years of enlightened democratic rule and > restored the status of ‘colonies’ to the overseas territories of Portugal. > This new regime was known as ‘Estado Novo’ (New State). It reintroduced > racial and religious discrimination in the colonies and adopted an > authoritarian political structure around the year 1930. This book picks up > part of the story from this date so far as it relates to Goa. > > Since there was no real involvement of the masses in public affairs in the > ‘New State’, the political history of the new colonial regime shrinks to no > more than the history of the local rulers, i.e. the Governors. The Author > gives thumb-nail sketches about the activities of the Governors who held > office, including the last ill-fated Gen. Vassalo e Silva. It appears that > this last incumbent had embarked on various projects towards the economic > and infrastructural development of Goa: building of National Highway, > provision of piped drinking water, laying of sewerage system, restoration > of Old Goa and proposals for bridges across rivers Mandovi and Zuari. He > also founded naval establishments and scholarships for Goan students to > study in Portugal. His greatest achievement was to sacrifice his own career > rather than risk the destruction of Goan territory and lives by > surrendering nobly to the conquering Indian Army on 19th December 1961. > > The ‘Chapter 2’ is crucial as it contains hitherto unavailable information > about the political structures in Goa during the post-1930 era. The > existing political parties ‘Partido Indiano’ and ‘Partido Ultramarino’ had > been outlawed and only the State-sponsored party ‘Uniao Nacional’ (National > Union) permitted to operate. The Republican statute ‘Bases Organicas’ of > 1914 had provided for a certain degree of autonomy for Goa and the creation > of a ‘Legislative Council’ to be elected by a limited suffrage. It was > meant to be the first step towards a democratic process, as it also had a > majority of *ex-officio *and Government-nominated members. However, in > 1933 this body was designated as ‘Government Council’ and rendered > toothless in view of the ban on independent parties and the introduction of > the Colonial Act of 1930, which reduced Goans to being second-class > subjects. The Colonial Act had been opposed vigorously by Goan political > and intellectual leaders, who declared categorically that Goans would never > renounce their rights for self-government. > > The book has a lot of minutiae of names of members, composition of > committees and place of meetings but not much about the substance of the > legislative powers or the subjects of its jurisdiction. It is stated that > the Decree of 1st July 1955 sought to increase the area of administrative > decentralization, but no details are given other than the assertion that > the members of the Council has liberty to speak ‘within limits imposed by > education and decency’ (p.35). > > The new Constitution of 1933 also provided for a national parliament, > known as National Assembly. This assembly had the power to make laws and > was composed of candidates proposed by the only permitted party. It is not > explained what was the nature of ‘election’ in a one-party State. From the > deputies so chosen, Castilho de Noronha argued for administrative > decentralisation and financial autonomy for Goa. However, the life of Goans > continued to be governed with an iron hand. Curiously, the Salazarist > regime continued to nominate members to represent Goa, from among Goans > living in Portugal, till its collapse in 1974. The new democratic > government of Portugal formally accepted the integration of Goa into the > Indian Union, without, it must be noted, the Goan polity being involved. > > The Author gives detailed particulars about the bureaucratic system and > financial administration. It is of interest that the total number of > Government employees in 1961 was a little over 4,000 only. The notable > feature of the Annual Budget was that no deficit was allowed, i.e. the > planned expenditure had to be strictly within the limits of the projected > revenue. The village authority, with power to decide minor local disputes, > was the ‘Regedor’ appointed by Government from the local gentility. The > autonomy of the millennial Comunidades was restricted with the onset of the > dictatorship. > > The Author holds that the dictatorship of Antonio Salazar was inevitable > to bring order to a nation in chaos, to ‘re-educate’ the people, to > discipline the administration and to ‘guide’ the Press. In a nod to the > emerging anti-colonial movements, Salazar had permitted token elections to > a new parliament. In June 1946 the public meeting addressed by Indian > socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia at Margao had thrown the local > government out of balance. According to the Author, the movement of Goan > nationalists in British India was made up of haters of Christianity, > idlers, criminals and mercenaries. The militant group Azad Gomantak Dal is > said to have been promoted by Indian official agencies. He points out that > not only Nehru but other top Indian political leaders in 1950’s, > specifically