Hi Cornel, Wikipedia has the answers (as usual) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_S._Newman Goa work: Newman was the first to apply modern anthropological theory and writing to the study of Goan society, his main arguments being that Goa has never been part of Portugal, but rather a slightly Lusitanized region of India and that Goan culture must be seen as a syncretic Hindu-Catholic one. A second conclusion is that the same "Green Revolution" process that increased grain production in India, was also successfully applied to fishing in Goa (and elsewhere in India) but that the human and ecological price paid has been extremely high. Overall, he attempts to show that popular religion in Goa, as separate from the classical versions of Catholicism and Hinduism, is a rich synthesis of the two in which goddesses can be seen (for example) as either Shantadurga or Our Lady, in which Hindus attend certain Catholic feast day ceremonies and Catholics make donations to Hindu temples.
Newman argues that in Goa, as in such places as Mexico, Peru, Brazil, the Philippines, and Mauritius, contact between two or more civilizations created a "fascinating synthesis". He says this synthesis is "one that had been steadfastly slighted by anthropologists, who wanted to study "pure" India, whatever that may be!" In line with this argument, he did a stint of research in Mauritius in 1987, concentrating on popular Hinduism in its various aspects among the "overseas Indians" there.... Newman has written a wide variety of articles on Goa. Many of them are combined in his book Of Umbrellas, Goddesses and Dreams which is published by the Mapusa (Goa)-based Other India Press.... On 06/12/06, Cornel DaCosta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Fred > Many thanks for info about Bob Newman's "Orientalism for Kids." As you know, > I have found Newman's anthropological volume most insightful about Goa. In > particular, his analysis re the influence of Portuguese rule on the people > of Goa. I will read his Orientalism.... when I can. Incidentally, are his > collected works available in a volume or two? If so, is such material > available in Goa? -- FN 9822122436 +91-832-240-9490 (phone calls after 1 pm please) FLOSS, geeks, blogs: [http://planet.foss.in/] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Goanet supports BMX, the alumni network of Britto's, St Mary's and Xavier's -- three prominent institutions in Mapusa, Goa. Events scheduled from Dec 16 to 21, 2006 For more details visit http://www.bmxgoa.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------
