Goans don't read enough or write enough...
Partying, eating, dancing and sports are what Goans love –
Ben Antao (Frederick Noronha, Gomantak Times)
Goanet Reader Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:10:03 -0800

Ben Antao was a journalist in Goa (The Navhind Times), Bombay (Indian Express) and in Canada, and is an active writer in the world of both fiction and non-fiction. Recently, he edited a book of expat Goans in Canada, and shares with FREDERICK NORONHA some of his insights into the world of Goans, writing and publishing.

FN: Tell us about the book? How would you describe it briefly?
'Goa Masala' is an anthology of stories (both fiction and non-fiction) by Canadian Goans with a Goan flavour. The book seeks to record for posterity the memories of senior Canadian Goans who have made Canada their home in the past 50 years or so. The project was initiated for 55 Plus Goan Association of Mississauga, Ontario, by Rudi Rodrigues, 60, a talented painter and design artist, whom I got to know during the 2008 International Goan Convention in Toronto.

'Goa Masala' contains about 40 stories, most of them written by Goans who have settled in Canada after spending years in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania in East Africa, as well as in Rangoon, Myanmar. Their memoirs range from an elephant hunt in Tanzania, to the removal of evil eye (dishti), to arranged marriages and snakes.

FN: What prompted you (and the publishers) to take up such an initiative?
Actually, it was Rudi who initiated the project through his 55PGA Book Club. He wanted senior Goans to read Goan books and literature and invited me to do a reading from my novel 'The Tailor's Daughter' and answer questions, which I did (July 2009) before a group of eight Goans.

Later we discussed the idea of having the senior Goans write down their experiences in the form of stories. He took up the ball and called for submissions for a short story contest.

FN: Was it easy to get the book completed? What were the challenges to put it together?
No, it wasn't easy to get the Goans excited about writing.

Some had ideas but didn't know how to present them. Rudi persevered and got a few 55PGA members to read the early submissions and correct them. Later he sent me more than a dozen submissions for editing and opinion. I was glad to do so as I wanted to encourage our Goans to write their memoirs and experiences in East Africa.

Gradually, the submissions grew and I read and edited the entire 40 stories at least twice. I also volunteered to be the publisher as my company A Plus Publishing had published three books before in which Rudi was involved, doing the design and formatting. As a publisher I could get an ISBN for Goa Masala and also have it included in the archives of the federal government's publishing agency, Legal Deposit in Ottawa.

FN: Do you think Goans abroad express themselves enough in writing? Do they read enough?
From my experience they don't read enough or write enough. I think they need to be encouraged and supported in the pastime of reading and writing. Writing and reading are intellectual exercises whose benefit and value take time to accrue and appreciate. Whereas partying, dancing, eating, drinking and playing sports are sensual activities that Goans love to participate in. So 'Goa Masala' was an effort to pursue some intellectual fun.

FN: But is it easier, with all the technology and communication possibilities today, to put together books now? What do you feel about this?

Yes, it is easier to bring out books today with the advanced technology of print on demand. If writers love to write and wish to share their writing with a limited readership they can pursue this POD (print-on-demand) route with limited capital. However, they should be pragmatic and understand that book publishing is not a money-making enterprise. Only five out of 100 books published anywhere in the world today break even, I understand.

FN: How did the book fare?
Since 55PGA received a grant from the government, their objective was to break even and not to make a profit. So Rudi and I discussed the print run and settled on 300 copies, all of which were sold by launch day (Feb 6, 2010). Since then I've received expressions of buying interest from 12 people; but we'll publish more only if there are prior and paid sales for at least 200 because of costs ($12-15 to print a copy).

FN: Do you have any more such plans in the pipeline?
No, none at the moment.

FN: What do you feel were the main contributions of such an initiative?
I feel the main contribution has been to bring senior Goans together to write their reminiscences, many of which are exciting and informative, and see their work in print. Rudi told me that many of the contributors were excited to see their work in print and thought it was worth their while to put their memories on record. Many of them are shy and think they have nothing interesting to say. But every senior has some interesting experiences; all they need is encouragement and support.

