Goanet next meets in Goa: January 7, 4 pm (meeting point: Kala Academy canteen). Goanet founder Herman Carneiro will be there. See you there! ------------------------------
HAPPY NEW YEAR- NOVEM VOROS Goan Ethnic Purity This subject has surfaced recently generating many posts. As I thnk about the subject, one is mixing up genetic purity and culture and society. In one if not two generations, my progeny will likely be American by culture even though they will continue to be Goan by genetic inheritance. Please look up a textbook of Sociology for definition of a Culture and Society. What generated the post to the Brits was the name of our ethnicity and way of life. The Brits were wrong in their statement that Luso-Indians became/ are now called Goans. They were very gracious and prompt in their reply and we have to give them credit (and learn!). The probability is very high that Mesticios or Luso-descendentes (not Luso-Indians which is an English word) behaved culturally like Portuguese and returned to Portugal. In fact what pissed off the Portuguese padres about Goans was that in spite of the Catholic faith the Goans behaved like Concane (Goan Hindus). It was partly to stop this nana-sense that the Purtugez introduced the Inquisition against the Catholics (ani others). One famous quote from a Portuguese priest was that Canarims (Goan Catholics) "ARE CATHOLIC BY FAITH BUT HINDU BY CULTURE, CASTE, DRESS, DIET, SOCIAL CODES, LANGUAGE, RESIDENCE AND LIFE STYLE". It is these characteristics that define Goan society and not the genes of the people. So even with Goan and/or different genes, one could still be a Goan if one had many of the above mores and customs. You can see my book for the specific (and well defined) cultural practices (ani NOT Chalta-Hai ani Everything-Goes). By the same token in the absence of any of the above markers (in CAPS) it is difficult to call one a Goan with or without the genes. Ani drinking Feni does not count. :=)). And neither does live-in arrangements, polygamy, divorce, cremation etc. I am not passing moral judgments on these practices. All I am saying these are not Goans cultural practices. AND JUST BECAUSE ONE OR A FEW MEMBERS OF THE GOAN SOCIETY DO SO, THAT DOES NOT BECOME THE PRACTICE AND THE MORES OF THE GOAN SOCIETY. Contrary to what many have written and even more may think, the exception is not the rule. It is what is says - the exception. And the exceptions do not become the norm, even if the exception is reported as "I know / heard of this one case". In our field, we call them anecdotal cases. Of late, the exceptions may get sensationalized and romanticized by some articulate Goans writing novels or postings from some rustic setting on the banks of the boro vodlo lake close to the north pole - I mean Swindon. :=)) These fictional tales then become the basis of some scientific THESIS and are posted on some enchanting Goan website. If we Goans are lucky these stories may even be made into TV mini-series or a movie. What surprises me are these deforming and defaming stories (about free-wheeling sex and marriages) are put out by Khoro Niz Goenkars. The same also complain vehemently that some right wing RSS is demeaning the image of the Goenkars and especially the Christaums. While Goans know the truth from the kaneos, some non-Goan who now goes to the Goa-web swallows these kaneos "hook, line and sinker". Then a (Ph D) consultant will write even further denigrating stories about our community. After all the Brits got their facts from some consultants or researchers. It is hence all the more important that Goans stay vigilant for these fokana stories. In the past these kaneos were widely circulated by our tarvotis. Now we have to deal with armchair cerebral tarvotis with some pretty wild imaginations. :=)) Good for them! :=)) Not so good for the rest of us.:=)) These "Mental Tarvotis" are now in cyberspace armed with some slick web-pages. The more fascinating the stories and more graphic / outrageous the Goan images, the more popular will be the novels and more books will be sold and more attractive the web site. Do you think these Goan / Konkan web sites would place this critique on their pages? No soiree!!! But we can hope and pray that some day the (XYZ) smoke will clear and truth will prevail. Regards, GL, NY ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################