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WHAT IS HERITAGE? HERITAGE FOR WHOM? QUESTIONS AWAITING ANSWERS By Prava Rai [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the introduction to the articles to appear in the annual issue of PARMAL, the journal of the Goa Heritage Action Group. This issue is to be released in November 2004. To buy a copy contact Ana Maria Desouza Goswami <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and Heta Pandit <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'What is heritage' and 'heritage for whom' are questions that still elude us. The pressures of development, our selective memories and our need to confront all that is in our past and for that matter, our present, are important to focus our attention on the 'true' nature of heritage. However, it is not so simple because historical memory constantly alters through new findings and new interpretations. Therefore, it is essential to keep in mind 'the stream of thought' that travels through to us from our past to help us understand our present. In 'The Earth -- Memory of Mankind', Bojan Djuric writes about how heritage is in danger from various quarters -- the developers, the need to build mega dams and mega highways and the effects of prevailing ideology. Signs left by mankind in the palimpsest of the earth are unambiguous clues to our past and how everyday they are assaulted in the name of development and our links and memories with our past is destroyed. An article on seldom-mentioned subject of Goa's slave heritage by Teotonio de Souza, reveals Goa's participation in this lucrative trade with international slavers -- in other words, accruing huge profits by human trafficking in our contemporary parlance. The author challenges us in this UN declared International Year of Slavery, to open our eyes to the many forms of slavery that still exist around us today. Shaila Desouza discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Goa's system of Uniform Civil Code, inherited from the Portuguese. This Civil Code is often sighted as a model that the rest of the country should emulate but how does it work in reality is a vexed question she tackles. Olivinho Gomes writes about the Catholic Religious Orders of the sixteenth and seventeenth century Goa: how their role had a dual effect of destroying old ways of life and introducing new ways of life permanently on a section of Goa's population. Complementing this article, Ketak Nachinolkar writes about the architectural innovation and influences left on Goa by the Religious Orders as well as the builders of military and civil structures. Ashish K.S. Rege reports on his efforts of using exhibitions to raise heritage awareness in the public; an outcome of six years of study of houses in Margao town. Madhavi Sardessai presents Shennoi Goembab's contribution to the development of Konkani language giving us valuable insights into the methods he used to develop and enrich the Konkani language. Mario Cabral e Sa writes on Goa's musicians. Isabel Santa Rita Vaz takes us on a breathtaking journey into the performing arts of Goa, both folk as well as classical drama. Rajan Narayan elaborates on Goa's link with Bollywood and cinema. Rochelle Pinto writes on the basis of holdings in the Central Library and paints a lively picture of Goan preoccupation at the turn of the century. Both Pinto and Maria De Lourdes Bravo Da Costa Rodrigues emphasize the urgent need to upgrade the storage facility for the fragile and precious holdings in the library. Veena Gomes-Patwardhan recalls the pleasures of summer holidays she spent in Goa during the 'sixties -- how important those trips were in sustaining her links with Goa as a child growing up in Bombay. The works of Goa Heritage Action Group find a place in this volume - the members have toiled and are still struggling to create heritage awareness in Goa. One of the important out-comes was, it inspired a successful community festival of Mhapsa writes Miguel Braganza. As this issue of PARMAL goes to press, we are saddened by the demolition of the tenth century Shri Gopinath temple in Netravli forest by the temple trustees. Goa Heritage Action Group's pleas to protect the temple fell on deaf ears. Earlier the restored road signs in the heritage precincts of Fontainhas and the Tonca Pillar were vandalized by self-proclaimed patriots. While these acts were condemned the Shri Gopinath temple lies unmourned in a heap of rubble. How many 'unambiguous signs' left by mankind will be destroyed and the links to our past lost forever? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Goanet, 1994-2004, building community for a decade. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------