Morarji Desai, had opposed any use of force in Goa. In 1948 > Portugal and India broke diplomatic relations. > > The Author asserts that the economic blockade imposed by Indian Government > against the territory of Goa in mid-1950’s only caused serious discomfort > to India-based Goans without success in putting pressure on Portugal to > release its hold on Goa. This tactic is said to have actually contributed > to economic development in Goa such as construction of airports, direct > international flights, improvement of canals at Paroda and Khandeapar and > import of high-value products including motor-cars. A meeting between some > Goan political leaders and Antonio Salazar in 1947 did not generate in the > Dictator any appreciation for the political aspirations of Goans. The > account of Indian military takeover of Goa on 19th December 1961 does not > contain any new information. > > The chapter ‘Post-1961’ contains perspectives and narratives that are not > currently popular. It lists many little-known publications of 1962 onwards > that record various opinions worldwide with respect to the military > takeover of Goa. The Author notes that the pacifist professions of Indian > governments were merely a pragmatic ruse, not a matter of principle. The > Author links the military attack by China on India’s north-east region in > 1962 to this diminution of India’s pacifist prestige. The new Indian regime > introduced censorship over Press and even private postal correspondence. > There were nascent attempts in Goa to create political organizations and to > address the travails caused by imposition on local bureaucracy of > outstation ‘deputationists’, seen as corrupt and incompetent. There were > also cases of excesses from lower-level military personnel. A brief > reference is made to the attempt to merge Goa with Maharashtra and to the > unique ‘Case of Fr. Chico’ (who refused to recognize Indian sovereignty > over Goa). Disruptions were caused to Comunidades and to the sanctity of > private property by new legislation. The Author accuses the new regime of > intentionally destroying recorded Portuguese music at the radio station of > Panjim as part of the design to uproot Portuguese culture and language from > Goa. Despite recurring episodes of Goan manifestations of unhappiness with > post-1961 system of government, the post-Salazarist democratic Government > of Portugal unilaterally recognized Goa as legal unit of Indian Union. > > In the part about ‘Facets of society and culture’, the Author speaks > fondly about the Lyceum, founded in 1854, which was the only institution of > learning above school level other than the fabled Rachol Seminary and Goa > Medical College. Till 19th century the Portuguese language was prevalent > mainly among the upper-class Catholics of Old Conquests. From the > establishment of Republican regime in 1910, education in Portuguese was > promoted among the Hindu community, the beneficiaries of which were its > upper echelons who then became prominent in local life and even abroad. The > Catholic clergy were particularly proficient in the language. After 1961, > the language fell into official and even social disfavor, till the ties > with Portugal were re-established in 1980. The Author points out that the > continued cultivation of the Portuguese language among the youth of > post-1961 generations would have better connected them to our culture and > appreciation of past Goan writers and historical research as well as linked > them to the 200-million-strong Portuguese speakers worldwide. > > The first Portuguese daily ‘O Heraldo’ was also the last to shut shop, in > 1983. A new weekly ‘A Voz de Goa’ had a short life in mid-1980’s. The > Portuguese language has then been featured only in a weekly radio program > ‘Renascenca’ and in private gatherings. The Portuguese presence has > survived in music, in names of hotels and roads and in vocables that have > become part of Konkani language. Portuguese, which is still the > mother-tongue of many Goan families, got a shot in the arm with its > introduction in the 1980’s into the school and college curricula. There are > many Goans who have continued the literary tradition in contemporary > Portugal. > > The chapter on ‘Journalists and Writers’ is a most valuable record of > writers and polemicists who are all lamentably forgotten and unknown today. > The sheer quality and volume of writings in Portuguese in such a small > territory as Goa is a matter of amazement. There are also short notes on > the many periodicals published during the period covered by the book. I do > not think there is any other publication that contains this precious > historical record that has shaped the social, cultural and political ethos > of 20th century Goa. > > The ‘Instituto Vasco da Gama’, founded in 1871, merits a whole chapter for > its unmatched contribution to the widening of literary and scientific > horizons of young Goans. (This institution was renamed as ‘Menezes Braganca > Institute’ after December 1961.) The hoary ‘Seminario de Rachol’ is said to > have had academic standards that were higher than in Europe. The book gives > valuable information about its