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Overseas Goans - the way forward
The idea of Goa Day was mooted by Rene Barreto of London in 1999 and caught the
imagination of the people, mostly on the internet. The first Goa Day was observed on
20 August 2000. Spokesmen for a number of groups/associations in Europe, North America
and Gulf and enthusiastic individuals (mostly emailers) vowed to celebrate it in the
only way they know - song & dance, food & drink, Mass. The high point was Basilio
Magno's song Proud to be a Goan. The following year (2001), interest had flagged a
bit. Perhaps the vagueness of the Goa Day concept had something to do with it.
Enthusiasts planned to observe another Goa Day in August 2002. No precise day was
scheduled but in August we were urged to "celebrate our Goan-ness", to "be proud to
be Goan". We were reminded of "our special culture... our unique heritage". We were
asked to "remember our past". Sentiments like these have been uttered many a time but
never elucidated. It is easy to be emotionally charged by an idea but giving it
substance requires sober reflection and rational debate - something that Goans rarely
do. Certainly the overall purpose of Goa Day has not been clearly defined - it seems
to be about promoting a sense of solidarity among Goans and providing an opportunity
to come together. A worthwhile objective but let us explore what it is that we have
been trying to celebrate or commemorate.
1) GOAN-NESS
What is it? Is it some innate quality embedded in our psyche or some fragile quality
that is slipping away in the West and must be protected? Is it some sentimental
attachment to Goa and our particular village? Is it bound up with Konkani, food, our
social customs, religion? Do Hindus share this Goan-ness too? Take someone born in
Britain who has not visited Goa - how much Goan-ness does he/she have?
2) SPECIAL CULTURE, UNIQUE HERITAGE
Is our culture special? If so, why? Is it the Portuguese legacy - Christian festivals,
western music and customs? Is it our distinctive village organisation? Is ours an
all-inclusive culture or does it have caste overtones? Are there any Hindu elements in
our heritage?
3) 'PROUD TO BE GOAN'
If we have pride in being Goans, we should be able to justify it.
Let's see what Basilio Magno's popular song Proud to be Goan has to tell us. The
lyrics allude to
- Goa's natural assets ('paradise in great India')
- food, music, religion, language (this is the cultural part)
- physical attributes ('most beautiful people')
- achievements ('social clubs... great musicians, clerics, scholars...
candidates for sainthood')
- Goan unity ('Goan live like brothers').
The song is clearly meant for Catholic Goans. Would Hindus in today's Goa feel
comfortable with it?
After 500 years of Christianity we have no saint, just candidates for sainthood.
Hardly an achievement. Do we have great clerics and scholars? Goa does an official
language, Konkani, but Goans are embarrassingly the only ethnic community in the West
who do not care to speak their language or take pride in it. And -hm, hm - are we a
beautiful people? (Basilio probably meant this in jest.) Do we live like brothers? The
truth is we have serious divisions among us that have not been resolved. Our social
clubs have been riven by conflict and even been discriminatory - Nairobi had three
caste-based clubs.
In short, we have failed to forge ourselves into a cohesive community. We need to
acknowledge this and ask: why are we so divided? Are village ties undermining our
larger loyalties? Has the pain from the historical memory of caste disadvantage not
yet healed? May be we are too diverse, individualistic and confused about our
identity. The values we share seem very basic - food, music, inane social rites,
religious ritual (all tribes have these). Many young Goans seem to drifting away from
these values and latching on to a more dynamic cultural trajectory. What then is the
basis of our pride as Goans?
Time to grasp the present
What is this glorious past that we asked to remember? Is it a mythical Golden Goa when
the Catholics lorded it over the Hindus, some Catholic groups over the others? Are the
older among us nostalgically yearning for the 'good old days' when the pace was more
leisurely, stresses fewer, some of us enjoyed a relatively privileged position -
whether in Goa or East Africa? But some groups were also oppressed - would these
groups like to be reminded of those days?
So what is the way forward?
