MEMORY OF YESTERYEAR TIATRISTS

MEMORY OF YESTERYEAR TIATRISTS

Goan Tiatrists especially those of yesteryears were great Goans. By being Tiatrists they have created a history for Goa and Goans. Compared to the current Tiatrists the yesteryear Tiatrists are giants and genii. Precisely because of this they have created a Niche for them in Goan society, this Niche is unshakable and irreplaceable. Over a hundred years have now passed Tiatro has been going on in our community and over a hundred gigantic Tiatrists have come and gone during this period and in their lifetime they have produced excellent works on the Stage. I bow down my head in respect for them and for their excellent works they did to put a strong base for our Tiatros.

Because of the strong base put by our yesteryear Tiatrists our Tiatros are still going strong. Not only going strong but currently it is become an industry and a big commercial venture thru which thousands of people are living and surviving. Earlier acting in Tiatro was for “Umed” or as part time business but now it is a full time commercial venture thru which many of the present day Tiatrists built their own commercial empires, to put it figuratively.

Many of the yesteryear Tiatrists could not afford a Cycle properly but many of the current ones are driving luxury cars. Only Jacinto Vas among the top Tiatrists during Portuguese time was having his 250 HP BMW Motorbike while even the great Alexinho de Candolim, Minguel Rod and many others were travelling in public transport “Caminhao”. Though the fruits of Tiatros are better reaped by the current commercial Tiatrists yet the credit for its strong base must surely go to the yesteryear Tiatrists who inspite of their hard work and genius have failed to reap the financial benefits of Tiatros as the current Tiatrists are reaping. Many of the yesteryear Tiatrists died as paupers by involving in and by promoting Tiatros, others have sold the gold ornaments of their wives to sustain in this great art, yet others have sacrificed their livelihood like Kid Boxer when he was deported to Goa from Bombay by Bharati Serkar in 1959 for singing in Bombay a song which was construed as Anti-Bharat. Because of this Kid Boxer lost his lucrative job in Bombay where he was working at Central Railways, Parel. If he would complete his tenure there he would be retired from there with a nice "Duddvancho Pottlo" and live his remaining life as an "Honrad Pensaumkar", this would otherwise help him and his family nicely for their sustenance. Some of the Tiatrists having no option due to their financial bankruptcy because of their involvement in Tiatro had to send their high profile wives to work in the Gulf, mainly in Kuwait, as Maids.

Doing the job of a maid in the Gulf is no humiliation, job is a job, high or low. Everyone must have dignity of labour. But everyone is not capable of doing the Maid’s job because in many cases it contains not only the work of an Ayah to look after the children in place of real mothers of the children but it contains something more. In this part of the World, maids are made to work even as Cooks, as Buttlers, as Car Washers, as "Dhobis", as gardeners etc. Sometimes they are made to work as Pimps and in some cases as whores and as Concubines too. Unfortunately overwhelming majority of our maids accept all these hardships and humiliations with no resentment and with no opposition because they have no choice but to surrender to the dictates and whims of their Masters and Madams who may even slaughter them for their oppositions. This is the quality of many of the Masters and Madams and yet they go scot-free for their brutalities because the wheels of the law are in their hands.

Once I came across a middle aged woman who was once the reputed wife of one the top yesteryear Goan Tiatrist. When I wished her and enquired about her husband, she just started cursing and abusing him saying "if he was good, sensible and responsible husband, today I would not be working and suffering all the humiliations and hardships in 'Arbeanchea Ghorant’". Then she went further and said, "in my life I never did such work and am not accustomed either to do such work. The climatic conditions are extreme and unbearable, there is no fixed time for work, like a machine I have to work. Even machine is having rest but not me. Such is the place and “Ghor” where I am working", said she. And then she concluded saying, "instead of acting in Tiatros my husband if had to work in the paddy fields today we would be happy financially and I would not be rotting as a slave in this part of the world without any human dignity and without any respect for my womanhood.

