The "Great Goans" thread reminds me of an old posting of mine made during
the dawn of the New Millennium.
Here it is!
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Sado Monis ( Not The Millennium Man)
By Silviano C. Barbosa (email [EMAIL PROTECTED])
Toronto, Canada October 9, 1999
As the new Millennium almost sets in, we are bombarded with the titles,
selections, nominations for the "Millennium Goan" or "Goan Man of the
Century". It is true, there are illustrious names of Goans, past and
present, of what they have achieved and/or of what they have done to the
upliftment of Goa and Goans and the world.
But have'nt we realized that some of them may not have been there if it
were not for us, the simple lay men and women, the "sade monis" of Goa?
Ami te ami, kitem komi? (After all, are we any less than these Great Goans?[
Or do you think our grapes are sour? Chol soro kaddya!]). I say emphatically
"No" . Haven't we gone through enduring historical events in Goa like "The
Liberation"/"Invasion" of Goa in 1961, the critical "Opinion Poll" in
sixties? We were there in Goa walking on foot and developing ourselves with
limited resources going through life's aberrations when most others didnt
have to go through life like we did and progressed exponentially.
And dont you think we deserve any mention in the Millenium celebrations?
What happened to thousands of Freedom Fighters who gave their lives for our
freedom? But dont ever mention thousands of smugglers who took the easy way
out and became politicians and have infiltrated the panchayats, the
Legislative Assembly and the Parliament. We went to school and colleges with
the hope of rising to the top only to find out there are millions like us in
every hut and concrete house in Goa and not going anywhere. What is our
future with all those BA/BSc? Now everyone is rich and lakhpoti and even
koroddpati is not the word we use for the rich anymore.
Don't feel belittled when you read about the "The Great Goans of the
Millennium". Dont we wish we were included in it, but the list would be one
million long. Surely these guys are smart, intelligent and talented. But I
wish some of them were the real "niz" Goenkar. On the other hand Goans would
call every famous Goan their "cousin" when they are famous, but I dont see
anyone recognizing their "beggar" cousins in Goa.
For me dear Goanneter, you are the Millennium Goenkar even though you will
never make that list. We have to have a "putlo" (statue) of a "Sado Goenkar"
next to the "Bhau-Saheb" Banddodkar statue in Ponnje to reflect our true
recognition of a true "niz" Goenkar, who has really contributed to Goa and
Goans. After all without us, simple minded Goans who would make "them"
special?
Just look at the list. I am sure most of these great men have great family
background. But if an uneducated Goan labourer's son/daughter becomes an
I.I.T. graduate or a Ph.D., man that is something! And today there are quite
a few of those in Goa and in India, without even using any of the
reservations. They should make that list! This NEO-LIST should be something
to admire!
Oh by the way our richest Goan has not made that list yet?. Somewhere in
Silicon Valley?
And who is the poorest Goan alive?
They also serve who only stand and wait!
Silviano Barbosa. Konkanni Bhas Uloi, Konkani Bautto Fuloi!
Do you think they would include the real Great Goan Martyr, "Floriano Vaz "
in that list? Do they know who he is? Floriano may not have been educated or
of high-caste, but his only known achievement is a hero's death from a
deadly bullet as our Konkanni Martyr during the Konkanni Chollvoll. Does he
qualify?
This list should come from all walks of life!(Arts, culture, science, music,
songs, politics, education, journalism, social activism, freedom,
spiritualism, Khell-Tiatro directors like Shempia Miguel, Kuddo Miguel,
RoseFerns, Prince Jacob,(Arent' these great Goans at all? Why not?)
classical Indian music, Goan cuisine, Champion chefs/inventors of Fenni,
Champion chefs/Improvisors of chourissam and sorpotel (The Goan way)etc.
And how about our novelists like Reginaldo Fernandes and Bonaventure
D'Pietro?
They also serve who only stand and wait!
Silviano Barbosa. Konkanni Bhas Uloi, Konkani Bautto Fuloi!
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