It is a known fact that during the Portuguese regime Goa was governed by
bhattkars or landlords.
Most poskim (female adopted girls) or poske (male adopted boys) were adopted
by these classes.
While poskim were required to work indoors, poske were assigned outdoor jobs
such as manning of properties i.e., looking after coconut trees, providing
fertilizer to coconut trees and fruit bearing trees, plucking and storing
coconuts in a narlanchem loz (storeroom for storing coconuts), plucking of
mangoes and other fruits, breaking the wood, repairing thatched roofs, etc.
The landlord and their families did not mingle with the outside world; even
their neighbors did not know whenever they fell ill or died; everything was
kept a secret, like the Russians during the same period. Whenever a bhattkar
or a bhattkarn died, poskim cried for them; they also hired women to cry at
their funeral.
The poskem was taken into confidence. She was not allowed to talk to
neighbors; thus, their secrets remained within the four walls. A poskem was
the only person who could touch or massage the landlady or put ventoz
(fomentation with cups) on her back - nobody else had that privilege except
their own kin who did not have that knowledge. A posko also enjoyed the same
privilege.
In general, both poskim and poske were ill-treated - even food was cooked
separately for them. But some bhattkars and bhattkarnis treated them well.
Until the 1950s, neither was allowed to make friends with the outside world,
get married and settle in life. They served their masters and died spinsters
or bachelors.
Many poskim were sexually used by bhattkars and/or their sons. As a result,
they gave birth to illegitimate children. Poskim lived in an isolated room.
Therefore, whenever their masters approached them, they couldn't raise an
alarm or say 'no' to them; they just gave in and got pregnant - keep in mind
in those days abortion was not common as is today; it was a very difficult
task, if not impossible. Therefore, in order to safeguard the name of the
family, they were allowed to keep the child and brought it up as another
poskem or posko.
The secret of pregnancy was kept within the family and four walls of the
house; hence, addition of another poskem or poskem in the family was not
doubted (by the public). There were some insiders who knew the secret but
they could not go public with it for fear of being punished - remember most
immediate neighbors were tenants. These are the poskim and poske who
inherited a portion of bhattkar's properties, bank accounts and even a small
dwelling was built for them. Thank God, many of them had a soft corner for
their illegitimate children.
Post-liberation, with the introduction of a new policy to provide education
to all, poskim and poske were allowed to attend school and some even
graduated from colleges, fell in love and got married. Most importantly,
they received an equal status in the society.
Today, the situation has changed. If you want to adopt a child, you have to
officially accept it as a child of your own and give her/him all the rights
of a child. In some cases, adopted children have proved to be better than
biologically born children. However, the stigma Tem/to umkealo poskem or
posko (she or he is an adopted child from a family) continues in our
society!
Moi-mogan,
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna, Goa
domvalden at hotmail.com
Mob: 9420979201
An interesting subject and one which has still to be researched further.
Some of the adoptees were also illegitimate children of the adopter and this
adoption may have been a cover up for a guilty conscience. Others may have
other views and examples. Some adoptees were treated just as well as their
legitimate siblings and were not begrudged educational opportunities either.
There were also others who were mistreated and abused by the adoptors and
this is a tragedy. Some adopted children achieved such eminent positions and
did so well in life that they even were able to rescue the family property
when it fell to foreclosure or was rescued from decay and collapse by the
adoptees just to preservce the family name.
Let us therefore look more deeply into this phemoninon. Is it trait unique
to Goa or are similar circumstances common in India.
Manuel (Eddie) Tavares.
