October 29 2014 would have been my first death anniversary (long story) did not die or make it to the “Who Died” listings in some publications, just like our Language my gratitude that Konkani is still spoken by people living in Goa on the Konkan coast. Rewinding back not in any date order Konkani has been supressed by the majority of our confused Goan people outside Goa in different lands as migrating like herds they forage for greener pastures , employment and a so called better way of life, while at the same time holding on to some of our traditions and cuisine exported by the Patriotic Niz (proper) Goenkar around the planet whatever the odds that keep the Goan Brand and our link with Goa Ticking. You can view this in the GOAN CULINARY NETWORK and World Goa Day Celebrations. Put the G back in Goan with a capital G. Today’s 24/7 working environment we work different hours and have personal mobile communication and entertainment facilities the tongue may soon be redundant a self induced disability. Also the concept of the dining room in the western world is fading as it is not possible for folks to sit and eat together as a family at the same time and the only way to get teenagers and kids who are neither here or there ,everything else but Goan to the dining table is to switch off and shut down the wifi router and see them come running questioning “whats APP ened”. 19 August 2015 World Goa Day will be at least 25 years old and the word still has to get around even if having a worldwide meal together with song and dance can improve the atmosphere and friendship in our world family of different coloured passports go for it. Contact your local organiser today or organise an event yourself If possible re-establish your link to your long lost village and relations in Goa to ensure that WGD does not die. I must ask that the suit and collar no dollar in pocket ,top shots in our community stop sitting cross eyed and cross nosed for a few paisa more as did our ancestors. The majority of people in Goa still work an average of Four Hours a day. My Summary of how our language was lost down the Generations outside Goa: When Goa was an overseas province of Portugal only some villages were chosen to have a good standard of education including learning to speak and write in English. A number of these learned students crossed over the border into British Ruled India for employment opportunities, this created a tailor made administrative workforce for the British Colonies as the Europeans carved up the continent of Africa going North to South (Cape to Cairo) the Portuguese and Spanish west to east The workforce especially in East Africa saw the commercial importance of English and it was primarily during this time the children of this generation were brought up speaking English which then became their new adopted mother tongue myself being one of these. (Credit: Discussions with Rose Fernandes(Wife) Cliff Pereira (Research fellow Royal Geographical Society) and Rene Baretto (Mover and Shaker of World Goa Day. Melvyn Fernandes Thornton Heath, Surrey, United Kingdom 16 June 2015