By writing, directing, singing and acting in Tiatros my husband brought name and fame for him and enriched Konkani Tiatro but financially thru Tiatros he brought missery on me and on my children for whose sake only I am now working. My husband enriched Tiatro but did Tiatro lovers come to our financial aid?" Then she started sobbing uncontrollably adding the final words thus: "At least my husband would gather courgae to highlight our miserable plight from the stage forcefully but the current visiting Tiatrists are impotent to do this, they are money conscious, they come to Gulf only to make money and not to study our plight and raise their voice". Finally her great Tiatrist husband died and went into grave unsung, unadored and unremembered. If it was in any other country or place there would be a Monument of him erected by his admirers and colleagues. But this is not happening in our midst. We adore our heroes when they are in top form and ignore them when they become zeroes.

We know so many great Tiatrists of yesteryears by reading or by listening to their old but glorious songs they recorded at Emissora de Goa during the Portuguese time. (Now, All India Radio Panjim). Best of Konkani songs were recorded during Portuguese time at Emissora de Goa because best of composers, best of singers and best of Tiatrists lived during Portuguese time. These songs are so marvelous, so good, so informative and so loveable that today we have to fall in love with these songs just blindly.

There is nobody in our midst now to compose and render so beautifully similar songs. Can anyone compose and sing songs of the type Alexinho de Candolim rendered at Emissora de Goa? Can any amongst the present day Tiatrists compose and render songs like Alexinho de Candolim’s “Kottecho Bikari”, “Dadlea” and "Fatima Saibinn Goyam?" This is just a tip of an iceberg. What about golden songs of Minguel Rod? Can anybody compose and sing songs like that of his “Leitao” and “Dhoth”? What about jet speed singer Young Menezes? Can anybody compose and sing like his songs “St. Lorenco Bhogta” and “Hotel de Jaquin”? Can anybody from the current singers and current Tiatrists sing fast songs as Young Menezes used to sing? No way. Can anybody now compose and sing songs like what Kid Boxer recorded at Emissora de Goa with full of wisdom and proverbs? Few lines of one song goes like this: "Divo Pettonk Guinenacher, Uzvadd eunk chintnacher, Zo konn zanna konnem ghoram bhandleant tim Pongerancheam zaddancher". What about his other magnificent song, few lines of which reads as: "Voir Bombli assa pottacher, to somdir matiecher, xenkrem kombeache toklecher. Ami amguer, tumi tumguer, sogle sogleanguer, tor sounsar ho rauta zait konnaguer?"

What about M. Dod de Verna? Can anyone now compose and sing a song like "Saude" that he rendered? What about the songs of Baldinho Araujo, Kamat de Assolna, Anthony Mendes, Jacinto Vaz, Jepsis Hitler and many others who recorded their songs during the Portuguese time at Emissora de Goa? What about Cruz Noronha's Mandos and Dulpods with Georgina Jaques? Can any of the present day Mandoists compete with Cruz Noronha's genius? Nothing doing. Cruz Noronha is Cruz Noronha.

When you listen to the songs of the great yesteryear Tiatrists you feel like adoring them by going to their graves and paying obeisance to their remains. But where are their graves and remains? Who preserved their remains and graves? In Candolim if you go to the Cemetry at least you see the photograph of Alexinho de Candolim where in one Box his remains are preserved at strategic location by his wife. But inspite of having 3 sons, two Gulf returnees and one still working in UAE they have not done anything similar to what Jr. Rod has done. Jr. Rod is an intellectual man and because he is so Jr. Rod has copied all the songs of his father from All India Radio Panjim and made one Audio Cassette and released it some years back. In this way he at least kept the memory of his father and legendary Tiatrist Minguel Rod alive, fresh, handy and moving. Thru this Cassette Jr. Rod, a Goa based person and not a Gulf returnee nor Gulf based Goan, did great service for the enrichment of our Tiatro Songs and made posterity know the greatness of one of our greatest yesteryear Tiatrists. Thru this Cassette Minguel Rod became easily accessible to the current and future generations and thus remained immortal.

Alexinho de Candolim’s sons should come forward and take an initiative to copy all the songs of their great Tiatrist father from All India Radio Panaji, make one Cassette and release it for posterity and for the enrichment of our Tiatro Songs. As it is some producers and singers are doing Remix of the songs of Alexinho de Candolim and spoiling the original beauty of these songs. The originality of these songs should be maintained and it can be maintained only thru the original voice of Alexinho de Candolim. Nobody can sing his songs the way he himself, Alexinho de Candolim, can sing. When he first time entered Bombay's Bangwaddy Stage to sing, the founder Editor of the then famous "Goa Times" wrote a review on this young singer saying "Sorgincho Anj Boddvo Konkani Palkar Utpon Zala", because Alexinho de Candolim's voice was angelic, trebulous and resounding. His way of singing is totally different from all others. Even in his Village Parochail School he was considered a genius in singing amongst 50 boys of his time, as per my father who was his colleague in that School and in his Class. Remixwallas are not interested in maintaining original beauty of his songs, they are interested only in making money for them at his cost, like “Chors”.

