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A LITTLE GOA IN SOUTH AFRICA
By Constantino Hermanns Xavier in Goan Observer, Saturday, October 30, www.goanobserver.com
WE ARE moving eastwards on our global lusophone tour, to our sixth stop. Though located on another continent and separated by a large ocean, Mozambique is closely connected with Goa throughout history. With the Portuguese controlling the Indian Ocean, Goans started early in the commerce of wood, tea, coffee, spices and cinnamon in the Goa-Mozambique-Lisbon triangle. From the 16th h century onwards they were also extremely important in consolidating Portugal's control over the hinterland. Mozambique until 1752 was under the administration which was based in Goa.
Wave Of Migrants
It was in the 19 th h century that presented Goans with a golden era in Mozambique. The new wave of migrants included not only administrative officers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, but also fishermen, craftsmen and traders. Jose Vincente da Gama, from Saligão, is said to be the author of the first printed book in Mozambique, published in 1859. Manuel António de Sousa, from Mapusa (1835-1904?), who was Lord of Gorongoza and Sena, captain of Barue, Manica and Quiteve, owned four prazos (large proprieties) and several hundred slaves. After studying in Rachol, he left to Mozambique and married into the main families of Mozambique, thus inheriting endless properties. He was also important in the Portuguese military conquests, defeating the local leader Gungunhana. For this the Portuguese royal family gave him several titles and awards. His statue used to mark Mapusa's entry point, until it was removed during the 1961 events.
There are thousands of other Goans who have lived and worked in Mozambique in that period. Pedro Francisco Pereira, from Gavorim, Salcete, who had a prazo North of Tete (his will is dated 1829), and was closely related to António Mariano da Cunha, another Goan who was Governor of Quelimane. Thomaz José Peres later held the same post. He was the son of the only Goan to govern Goa – Prefeito Bernardo Peres da Silva.
Yet Another Renaissance
THE 20 th century was witness to yet another renaissance of the Goan presence. Mário Viegas, who was born and brought up in Mozambique, currently lives in Lisbon and is editor of the local Goan magazine Voz do Oriente . He estimates that by the middle of the century there will be around 20 000 Goans in the region of Beira, 12 000 in the capital Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) and some 5 000 spread all over the country. He recalls Fr. Cirilo Vicente Constantino Saldanha, from Saligão, parishioner of Quelimane, who in the 1920's was a great social activist. The agronomist Alberto de Santana Quadros from Nicoadala excelled in his experiments with cashew and fruit culture. Later on there was also an eminent Goan industrialist called Abílio dos Remédios Furtado. Socorro-born D. Altino Ribeiro de Santana was the Bishop of Beira in the latter part of his life, city where he died in 1973.
Goans were also very active in the local press. Luís Vicente Álvares and Tomás Aquinas Álvares published “ O Oriente ”, a Catholic weekly, which defended the re-establishment of the blocked flow of remittances to Goa in the aftermath of the first World War. António Miranda, with “ A Luz ”, and Francisco Xavier Bragança with “ O Indo-Português ”, launched a staunch campaign against the Bishop of Augusta who had established the religious Colégio Europeu where non-white people were not accepted. And there was “ Elo ”, a monthly where younger Goans would keep in literary touch and express their thoughts and feelings. Its directors were the brothers Max and Ricardo Fernandes, while the founders included architect Aires and Vasco Dinis, Aurélio Augusto Fernandes, Mário Nazareth, Domingos Silveira and Joaquim de Sousa.
How did the Goan community organize itself? In Lourenço Marques, the capital, a group headed by Manuel Adriano de Sousa founded the Instituto Goano (later Casa de Goa) in 1905. In this city there was also the Associação União Indiana and the Associação de Mútuo Auxílio dos Operários Goanos and the Clube Desportivo Indo-Português. Four other associations emerged in Beira. Mário Viegas recalls that food habits were diverse, mixing the Goan culinary tradition with Indian, Chinese, Italian, Greek and of course African gastronomy. This reflects also, to a certain degree, the fluid interaction with other ethnic groups. Though living apart from the rest of society, Goans integrated easily than the Portuguese coming from Lisbon. There were no rigid racial separation lines such as in South Africa. Eventually, as in so many other cases of the colonial period, Goans emerged as a linkage group and mediator between the ruling Portuguese elite and the exploited locals.