FN: What are the three most important points you found writers making in this book?
I found many of the contributions rather hilarious, some informative and a few nostalgic. An example of each below.

* In her piece All-Goa Village Festival, a reminiscence of festivities on the feast day of Our Lady of the Miracles (Milagris Saibin), attended by overseas Goans, Marina De Souza, a teacher and principal of an elementary school for 15 years in Uganda before immigrating to Canada, writes:

"I met Mrs. Gonsalves who was visiting from Mombasa. She told me that she had recently had her doctor's check-up and that she was not pleased with his comments. She went on to relate the incident. She told him that her right leg was 'yehking and yehking and yehking soooo much'. Dr. Pinto said, "Mrs. Gonsalves, you are eighty years old, so your leg will ache and ache because of your age." But Mrs. Gonsalves interrupted him by saying, "Dr. you don't undishtan what I'm saying. I walk with ishtick. I tied ishstone in kerchief with ishstring to my legge and it's ishtill yehking." Then pointing to her left leg she continued to say, "Doctor, this legge is 80 years old and it's not 'yehking' and 'yehking' and yehking' like that one."

* Jenny De Mello, an English-born teacher now retired, writes about being married for 40 years to a Goan from Anjuna, Tim De Mello. "Both our families were worried by this event and fearful for our future. Comments ranged from concerns about the children we might produce, to what the neighbours might say and to the type of food we would eat.... Has life been easy? Not always. We had our ups and downs, but overall Canada has been good to our family."

* In The Doomed Tigers of Betul, Armand Rodrigues, who has lived in Goa, Poona and Uganda before coming to Canada in 1969, recalls incidents with tigers preying on the poultry and pigs. He tells a story he heard from a toddy tapper who says, "Last night as I was descending a coconut tree by the edge of the forest, I felt that I was being watched. Right enough, when I was halfway down I saw luminous eyes peering at me from a sprawling cashew tree on the hillside directly opposite. I froze, but couldn't decide whether to go back up the tree. The large eyes told me that it had to be a tiger. After a while I said a prayer and came down very, very slowly...."

FN: Which part of the Goan diaspora (I mean, in which part of the world) has done the best to express itself in writing in your view? Why?
In this anthology the quality of writing has been fairly consistent from the contributors from East Africa, Bombay and Myanmar.

FN: How do you make such writing available to readers back in Goa?
It's going to be expensive for readers in Goa to purchase this 275-page book, assuming a second printing happens, because of the cost of shipping ($18 air postage plus $15 for the book). One member of the 55PGA told me that a couple of copies have been sent with a Canadian Goan travelling to Goa, to place at least one copy in the Central Library, Panjim.

FN: Do they (readers back home) have anything to learn from such writing?
Yes, I think so. They can learn how the Catholic Goans live and survive in other countries.

It's not all milk and honey, even in Canada where the weather is bitterly cold for four-to-five months a year, plus the stress of daily travel and hard work to maintain your job (if you're paid $8 an hour for an eight-hour day, the employer expects you to work for seven hours, with an hour for lunch and two coffee breaks of 10 minutes each). Compare this to working in a bank in Goa or in the government department.

As most of the Goan Catholics migrate to other places for work and education, it should be interesting to learn how they make out in the foreign lands, including other parts of India, in my view. So books like 'Goa Masala' can afford a window for the locals if they are interested.

FN: Give us a two-para description of your own writing career, please...
My own writing career blossomed in the 1990s as I began preparing for retirement from teaching. Although my forte has been non-fiction, I found the writing of fiction (five novels and several short stories) extremely satisfying because of the freedom embedded in creative writing. So now I do both,
mostly travelogues lately, plus editing, publishing and interacting online with the Goa Writers group
[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goawriters].

