http://www.heraldgoa.in/newscategory/Obituaries/22
Today's newspapers announced the funeral of Maria Conceicao D'Souza or Aunty Mary as we used to call her. A glance at the obituary notice tells us she was born on 11 April 1010 and she died on 7 August 2012 which means she lived to the ripe old age of 102 years. Some record! Having said that whenever someone wishes me - May you live to be a hundred - I retort - Why do you want to curse me like this? I have seen too many octogenarians forget about nonagenarians who live a misery of a life which is also a misery to their caregivers - (God bless them all). The situation is one which the aged do not want but cannot do anything about this. But in Aunty Mary we have an exception for even till a short time before she died she was fairly well in control of her senses, although age meant that she could not concentrate for extended periods of time. The final time I met her she inquired with me about my niece in England whom she was aware that she was married, she asked about what was happening with the other portion of her house in Novo Portugal was, and so on and so forth. In the good old days, from the mid 1970s right up to about the turn of this century she and Uncle Paul was part of a clique of Novo Portugal folk which included Laura and Joseph D'Souza and my mother Jasmina among others who used to gather and pray and chat at the Novo Portugal chapel every evening when the weather was fine. She is the last of that generation to go. Sitting there at the chapel, they used to gossip about the 'good old days' and recount tales about how life was in Africa. She and her husband Paul lived in Uganda until I think Idi Amin saw to it that they had to leave. Aunty Mary and Uncle Paul had a lovely parrot they had brought back with them from Africa. It was called Suku and could speak out a variety of phrases. After Paul died, her children took her to America and I believe had to leave it behind when she ultimately came back to Goa when she found that the place did not agree with her too well. Aunty Mary had an earthy sense of humour. Here is one anecdote her neighbour Noel Pinto related to me. He used to tease her about the bad old days back in Goa; "Aunty, how much of dowry did you have to give to get married to Uncle Paul?" he once asked. Quick as a flash she answered: " Doth?? Humpf!! Don dudi ani ek mudi puro asli!!" For those who don't understand Konkani what she said was: 'We didn't have to give dowry - two pumpkins and a ring were all that was needed' I don't think I'll be able to make it tomorrow for her funeral, so my fond farewell to the grand old lady of Novo Portugal. May her soul rest in peace. Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal Moira, Bardez Goa, India E pinto...@gmail.com P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350