If Alexinho de Candolim’s sons are not interested then somebody must come forward to initiate this project which will surely enrich our art of Tiatro songs. We from Kuwait, if possible, can also assist financially, if finance is the problem. But somebody must come forward to Bell the Cat. As it is All India Radio Panjim is not very regular in playing his songs and also of others. If this is the case then all the golden oldies will become gradually dead stock which we dont want to happen.

Likewise there are so many golden songs of comedy genius Anthony Mendes which are to be preserved in the form of Audio Cassette or CD the way Jr. Rod has done for his father’s songs. By the grace of God all the sons of Anthony Mendes are in Kuwait. By the grace of God they are in a position to make an especial Album of their father’s songs. These songs are all precious and posterity must have them handy. Can any body compose songs and sing the way he sings like his golden songs “Taxi Driver” and “Bhurgo Mog”? In two lines of this particular song one can recognize the real genius in Anthony Mendes:

“Ho tuzo guneau, mozo guneau, kestao pettota, Bejeam suater, vontt poleancher, thapttam suzota”

See the highest philosophy in these two lines. If Mendes Bros are today become Mendes Bros., it is only because of the Care Of, of their late father Anthony Mendes. To keep the memory of their beloved father fresh in the minds and hearts of the posterity, they should go for the said Album because thru this Album only all the songs of their father will be accessible easily and gradually it will go in the history as our traditonal songs making them as part of our tradition, part of Goan and Konkani folkroric tradition. To keep the dead Anthony Mendes memory alive it is worth spending some money for this project. And as a matter of interest, the name of Mendes clan can be made immortal only by the late comedian Anthony Mendes and nobody else. Anthony Mendes is Anthony Mendes, he is not Mendes Bros. Mendes Bros. became Mendes Bros. only because of the late Anthony Mendes.

If you go to Mandur Cemetry, in the middle itself you see a big and attractive Picture of late Jacinto Vaz on his grave. By looking at it you see his memory alive. Since he died, many of the admirers of Jacinto Vas go to Mandur Cemetry only to pay their respect to this great comedian. Thru this picture there his memory is kept alive.

Many of our Tiatrists are dead and gone. Their remains are forgotten. Where are the remains of Alfred Rose, C. Alvares, Souzalin, Anthony D’Sa, Cecilia Machado and others? Who preserved them and where in order to pay obeisance for them?

Can anybody devise an idea so that we can erect a Monument depicting on it pictures of all the late great Tiatrists as it was done at Agacaim Church Square of all the Konkani Martyrs so that they remain immortal in our minds and hearts?”. To build this memorial of all the Konkani Martyrs, Kuwaitkars have played a very good role.

Regretfully, the sons of many of the yesteryear Tiatrists did not inherit "Tiatristpon" from their fathers and as such I think they failed to acquire the required maturity and intellectual capacity of the dead fathers to keep the memory of their dead fathers alive. Alfred Rose inherited Tiatristpon from his Tiatrist father A.M.B. Rose. Both are dead and gone and their tradition came to an end. Presently only Jr. Rod alone carrying forward the tradition of his legendary father Minguel Rod. Intermitently from Kuwait Mendes Bros. keeping the tradition of their late father Anthony Mendes alive while Marcus Vaz carrying on from his father Master Vaz who is by the grace of God living a retired life in Goa.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

Willie Gomes in jeans - Photo before Invasion

From: "Julio Cardoso" julio@yousifi.com.kw
To: "'A. Veronica Fernandes'"
Subject: RE: Obituary - Willie Gomes.
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2007 08:14:33 +0100

Dear Veronica,

What you have written about Willie Gomes is absolutely true. Here is a pic of him in happier times.