FN: If you had the chance to chart out your career all over again, what would you have done differently :-) and why?
Well, Frederick, sometimes I've wondered about this and how my career might have turned out

If I had returned to the Indian Express in Bombay after a year from the U.S.,

If I had accepted a magazine job in the U.S. instead of coming to Canada,

If had accepted the full-time editing job with the Globe and Mail in Toronto instead of switching to a teaching career...

My answer is that I've to contend with reality, and the reality is that Destiny shapes our ends and I'm pleased with the choices I've made and have learned to live with it.
--
FIRST PUBLISHED in The Gomantak Times, in the column 'The Printed Word'. See images here: Cover of 'Goan Masala': http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/4423842959/
Rudi Rodrigues, 60 (right) with Ben Antao. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/4424607678/

*[Goanet] Goanet Reader: Goans don't read enough or write enough... Partying, eating, dancing and sports are what Goans love -- Ben Antao (Frederick Noronha, Gomantak Times) Goanet Reader

Khell - Khell-Tiatr Ani Carnival - An Explanation
http://edskantaram.blogspot.com/2010/02/khell-khell-tiatr-ani-carnival.html
By Eddie Verdes | Monday, February 15, 2010

About Eddie Verdes:
A die hard fan of konkani Music, with collections of over 4000 konkani songs. Click here to view complete profile

The good old days.here is a short account of the zomni khell during the Intruz (Carnival) in my village, Chinchinim.

Zomniche khell were mostly popular during Carnival (Intruz) and  Paskanchem fest (Easter). After the New year and three kings feast, people eagerly waited for Carnival because of the khells, especially in the villages of Salcete. In Chinchinim, there are 15-20 wards or Vaddos. Each Vaddo has a place called 'Mandd',which was usually located close to a Chapel which was surrounded by trees.

Khell was mostly performed at the "mandd" or near Regidor's residence and sometimes in compounds of pvt homes if they could afford. (mostly tarvotti ) The ward committee members collected a small amount (Rs 5 at my time) from each house to pay for the performers of the khell. A Khell was formed by a group of artists. The head or the writer/director was called "Mestri" and other participants were khellgaddi. The band consisted of player of instruments like drum, trumpet, clarinet and at times a banjo.

With the exception of band members, all other members of the troupe wore a colourful uniform. There were no ladies taking part in the khell, but some gents enacted ladies role; they wore a sari or a dress. Anita Pereira from Chinchinim was the first female to act in a khell called "Mundkar Nores'. In addition to the performers, there used to be a lady cook and helper to carry their bags n other musical instruments.

he famous khell groups came mostly from the coastal villages of Carmona,Varca, Orlim, Marjorda Benaulim, Colva, Betalbatim, besides some groups from Chinchinim, Verna and St. Jose de Areal. In those days, they mostly travelled on foot from one village to another and/or from one ward to another. In the late 70's and 80's, they started travelling by mini buses or open tempos.

Wherever they traveled, they always played music.. the drum, snare drum, trumpet and clarinet. When a khell reached a 'mandd', the ward members negotiated the rates of an act/play. depending on the popularity of the group. If a group was famous one,then they would agree for two acts/plays. At times when the mestri or ward members could not reach an agreement, the troupe would leave the'mandd' but not without singing one or two songs at the 'mandd'; this was to give respect for the 'mandd'. If they reached an agreement, they would give time for the mestri to start the play till most ward people arrived.

As kids, the moment we heard the beat of the drum, we used to run, leaving whatever work we did, and so did our elders. At the mandd a circle was formed and the children had to sit on the ground; the elders stood around them. Some would get chairs if their houses were close by; others would make it on treetops..madd or ambe.

One got to see many khell in my ward "Dandeavaddo" in Chinchinim as it is located on the main junction of Cuncolim-Sarzora road and close to Chinchinim bazaar.

