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AVF made some interesting observations about the mando, though I don't share his excluvist sentiments on the same. Like anything else in life, culture perhaps needs to be an evolving concept, rather than one frozen in time. Just because it had certain connotations (upper claste, Catholic, suit-wearing etc) should these also continue into the present and future). Re the issue below, the clarifications won't come... simply because people back in Goa and the NRIs are in two different worlds, as it were. After I circulated an article on the earlier mando festival via the Internet, Agnelo Gomes offered support for financial help (I think it was for Rs 100,000 not 500,000... if one recalls right). We need to keep in mind that the mando organisers are mostly elderly citizens, many of who have never heard of e-mail, leave aside knowing intricately how it works. They can't pick up the phone and call the US, simply because long-distance calls are still so prohibitive here (despite Internet telephony breaking on to the scene in some small way). They were blissfully unaware of this offer. After passing on a print-out to one of them, nothing much came out of it. Given the situation, this is not very surprising, nor does one need to see some conspiracy in it. The people here simply didn't know how to go about following up the offer, and correspondence channels collapsed. Maybe an info-mediary like me could have helped. But then, one doesn't want to be caught up acting like a middle-man of sorts in such complex and misunderstanding-prone deals. Its perhaps more important to do one's prime task -- writing in a way that hopefully brings about a better understanding of the situation. Agreed, Goans in Goa and those overseas are living in two different worlds. The ultra-slow pace here and the extra-fast pace elsewhere also contributes to the mismatch. If anyone would like to make an offer of support to the mando organisers, the best way to do so would probably be to phone Filipe Dias at Falcon Beach Resort on 0091.832.2277363 FN From: "A. Veronica Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For this year’s function like last time, Kuwait Konknni Kendr rendered its patronage in the form of prize money while rest of the expatriate Goans who are shouting at the top of their voices claiming their Goan-ness failed to support the event. It is a pity that none of the other Goan associations spread all around the world gave any contribution for the promotion of such a marvelous Goan traditional and cultural function. While on this topic, besides KKK, Agnelo Gomes from USA allocated about 5 laks of rupees purely for the patronage of Mando Festival in Goa. But according to one source, inspite of Agnelo’s instruction none of the members of the Mando Festival organizers tried to get this fund released. Is it because the organizers are gone crazy to refuse patronage or there is some goof somewhere? I am really surprised why such a beautiful offer was not utilized by the organizers of the Mando Festival. I insist that Philip Dias or Isac Dias from the organizing committee should come out with real truth behind this sad episode. In one way to beg for funds and in other way to refuse it is something dilemmatic. Agnelo Gomes is a charitable man and a philantropist too, he is all for Goa and Goan causes. By neglecting his good offer Mando Festival organisers should not give an impression of demoralising Agnelo Gomes....