Julio

‘BLACK’ to revive traditions of Goan music

‘BLACK’ to revive traditions of Goan music
-by gasper crasto

Goans, in India, are called a people of music and dance. Goans made a name for themselves in India and beyond as ambassadors of music -- both Western and Indian at ceremonial and religious events. The history of Goan music can be traced right back to ancient times. It is said that Goan music encompassed the human prerequisite from womb to tomb.

Medieval Goan murals portray several examples of musical instruments accompanied by folk singing. This tradition has survived in the coastal Indian state, Goa – a city of sun and sand - down to the present day. As with other traditional arts and crafts the requisite skills and finer points of the traditional music were passed down from one generation to the next. But of late, the art is dying a slow death.

There is much analysis in this article as related to T-Bush’s feature film – the first Konkani E-Cinema entitled ‘BLACK Nhesop Atanchem Fashion’, about what is wrong, what has changed, and what is inevitable in this genre of music and musicians.

The feature film scheduled for release on Aug 10, 2007 will see Internationally acclaimed director T-Bush making an effort to portray the grandeur of this fading art in a movie which is a sweet, just, humane and interesting melodrama of wit and emotions that recapitulates the life of a musician in a Goan backdrop of traditions and culture. T-Bush has researched the subject in depth to come up with such a fantastic portrayal.

Is the schism between traditional and contemporary deeper than we think?

Sure, there are many curmudgeons who complain about the navel-gazing, musicians of the current genre. And many, specially strumming musicians who gripe about the ‘tradition’.

Before we try to tackle that weighty question, maybe we should consider the bigger picture of contemporary music than our forgotten tunes. Apparently traditional music has been relegated to dinosaur status. According to the new genre the traditional fad is all but ancient history.

Is it the latest music really music? Does it matter and should we care? Let me offer an argument. I am not out to define music in any academic way though.

There are innumerable written examples of Goan music although the matching melodies might be generally lost. The music variety was all the more augmented when Christian missionaries came to Goa in the wake of the Portuguese conquest in 1510. In the course of time, young and budding aficionados were introduced to the basics of music and the art of solfegio to enable them to fluently sight-read and play music from the western musical notation.

Talented youngsters were taught to play the violin, the mandolin, the vihuela (forerunner of the modern guitar), the harp and the organ. These instruments were then used to accompany singers at stage shows and street plays.

The Jesuits, Dominicans and Augustinians, among the several religious orders who came to undertake evangelical work and higher education in Goa, conducted advanced music classes as did the Royal Convent of St. Monica for girls.

However, there was a transitional period in Goan history when playing Goan music itself was deemed not respectable for scholars or the learned, and the girl students had to hide their instruments, afraid of being regarded as female entertainers.

Goan music experienced a renaissance when the country (Goa, Daman & Diu was a country till 1961) acquired its own musicians who communicated poetic and political messages in a popular tradition during peak Portuguese regime. The songs and dances were accompanied by a variety of string instruments like the veena, sarangi and tanpura, woodwinds like the dholak, ghumot, madlem, kasallem, bansari and zanj (cymbals). The programs were performed in every village usually in a sacred spot called devastan or in a mand (circle.)

Music in Goa spans a very broad range of music, from Goan and foreign-inspired music to more modern trends with mixtures of genres, ethnic elements and electric instruments. In recent years, a wide range of skilled ensembles have helped to raise the profile of Goan traditional music both nationally and internationally.

‘Woodwind and brass instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn, euphonium, tuba, etc) and percussion devices like the bass and snare drum, tympani, cymbals, xylophone, gongs, etc, were added in the early nineteenth century. These instruments began to be used outdoors in the churchyard as well to play the reveille (alvorada) in the grey light of dawn on feast days or after Sunday Mass and Vespers. They also came to be used for funeral and other pompous marches, processions, pageants and later for public entertainment in various cities.’

Over the same period, music of various kinds continued to have a life of its own. There also emerged folk songs and dances like the mando, dulpod and dekhnni through a blending of intrinsically native melodies with western, mainly Italian harmonic devices.

From the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Goan musicians were recruited to play for military bands at different Portuguese colonies and for the British. Soon, Goans were inducted in into the orchestras playing classical and light classical music, dance bands in elite ballrooms, hotels, gymkhanas and clubs all over India and abroad. During the days of the silent movies, Goans became the chief providers of background music played in theatres, and when the movies became talkies, they became the mainstay of the orchestras in the film recording studios not only as sidemen and soloists, but as arrangers, composers and conductors, albeit under famous Indian music directors.