Mozambique's Independence
AFTER Mozambique's independence in 1975 many Goans were forced to leave, but some decided to stay and try their luck. Out of these many entered politics, like Óscar Monteiro, Jorge Rebelo and Sérgio Vieira. Aquino Bragança (b. 1928) was an intellectual with a rich experience in the African anti-colonialist movements. He was the advisor to the first President Samora Machel and died with him in a mysterious air crash in 1986. Other politically active Goans were Ferrão, in the Frelimo movement, and Evo Fernandes, in the opponent Renamo. Many Goans were also appointed ministers in the post-independence Governments.
What about Mozambicans in Goa? There is the historical influx of slaves from the East African shores to the North and West Indian coastal regions, through the hands of the Arabs and Portuguese. Fernando do Rego, from Panjim, also remembers that a large contingent of the Goa Police in the latter colonial period were Africans, mainly from Mozambique. It is believed that they have brought the dish “Galinha cafreal” to Goa. They lived segregated from both Portuguese and Goans but inspired fear and thus were many times used to curb popular revolts. Do Rego remembers his father telling stories about how they would exercise in the mornings, throwing a stone up into the air and letting it land on their back!
These are only glimpses of a historical relationship that has influenced both Goa and Mozambique and deserves to be studied in far more than one book. Today, after a gap of almost three decades with virtually no direct contact, there is scope to study and reactivate this lusophone link – without complexes or myths.
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"MOZAMBIQUE'S MARCH TO PROGRESS"
ACACIO DINIS CHACATE details the many transitions that Mozambique faces while it struggles to gain global acceptance and develop its own resources.
AS A MOZAMBICAN student in India I am often asked to express my views on my country's status and that of Africa's. This time I'm invited by Constantino Xavier to give my view on contemporary Mozambique. But, does it make sense to look at the present ignoring the past?
Let us take a closer look. Mozambique is a sub-Saharan country of Southern Africa. It shares its borders with South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania. The country has a population of 18 million (12 times that of Goa) and a total area of 801 000 sq. km. (larger by more than 200 times). Mozambique is a young country of 29 years, having acquired its independence from Portugal on the 25 th of June 1975. Since then Mozambicans have witnessed successive attempts of transition. In the post-independence period the country witnessed a long conflict. Frelimo (Frente de Libertação de Moçambique), headed by Samora Machel, was characterized as being a socialist organization. The civil war broke out with the emergence of an opponent movement called Renamo (Resistência Nacional de Moçambique), which demanded a multi-party democracy. This conflict undermined the attempted peaceful transition from a colonial Mozambique to a sovereign socialist state. For over 16 years the country came to a virtual halt.
Yet Another Transition
SINCE THE General Peace Agreement of 1992 Mozambique has been witnessing yet another transition. This has been a complex process, including reconciliation, demilitarisation, removal of landmines, formation of a new army, relocating refugee populations etc. Besides the shift to multi-party democracy and the necessary acceptance of constitutional guarantees such as freedom of association and a free press, the internal emphasis is on strategies aiming to reduce the country's poverty, eradicate epidemics such as malaria and AIDS, strengthen the education sector, promoting political participation and creating new economic opportunities in an emergent market economy. Mozambique's outward perspective has wide horizons, seeking to attract foreign investments and technologic know-how to key industrial sectors and to promote the beautiful coastline as a global tourist destination.
Indian Presence
THOUGH Mozambique and India have a long history of interaction – especially through Goa – this axis of South-South cooperation has a large potential to be explored. India figures among the country's top ten marketing partners. The Indian Navy was recently in Mozambique to assist in holding two international conferences in the country. An Indian company was also given the task to recover the large seaport in the city of Beira. There is also a large potential in the sectors of agriculture, power supply, health services, food and pharmaceutics. India has just cancelled Mozambique's debt, which was estimated at around 3.8 million USD while opening a credit line of more than 20 million USD in order to develop Indian exports to the country. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry points out that l anguage (Portuguese is official in Mozambique) as one of the main obstacles to better economic cooperation. Could Goans play a mediatory role in this regard, as well as in other ways, given their long experience in Mozambique?
Thus, Mozambique, as well as India, is a young and emerging country on the global scene. The rich historical links between both countries should be looked upon as an interesting way of setting the path for a more cooperative future.
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