Even though recast as a "nationalist" (whatever that is supposed to mean) these days, F.L. Gomes was delightfully ambivalent over his Indian and European traditions. This has been adeptly pointed out by Dr Nishtha Desai points out in her interesting paper: http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg51664.html
QUOTE In the case of Cunha's predecessor Francisco Luis Gomes (1829-1869), one finds that his nationalism is constructed on the framework of his Christian religious belief and his faith in the superiority of Western civilisation. Gomes states: "The most powerful instruments of civilisation are two: the Christian religion, and education" . He goes on to discuss how conversions could be achieved in British India. He gives importance to the use of tact and suggests that Britain learn from Portugal: "Portugal converted a portion of India to the Catholic religion with the arms of her soldiers, with the blood of her martyrs, with the miracles of her saints, and with the fires of her Inquisition. Those who were vanquished in this struggle became Christians and Portuguese. England might imitate the example, except as regards force... " ...He comments: "Cholera and the Thug were born in the same country and in the same year. India is their native land..." All impartial men desired "India for India" according to Gomes. At the same time he asserts: "To men of liberal principles and to mankind it is perfectly indifferent whether India is called English or Brahmanical; what they cannot consent to is that the domination be exploitation instead of paternal tutelage". He believed that because India was ridden with rivalries of different dynasties, caste hatred and religious antagonisms, it had been possible for England to conquer her; "With only one religion, only one dynasty, only one caste, India would have been invincible.".... "I was born in the East Indies, once the cradle of poetry, philosophy andhistory and now their tomb. I belong to that race which composed the Mahabharata and invented chess... But this nation which made codes of its poems and formulated politics in a game is no longer alive! It survives imprisoned in its own country [...] I ask for India liberty and light; as for myself, more happy than my countrymen, I am free -- civis sum " Perhaps because of the desire to project Gomes as a nationalist the lastline is often not quoted. This line clearly reveals Gomes's perception of himself as "free" on account of his being able to live in Portugal as a Portuguese citizen and consequently better of than his fellow countrymen. Does this mean that he was not a nationalist? UNQUOTE So, can his views also be seen as a reflection of the Catholic Bamon-versus-Chardo rivalry that dominated Goa for much of the 20th century, and possibly before? Of course, even this would not degitimise the wider point he was making... though the context is important too. FN 2009/11/23 Antonio Menezes <ac.mene...@gmail.com>: > Thank you Tony de Sa for reminding me about the book '' Os bramanes '' by > Francisco > Luis Gomes. > Francisco Luis of Navelim was elected a deputy to represent Goa in Portugal > Parliament. In his maiden speech in Parliament, I believe, he threatened > fellow > Portuguese deputies with a statement that he hailed from a great country > that > that has been breeding some great and powerful people called brahmins. > It is not known whether by mentioning brahmins , he wanted his fellow > deputies > to show him greater deference or whether he wanted his land to be free from > the colonial yoke. > The fact remains, invaders have been freely moving in and out of India for > centuries, > notwithstanding great bramanical powers , and even the colonial masters of > his land > stayed put for another century after his glorious speech. > -- Frederick Noronha :: +91-832-2409490 Writing, editing, alt.publishing, photography, journalism ANOTHER GOA: http://tiny.cc/anothergoa