Musicians manning the leading big bands and the several nightclub combos in Bombay alone during the late sixties were almost exclusively Goans.

By then, however, jazz music had begun to evolve new forms like progressive jazz, bebop and free forms using complex polyrhythms, dissonant harmonies, jagged and atonal melodic structures.

It became an esoteric music for appreciation by other musicians. Though Goan jazzmen quickly got into the groove, the music itself had lost its large young audiences to newly emergent rock and roll, pop and reggae, which marked a return to simpler rhythm. The new 'beat' consisted of three or more electrified guitars, with keyboards, drums and a host of 'techno' electronic gadgetry, attachments and devices like synthesisers with a multi- toned palette, auto-rhythms, auto-vamp, drum machines, strobe lights, etc.

Goa’s popular music tradition continued into the twentieth century. Just a generation or two back, the Western music scene was dominated by classical, semi-classical and dance music like the tango, rumba, waltz and polka seen mostly at marriage receptions and other parties.

Many Goan groups reigned supreme in the 60’s and 70’s playing violins and a range of other non-electronic instruments like alto-sax, clarinets, etc. There has been a rapid transformation in music with 12 string guitars, frame drums, percussions, etc, which swinged into bebop and rock and roll that has swept everything in its path.

A lot of the old, traditional Goan musicians could not make the transition and fell along the path way forgotten. Their scores were not needed anymore with brass and horns replaced with electronically charged gadgets.

But the music played now, is from people of a tradition or culture foreign to our own mainstream. It's the measure of distance between ‘here and now’ and ‘there and then.’ Some of the traditional folk music is hardly played nowadays, maybe because it seems not in harmony with the modern generation.

The value, of course, is that in hearing a tune outside of ourselves -- a music from another time or place, a song outside of our own skin -- we discover our connections to a wider realm of humanity. BUT, by appreciating music ‘from somewhere else’ we do not understand our own place in the world.

Even dramas and tiatros in recent years -- which are partly intended to raise historical consciousness among Goans -- almost always use Western style background music. Very few dramas have attracted my attention in this regard.

A number of musicians have emerged in recent years from music schools like the Kala Academy, Goa College of Music, Pilar Music School, Solfa Music School (Mapusa), Maestro Fr. Camilo Xavier School of Music,and other music schools existing in Goa forming top most ensembles such as Lynx, Sky High, Forefront, Seby and the Wings, Black Slades, Purple Rain, Archies, Status4, Cascades, Syndicate, Big City Band, `India', etc.

Linear and melodic music of Goan bands was well received till in recent years with some bands exposing a new era of electronic noise and lip-sync. Music enthusiasts fear the real art is being played only on sequenced beats.
Between ‘then’ and ‘now’, the once popular traditional, original Goan music is now on a brink of total extinct. A new series of music is seen appearing on the horizon: a contrast of sound and noise, art and reality, beauty and ugliness, sanity and insanity, originality and banality, sound and silence, abstract and concrete, communicative and solipsistic, normative and eccentric.

There’s still a tremendous underground swell of musicians who have no interest in who or what the latest pop sensation is.
What is the speech in our music and what is the music in speech? What is the difference between ugly music and music that expresses ugliness? How can we identify musical kitsch and how does it differ from the banal and clichéd?

Looking at the new musicians fresh from schools, it appears that the next generation of musicians will comprise mainly vocalists, guitarists and pianists. ‘In other words, it looks like we are producing the material for beat-groups only.’

The prospects of having the requisite musicians from the next generation to stage a full ensemble band of four saxophones, two trumpets, a trombone with piano, bass and drums is bleak and the chances of putting together even modest philharmonic or symphony orchestra for classical music is very remote.

Like all crazes, however, it is just a matter of time before the trend in the evolution of music will pass.

We all have our sense of musical taste, of course. No one is asking that we enjoy everything that enters our eardrums. And thankfully there are no laws that tell us how to categorize our personal preferences. So feel free to define ‘music’ the way you want. Well, open minds hear better music. The next tune that you hear in a movie – for a particular soundtrack or while the dialogues are on will definitely make you listen with the inner sense. The music that makes you weep or shout or dance with joy might come from an unexpected place. Contemplate on the tune. It might just be an African drummer, a Taiwan flute specialist, a Maharastrian tabla player - or maybe even a one-man band.