The khell would start with an Imno - opening chorus, wherein the khellgaddi would stand in two rows in front of the band and introduce themselves, and the act that was to follow. After the Imno, they would stand in a circle and then start the play with dialogues, followed by a song which was sung in two pitches. “primeiro and segundo". The songs were mostly related to the story or dialogue. At the end of the song, if the act required them to visit another house, they would say: "Atam hanv kit kortolom?. Matxe bhattant pasoi martolom or bazrant voitolom or Jaki ghor voitolom" and then as he starts to walk, the band would play. If there was a policeman, the popular police march would follow.. for a batkar a decent tune and if a comedian..a comic tune.

The plays were mostly based on short stories..on family, bhatkars, kunbis, Akbar and Birbal etc. Children were fascinated with the 'Rakhos' or Rakesh...(Giant ) part wherein the actor would wear a black dress covering his whole body from head to toe with a tail hanging from behind...his opening dialouge would be... ha ha ha anv rakhos...maka pel munxeacho vas yeta..:) (ha ha ha...I am the giant and I can smell humans)

At times there would be 2-3 groups waiting to perform at the same "mandd". Whenever we heard that another khell arrived there used to be some commotion, and then the ward commitee members
would stop the play for a few minutes n announce "Bosai Bosai..ho khell somptoch dusro nachtolo"'
(sit sit after this play gets over the next one will start) To know where the khells are performing one had to keep an ear on the drum beats or ask the passerby on cycles"arey khell fuim nachota (where are the khells performing).n they would reply, "Dandevaddo mandar nachota or Olinda tinga nachta  (khell is going on at dandeavaddo or at Olind auntys place) or simply follow the khellgadi where ever they perform.

This way, all the 3 days of Intruz would go on. But their performance was best on the first and the second day, as by the third day they would be exhausted and their voices would become rough. There was khell competition during the Carnival, which was performed onstage. The competition was mostly with rival groups; whoever won, was awarded a big trophy. The handbills and the boards would show both the parties pulling on the cup from both sides. In course of time, these competitions were with the Tiatros. The first to perform was a tiatro, a short one, and then a khell...ultimately it gave rise to what is now called "Khell Tiatr".

Mestri Kuddo Minguel from Chinchinim was famous for the "opari"; also Sucor Piedade from Verna. There was another mestri from Carmona..Anton Marie whose khells with emotional dialogues and opari mesmerized the hearts of the people, Francis Mestri from Durga was famous for his songs while Buk Buko from Chinchinim and Xempea Minguel from Benaulim made the people laugh.

Mestri Niclau Marian from Nesai and Santiago Pereira from Padde khells were also good. The only Hindu to act in khells in those days was Gunno from Chandor. Marian from Vhodlem Bhatt Benaulim and Don Toklo from Colva were also very famous mestris, besides the well known Xalibai, F.Coloi and Bhataghotto.

Antonio Moraes .. well known as A. Moraes was the first to make changes and take the zomni khell on the stage...and there after the best of the Khells were seen on stage; the famous groups refused to perform on the ground; they performed only on stage... Vitorin Pereira, Patrick Dourado and Ligorio Fernandes were famous on stage. Slowly, these khells were aired on Akashwani as 'Lokham khell'.

It was in the early 70's, the late Rosario Rodrigues came up with a non-stopshow...'Ekech Ratri ani Ami Fator'. The highlight of this show was that music was played non-stop, besides show was well received by the people for its powerfull dialouges, comedy, acting and it completed more than 150 shows in Goa and Mumbai. From then on, every show of Rosario was a hit! I can say that Rosarios non-stop shows brought an end the Bomboikar Tiatrists and Tiatrists reign from the North.

A lot of changes have been made from the original zomni khell to the present Tiatro, but the smaller groups still perform the zomni khell, ofcourse with the changes as ones I have seen in the videos with new changes. The present day Tiatr is a combination of the old zomni khell and tiatr, in that the Khell had songs which were related to the story, whereas in a tiatr, the songs sung were not related
to the story.

Some of the current well known khell-tiatrs who have changed to tiatrs are Prince Jacob, Mario Menezes,Roseferns, Menino Mario..Jose Rod, etc.