Seeking anchorage in an imagined past is regressive, a form of escape, an admission
that we are unable to cope with the challenges of the present. We need to move forward
- let us dwell in the here and now. Cultures are not static and traditional cultures
like ours are being buffeted and moulded by powerful social and economic forces in the
West. How do we confront these forces?
Goa Day may be an unconscious attempt at self-assertion, a sort of wake-up call to
proclaim our presence in our country of adoption. We can hardly do this through food
& drink, song & dance. We need a more cerebral input - through creative expression,
productive discourse and increased civic participation.
Declaring our presence
Goans are not a homogeneous social group: their outlook will be conditioned by age &
generation, educational background and experience. All can contribute towards
revitalising the community. We must not exclude people who may fall outside
pre-conceived notions of 'Goan-ness' but be open to difference & diversity.
a) Let us remind ourselves that the Goans have remained a minority group wherever they
are, including Goa itself. Minorities all tend to be powerless and marginalised and
Goans can hardly aspire for some special status.
b) In the West, Goans are Asian first. In the UK census, we are classified as Indian.
Asian communities have traditionally been known for their strong family ties and
religious values. In the West they find themselves planted in societies with an
imperial heritage - highly assertive, jingoist and racist. Minorities must therefore
be prepared for discrimination and harassment, and they have received plenty of it. As
a result, many have felt alienated and been tempted to isolate themselves.
c) In Britain, the natives have little knowledge of a distinctive ethnic group called
Goans in their midst except in scattered parishes. And they couldn't care less. Goans
are small in number and largely undistinguished. No great artists, no entrepreneurial
clout. Goans have been insular for too long and have made no mark on the wider
society. No extending a hand of friendship to other communities. In London, for
example, Goans are widely dispersed and they tend to come together (more of the older
lot) to celebrate their village feasts or larger get-togethers. It is only recently
that some local Goan groups have begun to link up with local authorities and apply for
funds & facilities such as a meeting place.
It is time that we come out of the woodwork and tell the others that we exist. The big
question is: what sort of image do we present? What sort of vision do we project for
our society? We cannot just copy the Punjabis or Gujeratis. Catholic Goans will have
to capitalise on the assets they possess. Foremost among these are the English
language, religion and cultural expression. These are western imports and distinguish
us from the other Asians. Perhaps we can use them to our advantage.
Community Development Programme
A single commemorative occasion like Goa Day is too limiting. We need a longer term
programme to regenerate our community. Here are some proposals.
1) Develop local support networks (possibly with statutory help) to monitor community
health and welfare, both young and old. Have we learnt to cope with racism? Do we know
the provisions of the amended Race Relations Act (2002)? We do have some priests of
own - how effective are they? Do they interact with the white clergy? Are they
involved in Catholic institutions?
2) Participate as mature citizens in civic affairs:
Be aware of local events and initiatives and attend forums and consultations. Form
partnerships with other organisations for mutual benefit: make use of council
facilities.
Learn to communicate more effectively with local and national institutions.
3) Excel in the Arts
The Arts should be our forte. Let us plunge into the Arts (music, crafts, drama,
literature) using advice, training & professional resources from the local Councils.
Consider ways of modernising our cultural forms. Identify achievers (young, old,
women) and set aside one day a year to give public recognition to the talented.
4) Develop fruitful links with Goa.
Offer practical help to the needy via organisations like Goa Sudharop .
Debate on the position of Konkani in the West. Hardly anybody speaks it - yet a
language is meant to be a defining feature of one's identity. Should it be promoted in
the West? Could perhaps the London Goan Cultural Society which brings up Konkani
concerts make a case for popularising it?
Many of the younger UK Goans have not even visited Goa. Their ties to Goa are
loosening, their interests and concerns are far closer to the West. Such Goans are
likely to regard Goa as no more than a tourist destination and acquire an increasingly
western outlook. How can the young in Britain be encouraged to interact and find
common ground with their counterparts in Goa?
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In order to design a development programme, dispense information, mobilise opinion, we
need to create some kind of high-powered institute or think tank. Under its aegis, we
could
- hold consultations, discuss topical issues, link up with other organizations,
- formulate strategies (realistic plans of action),
- implement the plans judiciously and monitor progress.
(END)
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