scholastic structure. > > The chapter on ‘The city and the village’ gives interesting particulars > about the administrative divisions of Goa. It also names the many wards > that formed ‘Nova Goa’ (now Panaji), its squares, streets, entertainment, > social profile and classes, including the now-extinct ‘descendentes’ and > ‘mesticos’ whose ‘bon vivant’ lifestyle spiced up the local social life. > The Margao town was known as the cultural and political capital of Goa on > account of its manorial and intellectual life (which was lampooned in the > novel ‘Jacob e Dulce’ by Francisco Joao da Costa). The towns of Mapusa and > Vasco da Gama enjoyed less prestige. > > Village life was tranquil and secure. Society was homogeneous and, not > withstanding its caste divisions, lived harmoniously. There was no > religious strife. Incidents of crime were low and one almost never heard of > serious offences like rape and murder. Corruption among public officials > was not known. The economy was basically agricultural operations of paddy > and coconut cultivation with other fruit-bearing trees. There was an > attempt to develop the extensive barren land of the New Conquest > agriculturally. The only industry that existed was small-scaled factories > for canning and preservation of fish, meat and fruits. The mining of > ferrous ores began only in 1950’s, which also lead to the improvement of > Mormugao port. Emigration for employment was widespread and it balanced the > local economy. > > The chapter ‘O Clero’ (The Clergy) dilates upon the contribution of Goan > Catholic priests to public life by way of education and writings. > Interestingly, it notes that late Francisco Xavier Gomes Catao wrote > extensively on the history of Goa Archdiocese in various periodicals. As > there is no comprehensive history of Catholic Church or Christianization of > Goa, one hopes that these writings are soon collected in a single or more > volumes. The Author gives the roll-call of Goan clerics who made history by > being the first Indians to hold offices as Cardinals and Bishops and > Patriarchs of Goa. > > The collapse of the Republican regime in Portugal around 1926 ended the > separation of Church and State. The Church began to reassert itself in > civil public life and even political institutions. The religious Orders, > which had been expelled from Portuguese territories in the 18th century by > Marquis de Pombal, returned to Goa in the 20th century and run prestigious > educational and welfare institutions. The Author asserts that the Catholic > Church has been a force for good for the general public in Goa. The > Christian influence, he says, has contributed to the creation of a distinct > identity of the Goan, no matter his religion. > > There is an interesting account of Catholic apologetics in Goa that is not > likely to be found in any other historical account. The chapter contains an > invaluable record of the many Catholic periodicals (the first ‘*O Crente*’ > being founded in 1895) and writers (lay and clerical) who battled in > defence on Catholic orthodoxy. The elite of educated Goan youth of early > 20th century was largely indifferent to religion, many of whom (such as > Antonio Floriano de Noronha and Luis de Menezes Braganza) went on to become > celebrated flag-bearers of liberal thinking in Goa. The concept of > religious polemics itself dissolved when Vatican Council II opted for > dialogue, instead of antagonism, with other phase. > > In the chapter ‘The Faith of the People’ the Author reviews the many > peculiar practices and events surrounding the Catholic religion in Goa, > e.g. the caste-based sectarian formations (‘Confrarias’), the prevalence of > ‘evil eye’, the invocations to different saints for specific favours and > the naming of various villages after different cognomens of Mary, Mother of > Christ. The Author attributes the typical Goan qualities of honesty, > sincerity and loyalty as being the fruits of (mainly Catholic) religiosity. > > The book is written in unpretentious and elegant Portuguese prose. > Everybody interested in things Goan should be grateful for this labour of > love. > > > https://medium.com/@caetanomm/goa-as-fernando-de-noronha-knew-it-4b51668578c3 > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Goa-Research-Net" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/d4cf08b2-8522-4e78-9fb3-9c4db1727910n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/d4cf08b2-8522-4e78-9fb3-9c4db1727910n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Goa-Research-Net" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CA%2Bx1-5Q88PqY85QtOYxjJ1OV73383Fz7eoeJW%2BmUUyhMBpWcLA%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CA%2Bx1-5Q88PqY85QtOYxjJ1OV73383Fz7eoeJW%2BmUUyhMBpWcLA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Goa-Research-Net" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/GV2P195MB216196A467575BA1C6550F6882E72%40GV2P195MB2161.EURP195.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/GV2P195MB216196A467575BA1C6550F6882E72%40GV2P195MB2161.EURP195.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CA%2Bx1-5RUNBdVJAGx9SY2YVEoqVD2Pv0QMS%2BR%2Bo9YXfpoE%2BLBZg%40mail.gmail.com.