Posted by Eddie at 2/15/2010 09:23:00 PM | Labels: Khell, Khell-Tiatr Ani Carnaval

Immigrants in Britain to be taught to queue
http://www.southasianobserver.com/world_news.php?mid=19&cid=6145
( Feb 15 2010 )

London: Britain plans to educate immigrants on the art of queuing properly to help them integrate into the society, a media report said Monday. Foreigners applying to settle in the country will have to learn about the revered British practice of forming a queue for everything from buses to sandwiches, Daily Mail reported on its web site.  The "art of queuing" may also be included in the test on aspects of the British way of life required for foreign nationals applying for citizenship, the report said.

Immigration minister Phil Woolas said much tension in communities is caused by foreigners not understanding that they must wait in line for services rather than heading to the front as may be the custom in their own culture.
 
"Huge resentment is caused when people push in. The simple act of taking one's turn is one of the things that holds our country together. It is very important that newcomers take their place in queues whether it is for a bus or a cup of tea," the report quoted Woolas as saying. The minister said he was pushing the idea as part of moves to ensure immigrants integrate properly. "It is central to the British sense of fair play and it is also better for everyone," he said. (IANS)

Montreal - Giant ship-themed stage gives Boa Goa a big punch
http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment
By VICTOR SWOBODA, | Freelance March 6, 2010

Dancers rehearse Boa Goa at the Cinquieme Salle of Place des Arts, in Montreal, Monday March 1st 2010.
Photograph by: (THE GAZETTE/Allen McInnis) Click here to read more

The first thing that strikes one about the latest contemporary dance/theatre work by Montreal creator Paula de Vasconcelos is the set. It's immense.

The wide, raised wooden platform has a main stage flanked by strongly thrusting wings. Ornamented wooden panels decorate the spaces above and below. As she has shown in previous productions like Babylone and, most recently, Kiss Bill, de Vasconcelos likes to design sets with visual punch.

"I'm even more interested by the mise-en-scène of the dance than the dance itself," de Vasconcelos admitted in a recent interview at Circuit-Est Studios' large Sherbrooke St. studios. "How the dance is part of a global writing - text, images, scenography all participate."

Big themes have always guided the creation of de Vasconcelos's works. In Babylone, it was the fruitful exchange among different cultures and generations (this theme is always present to some extent in her work). In Kiss Bill - a personal take on Quentin Tarantino's satirical movie about film violence - the theme was revenge and reconciliation. Boa Goa's theme revolves around travel, hence the set built to de Vasconcelos's design by her partner in Pigeons International, Paul-Antoine Taillefer.

"I knew from the start that I wanted a scenography that would potentially evoke the outside and inside of ship. A theme of rowing and travelling and sea. It can also evoke two continents with something in-between."

On one side of the set is European Portugal, the land of de Vasconcelos's ancestors. On the other side - India and its Portuguese territory of Goa. Boa Goa in Portuguese means "good Goa."

"The starting point (of the work) is how the Portuguese discovered the trading route to

India. But really it's about how that generated a cultural mix that's symbolic of the state of the world and the deep necessity of inter-breeding culturally. It's inevitable, and the only way that humanity can survive."

De Vasconcelos travelled to Goa last year following the route of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who established a colony in India in the early 16th century. She slept in the house where Da Gama died in Kochi, India, in 1524. Goa passed from Portuguese control to India in 1961, but its capital, Panaji, retains a strongly Portuguese air.

Boa Goa's six dancers evoke this centuries-old cultural exchange with some Portuguese folk dance movements and gestures reminiscent of Indian classical dance. The performers received some modest training in Indian dance from Roger Sinha, a Montreal choreographer closely associated with the style.

"I had to be careful not to try to make the dancers look Indian or Portuguese," said de Vasconcelos. "It would have felt fake. We evoke, but don't pretend or illustrate."

