---------------------------------------------------------- Archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goa-net/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goanet2003/ ----------------------------------------------------------
From: "Sunila Muzawar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Well, I think Sunila has put forth views that make a lot of sense.
E.g. we have a miniscule portion of the expats on this forum who have hardly even gone to Goa more than a few times in the last twenty years, who happen to think that they know it all. But talking down is a habit many people cultivate when they live a few years abroad and go back east to try to impress on how much they have achieved. Unfortunately, they do let out that they did not achieve even basic courtesy which true Goans have in plenty. Talk to a true native Goan - the gaudo - and see the indepth strength of character and quiet courtesy and respectfulness, not to mention the warmth of heart that they have despite maybe a lack of high education and riches. Somehow, when one goes abroad we mostly see the folks return as brash and loud individuals who think they are God's gift to mankind. The truth is they do not belong anywhere then, neither in the west where they will always be regarded as hailing from India (or Pakistan for that matter) despite the western nation citizenships or green cards which they flaunt, nor in India and Goa where they no longer fit in. That is probably the single most important reason for some expats wanting to free Goa from the so called clutches of India. However, I predict ;-) that ten-fifteen years from now when India will be far richer and far more affluent and far more safer than the west, we will see the reverse exodus of these expats.
When Goans come out with all these ideas about changing names of cities,
one immediate question comes to mind, "How many of these folks make use
Konkani on a day to day basis?" --"How many speak Konkani with their
friends and relatives?" I was appalled when a friend of mine in Goa,
asked me, as to 'how I had not forgotten Konkani, when I was overseas
for so long'!! Strange indeed. I think we Goans have this mindset that
we will be considered 'more westernized' or 'advanced', if we speak in English! I am happy to note however, that almost all of the people
that I interact in this part of the world, do make use of Konkani while
talking to their kids and at any Goan gathering.
On a visit to my ancestral village, I was pleasantly surprised to
hear the words 'Uncle' and 'Aunty', in place of the 'Titi' or 'Tiya'.
Whoever was a 'Titi' or 'Tiya' to me in my younger days, had turned
overnight into an 'Uncle' or an 'Aunty'! As a Hindu, I have found little
or no changes in the usage of Konkani among my relatives. Obviously, if
we start using English in our day to day dealings, "Ponjey" will become
"Panjim", "Modgaum" will be "Margao"! I think also that very few people
in the villages had access to the Portuguese language, pre-liberation,
which meant that the general Goan population had to use Konkani.
After liberation, English proliferated to all the corners of Goa.
Name it to what you like, to a Ponjekar, "Ponjey" will always remain
"Ponjey"!
Nagesh Bhatcar
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