"World Goa Day-2002" Celebrations in Portugal * Jorge de Abreu Noronha This year the "World Goa Day" is being celebrated in Portugal as "Goa, Daman and Diu Day". In fact, while out of the six existing associations two have members from all the former Portuguese possessions in India (Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar-Haveli), another draws its members from all the above territories except Goa and the other three dedicate themselves exclusively to Goa. So, young Constantino Hermanns Xavier, the main enthusiast behind these yearly celebrations, had the bright idea of putting together an organising committee with one member from each of the associations. All of them agreed to work together and to put up items contributed by all - hence the new name for the "Day". And why were Dadra and Nagar-Haveli left out in that name? The answer is simple: under the Portuguese these two enclaves formed part of the district of Daman and so, whenever at this end one speaks of Daman, one automatically thinks of Dadra and Nagar-Haveli as well. The programme of the celebrations was drawn so as to encompass three days - friday (August 16) night, the whole of saturday (17) and tuesday (20) evening, the latter being the actual "Goa Day" in commemoration of the memorable parliamentary vote of August 20, 1992 placing Konkani in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution. On the night of the 16th there was a public show in Lisbon's "Teatro da Trindade", attended by about six hundred and fifty persons who were entertained for two beautiful hours commencing 9.30 p.m. The two-part programme included, in the first part, Casa de Goa's "Ekvat" group performing six pieces from its repertoire (an opening light song, one instrumental, two "mandos", one lullaby and one special arrangement of the "dekhni") and the "Goa, Daman, Diu Choral Group" giving us renditions of three exquisite Daman and Silvassa (Nagar Haveli) songs in the local Portuguese creole, three equally exquisite Diu songs also in creole, three songs from the Malacca, East Timor and Macao creoles and a closing Daman hymn dedicated to the river Damanganga or (its Portuguese name) Sandalcalo; in the second part, after the intermission, the stage was taken by the "Surya" group which, starting with a musical, went on to a "Goa, Goa" song, a "Gonvllim" dance, the short "Rahjan & Premma" operetta, a "Kunnbi" dance, a sung and danced "mando" and a "dekhni". The show ended with the assemblage of all the three groups on the stage for the final "Adeus korcho vell paulo". Before the show and during the intermission one could visit a photo, prose, poem and drawings exhibition put up by youth. On saturday morning a group of 100 persons could tour Lisbon's selected places related to the former Portuguese India. In three buses gracefully ceded by the city's municipal corporation, we traversed the city during about three hours along such places as the Goa, Damao and Diu squares, Margao Street, Abade Faria, Professor Gama Pinto, Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes, Agostinho Lourenco, Aniceto do Rosario, S. Francisco Xavier, Garcia de Orta Roads or Avenues and the Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital. One also passed on a street called "Rua dos Soldados da India" (Soldiers of India Street). A group picture was taken at "Praca de Goa" (Goa Square). The tour was followed by a lunch at one of the city's popular restaurants. The evening then belonged to the Youth. They met in a get-together at Casa de Goa's garden terrace with a superb view over the Tejo river and the "Ponte 25 de Abril" and for a carrom tournament at the Casa de Goa's halls. Altogether 50 youngsters had an agreeable evening conversing, eating snacks and sipping cold drinks. Eight pairs contested at the carrom boards, the first prize going to the Rosario Monteiro / Sandra Monteiro duo. There were well produced brochures for both the Music/Song/Dance show and the city tour. The programme continued on tuesday (August 20) evening with a cultural session at 7.00 p.m., followed by a closing dinner at Casa de Goa's "Xanti" restaurant. The cultural session, at Casa de Goa's conference hall, consisted of interventions by Catarina Portas (whose book "Goa - Historia de um Encontro" [Goa - Story of an Encounter], printed in Coimbra in October 2001, immediately hit the bookstores), Jose Eduardo Agualusa whose book "Um Estranho em Goa" [A Stranger in Goa] also was and is a hit, Goan journalist Oscar Mascarenhas and Paulo Varela Gomes, a former Delegate of "Fundacao Oriente" in Panjim. The hall was overpacked, attendance being estimated at roughly 140 persons. After the introductory note by Constantino Hermanns Xavier, Varela Gomes spoke at length on the burning topic "Who killed Tanuja Naik?". He read (and commented upon) a good selection of cuttings from the Goan newspapers on the not yet clarified mystery surrounding the case of Tanuja Naik who was recently shot dead at Marcaim. One of the main issues arising from the press reports, police news releases and various debates was the "Goans vs non-Goans" dichotomy. Oscar Mascarenhas, though speaking before Agualusa, related his thoughts as "Another Stranger in Goa" because, as he said, though born in Goa he came at a very early age to Portugal where he has been ever since, with only occasional travels to Goa, but always following from this end whatever goes on in the land of his birth. Agualusa opted to say only a few words, preferring to answer questions which he felt sure would come from the audience. Finally Catarina Portas spoke of some of her experiences when together with photographer Inez Gonsalves she spent some time in Goa to prepare her book, and quoted two India-based stories, one of which was related to her by late Aleixo Manuel da Costa in Panjim. After an interesting period of questions and answers, the session was wound up by 9.15 p.m. and was followed by a closing dinner at Casa de Goa's "Xanti" restaurant with the participation of 80 persons. It is worth recording that, the month of August being normally a "dead" month in Portugal because it is chosen by most people for their annual vacations, all these "Goa, Daman and Diu Day - 2002" celebrations were well attended, with "house full" at the "Teatro da Trindade" and the "Xanti" restaurant and with an overflowing of Casa de Goa's conference hall's sitting capacity of 100. The merit for this success goes to the Organising Committee formed by representatives of the six existing associations, but in a special way to the general coordinator Constantino Xavier. The "Goa, Daman and Diu Day" secretariat established by him can be contacted at the e-mail address [EMAIL PROTECTED] or a visit made to www.supergoa.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Photographs of the WORLD GOA DAY 2002 celebrations in Portugal - at - http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?m=70973770203.59989324503&n=2008292887 they are just beautiful , really beautiful ! posted -rene barreto ----------------------------------------------------------------------- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
