Someone handed me a copy the other day, and a couple of names in the inner
flyleaf rang bells---Fred Noronha's GOA 1556, and Fr. Delio Mendonca @ XCHR.
I was about to consign Goa Masala to the lower shelf (since at the moment
Ms. Selma Carvalho's DIASPORA book is getting a lot of attention) when our
'reading hour' approached for wife Germana---who by now has become a
listener rather than reader, but retains her fondness for 'Goan Stories'. As
a Canadian I was also just a bit intrigued by 'Goan's writing in Canada'.
Opening the volume ad lib, I started with Marina De Souza's two pieces---ALL
GOA VILLAGE FESTIVAL' and NEIGHBORS' QUARRELS. Since I have had nearly
fifty years auditory association with Konkani language I am (while not by
any means 'fluent') able to navigate (in reading) for Konkani words and
phrases. Dear Germana is wholly enthralled by Ms. Marina's sallies in
Konkani. As victim of 'text-editor syndrome' I would be inclined to
blue-pencil some of Marina's English idiom, but dear wife insists that her
bracketed Konkani covers any multitude of English idiomatic sins.
Interesting slant on Literary Values, to be considered in this type of
Collection---something that I had not really been aware of before.