The cultural mix is further enhanced by the accompanying music by Owen Belton - composer for choreographer Crystal Pite, among others - who employed instruments like the Indian tabla and Portuguese guitar. In a striking moment of self-awareness, De Vasconcelos offered an insight into her own artistic evolution.

"If there's a weakness in my work, it's that sometimes I feel that I illustrate too much. It's incompatible with dance. Dance is best in the realm of evoking things and not telling too much of a clear story. In Boa Goa, I didn't want to do specific historical details."

After Montreal, Boa Goa travels to Portugal for performances in two cities.

"I don't know if (the set) will fit in their theatres. Had I been a good girl, I would have made it smaller. But my philosophy is 'This is how I see it.' "

Boa Goa, tonight and Tuesday to March 13, and March 16-20, at 8 p.m. in the Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts. Tickets, $26.57. Call 514-842-2112

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

UAE, South Korea sign nuclear deal to build plants in the UAE
http://gulfnews.com/business/general
By Ahmed A. Namatalla, Staff Reporter, Gulf News | Published: 14:26 | December 27, 2009

South Korean consortium to design, build and help operate four civilian power plants in the UAE

Excerpt:
Abu Dhabi: A South Korean consortium won a Dh75 billion ($20.4 billion) contract to build nuclear reactors in the UAE, beating more favoured American and French companies for one of the Middle East's biggest energy deals.

President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak attended the signing of a series of landmark cooperation agreements, WAM reported. The agreements, signed by Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and South Korean Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Kyung-hwan, cover a framework protocol to boost economic partnership to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas, including the development of peaceful nuclear energy.

Shaikh Abdullah said: "As negotiations between the UAE and South Korea on peaceful nuclear energy advanced, the two governments discovered the huge potential for joint cooperation in various fields."

Under the nuclear contract, the group led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) will design, build and help operate four 1,400-megawatt civilian nuclear power units, a statement by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) said.

"Enec has determined that the Kepco team is best equipped to fulfil the government's partnership requirements in this ambitious programme," Enec Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement.

Mohammad Al Hammadi, Chief Executive of Enec, said ten locations for the plants have been proposed. Al Hammadi said Emiratis will make up 60 per cent of the estimated 2,200 professionals overseeing operation of the plants. The plants are expected to provide 25 per cent of the country's power needs by 2020.

Key points

• The winning consortium includes Korea Electric Power Corp, Hyundai Engineering and Construction, Samsung C&T Corp and Doosan Heavy Industries.

• The award is the largest-ever energy contract in the Middle East and one of the world's biggest nuclear power plant contracts.

• The first of the four units is scheduled to begin providing electricity to the grid in 2017, with the three later units being completed by 2020.

Book Launched in Mumbai - Curry is Thicker Than Water

A first collection of stories by Dr. Jasmine D’Costa

• Paperback: 136 pages

• Publisher: Book Land Press; 1 edition (Mar 15 2009) $11.35 at Amazon

Dr. Jasmine D’Costa was born in India and moved to Canada in 2004. As an academic and banker for 25 years, Jasmine was published in academic journals, business magazines and books on international relations, trade, investment, corporate finance and banking.In Canada, Jasmine D’Costa has pursued a career in writing and acting. She now lives in Toronto and brings to the Canadian writing landscape an arresting new voice.

Jasmine D’Costa is the Past President of the Writers and Editors Network and has been a judge on the Canadian Aid Literary Award for two years. Dr. D’Costa’s “The Limits” was awarded as the best feature film at the Reel World International Film Festival, Toronto and the DVD and Digital International Film Festival, Hollywood. Curry is Thicker than Water, published by Bookland Press Inc, is her first book.

Austin Clarke, Winner of The Giller Prize and Commonwealth Literary Prize, says of her work: “The effulgence of Curry Is Thicker Than Water, Jasmine D’Costa’s first collection of stories, is so rewarding to read, so allegorical and at the same time, so philosophical, that it heralds the confidence I have in this young writer.”

Click to enlarge