------------------------------------------------------- CONVENTION OF THE GOAN DIASPORA FROM GOA INTO THE WORLD Lisbon, Portugal June 15-17, 2007 Details at: http://www.goacom.org/casa-de-goa/noticias.html -------------------------------------------------------
The Konknnes and the Kirrghes or A Once Upon a Time Translator's Take on the Konkani Script Imbroglio By Augusto Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you are confused about the controversies that erupt every now and then in Goa, then remember that you only have to know this: the teatro is all about the Konknnes and the Kirrghes. (Kirrghes is what witty Konknnes call the Cristaos; and if you don't know who Konknnes are what are you doing drinking in this bar? Vai se embora! Or voshimor, if you please.) Okay its also about the Saraswats and the Bahujan Samaj (some think this is the real natak -- but let's not confuse matters right now), the Mull Goenkars and the Moradores, the Brahmins and the Sudras, the Bamons and the Chaddes, the Konkniwadis and Marathiwadis and Englishwadis, Devanagari script and Roman script, the rich and the poor and the ugly and so on and so forth. But if you don't understand the main story, you'll never understand these sub-plots. And of course there are the Bhailles [in case you think I'm being derogatory let me have you know that I'm going to have all my daughters marry Bhailles. I wouldn't trust a Goenkar -- Konknno, Kirrgho, or Moir -- they drink too much, they smoke too much, they... (Whoa! This is a family program. -Ed. Okay, okay. -A.P.) Take for instance the Konkani script controversy: once you know that its all about the Konknnes and the Kirrghes, what more do you need to know. It's all about them squabbling over things like getting 1) government jobs for their family and friends and 2) awards like the Sahitya Akademi ones for the writers themselves. Personally I think its all rather silly, as nobody gets a government job because they knew this or that script, language or dialect. All one needs is the moolah. Look at any currency note and all the scripts and all the languages of India that anyone will ever require will be found on it. It's only a question of stuffing it in the right pockets. And as for the Sahitya Akademi awards, is it that such a big deal? Whoever read a book just because the writer won an Akademi award? Does a Gabriel Garcia Marquez care a hoot if the Argentinian Sahitya Akademi, or whatever it is they call it there, don't give him an award? Does Paulo Coelho lose sleep because he didn't get the Brazilian Akademi award? All the awards they want, they get from their publishers, every time they call to tell them their latest sales figures. It's not that I'm trying to pooh pooh the identity crises that hits some folks because their script or dialect is devalued, but everybody from the Pope to the pimp is battling one existential demon or the other, and these sob stories get terribly irksome after a while. The point I'm trying to make is that the real writer gets his kicks from having what he writes read by more and more people. And the only way that this can happen to Konkani writers, whose readership base is quite limited, is by having their work translated. at least into English, and hopefully into other languages as well,especially Marathi and Hindi. So instead of squabbling among themselves and with the Marathiwadis, Englishwadis and so on for pieces of a little battatwada, which doesn't taste too good anyway, what they should be doing is assiduously cultivating translators who can bring out the class of these writers. I'm presuming of course that there is genuine talent waiting to be unearthed. My own experiences in this regard are not especially sweet. Some seventeen odd years ago I, for some mad but noble reason, approached the editor of a Goan monthly with the idea that I'd showcase the best Konkani writers I could find. I translated, among others, Pundalik Naik's The Turtle, Chandrakant Keni's Hippie Girl, Damodar Mauzo's Theresa's Man and a short lyric by Tanaji Halarnkar called I am the Flower of a Datura Tree (the last by the way was the most difficult and took about three months before I was satisfied with the result.) I also translated but didn't publish Ravindra Kelekar's Ego, itself an adaptation of Albee's Zoo Story and which I feel would be a better version for Indian actors who usually murder foreign accents. After the editor fell out with me for some stupid reason not related to the translations the project ended. The work was quite tough given the speed at which I read Devanagri (this by the way is the biggest problem about getting good Konkani translators -- those capable of writing English of "Literaary" standards are often too slow at reading Konkani). The payment was embarrassing, and my name was printed in the finest point size possible at the bottom of the text. Still I enjoyed the work while it lasted. The curious thing was that I never personally met any of these writers when I did the work, and once the translations came out, not even one them thought it fit to enquire or give any feedback. Nobody came to say -- arre baba, I've got some more stories; why don't you translate them as well. I thought it pretty strange that when a rare commodity like a good translator falls into your lap you completely cold shoulder him. (C'mon Augusto, you don't seriously expect people of the stature of Chandrakant Keni and Pundalik Naik to approach you? All this stuff smacks of donkey praising his own "tale" heh heh!! - Ed. If nobody blows a trumpet for me, I'll blow one myself. And tell me otherwise why did those anthologists prefer just those few translations I did? A.P.) Anyway since that time, quite a few more translators have appeared: Vidya Pai, Xavier Cotta, Mukesh Thali, Dr Olivinho Gomes, Dr Kiran Budkuley, Ashwin Tombat, Madhav Borkar and Sachin Pai Raikar are some of the names I've come across. Some are quite good especially with prose; some are wood, though we shall not take names, shall we. The translations of poetry put me off. All of them need better editors, preferably someone who has some access to the original text. (Naturally you mean yourself. Would you mind not using my columns to self advertise? Ed. - Sorry boss A.P.) I notice that the Konkani Akademi is also trying to generate more translators by organising translation workshops and seminars. Maybe this helps though I wouldn't know never having allowed myself to be bored by any of these. I personally feel that better results will come simply by making the profession of translation more financially viable (I believe that only Vidya Pai is a translator by profession) and by giving the translators themselves more recognition -- at least as much as the venerable Konkani writer herself. The last will be the most difficult pill for them to swallow; but unless the Konkani writers realise that unless the translation reads like an original work in English its use is quite limited. To drive home, the point literary translators need to be people who could possibly write an original work in English themselves -- but in addition to this be able to master a wide range of prose and verse styles and then know when to use which -- and have the judgement to know when to translate, transcreate or adapt. Before this gets more abstruse than it already has, may I conclude by giving some free advice to all writers, Konknne, Kirrghe, Marathwadi, Konkniwadi whatever -- make literary mog not war -- the babies that will follow will be a joy for all. (Goanet Reader) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Augusto Pinto teaches English litterature at Panjim. He lives at Moira. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-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. 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