GOAN EXPATS-2 By Valmiki Faleiro The idea of this two-part article arose, of all things, at a book launch in Panjim early last year. An expatriate, Anjuna-born Gulf Goan Domnic Fernandes, authored “Domnic’s Goa.” (Domnic is my Non Resident Goan, NRG Type-1.) Edited by journalist Frederick Noronha, the book was produced in 2007 by Cecil Pinto for Abbe Faria Productions, Panjim. ISBN: 978-81-904640-0-0. PB. Rs.350. A panel discussion by some well-known Goan authors followed the book launch. It was chaired by the venerable New York-based, regularly-in-Goa octogenarian, Victor Rangel Ribeiro. The issue: maintaining ‘Goanness’ in the Goan Diaspora via nostalgic writing. This, eventually, made me notch my categories of Goan expats up by one. Let us call them NRG-Type 3. If the NRG-Type 1 helps shore up the Goan economy, and Type 2 is largely a variable quantum of hot air, Type 3 should warm every Goan heart in Goa. An age ago, Prof. Frank D’Souza poignantly wrote, “So even in voluntary exile, the very thought of Goa conjures up for me tantalizing visions of my native land, and fills me with a sentimental yearning for it. Separated from my motherland by the iron logic of circumstances, I have always felt a sense of fulfillment whenever I visited Goa. Even as a child, when the steamer docked in Panjim, I used to be overcome by a strong urge to kneel down and kiss the soil of Goa.” Type 3 is a rarer breed. Up against all odds, they made a conscious choice to return to their ancestral land. Not after retirement like most, but when in the prime of their careers. Guys like Wendell Rodricks, Margaret Mascarenhas and VM de Malar (a.k.a. Victor Menezes of Malara-Divar, grandson of another venerable Goan expat, Prof. Armando Menezes, a legend in his lifetime at Dharwar University.) Type-3 put their future and their fortunes where their heart was – Goa. Mumbai born, Los Angeles and Paris trained Wendell, in his words, was “arm-twisted” into writing by his friend Sathya Saran, Editor of ‘Femina.’ Wendell was among a handful Indians selected for an advanced fashion-designing course in Germany. On the eve of his departure, Sathya asked him to do a piece on “how large women could be made to look slim in innovative clothing.” He hurriedly penned a technical but readable piece, explaining the concepts with his own illustrations. On returning, he was horrified to see Femina’s cover blurb announcing a “Regular Column” by Wendell – that’s how the fashion designer doubled as a columnist. But that’s not the story. Wendell’s father always spoke of his plans to retire to his beloved Colvale. He didn’t get to make it. After a couple of years of working in Bombay and earning a niche for himself, Wendell one fine day told friends he was moving to Goa. They were aghast at his sure professional suicide. It took him four years to get a basic phone line in Goa, many more to be connected to the internet… Margaret was born in Venezuela, where she studied in Spanish, went to university in the US, then moved to Bombay, working for a high profile magazine for some time, until one day she asked herself why she was air-hopping every weekend to be with her grandma in Anjuna. She relocated. Her dad had instilled a love for Goa early on: he brought the family down every vacation. One such visit, grandma took her on a visit to a relative, then Goa’s first Goan Bishop. When asked to kneel and kiss the Bishop’s ring, the seven year old stoutly refused! For Margaret, a writer, relocation was easy in this age of email. US-based VM de Mallar was in his mid-30s when he decided to retire and return home. Pop star Remo had opportunity (and great potential) to settle abroad than stay in Siolim. Savia Viegas, author, academician and a senior Fulbright Fellow had everything going for her in Mumbai, but moved back to Carmona. As did John Douglas Coutinho, in the UK, who returned to Cavorim, Chandor – and today runs one of the most internationally written about beach campsites, Ciaran’s at Palolem. Ayres D’Souza had a job and papers ready for the US while in Kuwait, but chucked it all and returned to Navelim. The list is long. They renounced greener pastures and reverted home. What’s more, from Goa, they continue to thrive and make Goa proud. Do these young Goans tell a story? Ponder it over. Does Goa lack opportunity, or do we Goans lack something else? If there is will, there surely must be a way. In sum, to the Type 2, Goa may be just another holiday. To the Type 1, it means home. To the Type 3, Goa is where one returns to, recharges one’s roots, and begins to flower again. May they bloom more! (Concludes.) (ENDS) The Valmiki Faleiro weekly column at: http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=330 ============================================================================== The above article appeared in the April 20, 2008 edition of the Herald, Goa