A very interesting question has been raised by Patrice Riemens ( Aug 31 ) " What happened to Descendentes in Goa " I think before we discuss the topic we should try to dwell upon the the history of navigation between Portugal and Goa. The Portuguese came to Goa via South Africa in 1510 and continued to do so till 1869 when the Suez Canal was opened. During their first three and half centuries they could not have brought their womenfolk as the navigation round the Cape of Good Hope was a very dangerous affair. So for three and half centuries the Portuguese menfolk chose to live with Goan-Indian womenfolk and produced a biracial people called Mestissos When Portuguese womenfolk started arriving in Goa via the Suez Canal they settled down in Goa and most of them maintained their racial purity and their children and grandchildren were known as descendentes who did not intermarry with Goan-Indian folk The descendentes being fewer in numbers could have migrated en masse to Portugal and its colonies in Africa when relations between Portugal and India became straine in late 1950s. Therefore the real question as for as I am concerned is "what happened to Mestissos of Goa " Would be interesting to hear from others.+++++++++++++++++
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