Brought to you by

http://www.goa-world.com/

OBITUARY -- Willie Gomes

OBITUARY -- Willie Gomes

It is with deep regret and sorrow I am writing these few lines on the late Willie Gomes who died on 29th of last month in Goa. He was during his long years of stay in Kuwait about 30 years, one of the pillars of Goan community. He served Goan community thru his compassiaonate and helpful work by which he helped many of our young boys in getting jobs, not only in the organization where he worked in a responsible position but also outside thru his personal contacts. He came to Kuwait somewhere in 1972-73 from Goa. He did his early education in Portuguese up to Segundograu at Collegio Diocesan de Sant Antonio, Desua, Chinchinnim somewhere in 1959. Then he finished his further astudies in English at Loyola and came to Kuwait after working for some time in Margao for Woodlands..

After coming to Kuwait he joined Tanagra as we commonly know that company. It is a huge and reputed organization employing many Goans, most of them were inducted there thru his good offices. Willie’s one major attribute was that he loved helping Goan people and as a sign of his gratitude on 4th of this month 7.15 p.m. in the Church at Kuwait City so many people attended the especial Eucharistic Service held for his soul. Fr. Melwyn even without knowing him personally, in his homily praised the congregation for attending this service. Though none of his close family members is in Kuwait yet the attendance for this Mass by a good number of people gave an evidence of Willie’s good deeds, said Fr. Melwyn. This is a sign of Willies good work in the community. Many times for such memorial services we see many people attending because of the close relatives of the deceased who are in Kuwait and in many cases people attend such servies only to please the relatives of the dead in Kuwait. But in Willie's case it is something different. Inspite of having no close relatives in Kuwait, Willie's memorial service turned out to be that of the real Goan hero, sung, praised and rememberd by all the good hearted people. All who attended that memorial service were not his beneficiaries but deffinetely all were admirers of his helful nature to anyone who needed, not necessarily known to him.

In 1979 when we initiated our soccer activities at Sour Grounds I came in contact with him. He was in the beginning not very well conversant with me yet he was very respectfully wishing me and admiring me for the work I do in the promotion of our soccer. He always appreciated my writings in praise of his team Goan Sporting, of course deservingly and my especial singling for praises for few players of his team namely forwards Tony D’Costa, Peter and Laximikant, midfielder Cajetan Godinho, deep defenders Philip and Pompadour whom he too admired the most. He even once told me and complimented me saying “Veronica, your writings make our football more popular. Veronica you alone can make our soccer more interesting because you give minute details of all the players because you know them all very well in Kuwait and in Goa too before they came to Kuwait. And as a renwoned footballer, you know the art of writing better than enybody elese". This was his big compliment to me then.

As a big man of Goan Sporting he shouldered major responsibil;ites of his team. He was always present at Sour Grounds to attend our matches, not only when Goan Sporting playing but even otherwise. In the initial stages our matches were held in the afternoons at 3.30 p.m. and he was always there with his huge, fair and attractive body.along with his entourage of close associates and friends He was traceable for our matches by his big shouts and loud encouraging of his boys with the words “Chod Re, Chodd Re” meaning jump higher in the air over the opponent to outbeat him in the aerial duel and then he would laugh and laugh loudly with full of enjoyment. Along with him other friends of his would also follow thus creating lot of fun on the ground which we all used to enjoy too.

Though he was so deep rooted in our soccer from the initial stages yet he never volunteered to join KIFF and put things into order there. According to one source, he always found KIFF members at least many as sub standard, uncultured, illiterate in soccer laws, ignortant of soccer and revengeful in nature. Hence, to associate with such people was below his dignity. Though he had huge and majestic physical stature yet otherwise he was a very mild and docile man. He was by character a very loving person. Even if there is any commotion on the ground while playing or even outside he would come running and separate the warring factions and create peace there. And as a matter of interest his word had respect. He would never allow his players and supporters to create commotion on and off the field and even if some occurances occurred, he would personally apologise. Such was his nature and character. It was he who was mainly responsible to brighten the image of Goan Sporting then and was responsible to gain a goodwill for Goan Sporting.

I admire him most not only for encouraging our soccer but more than that because of his helpful nature in employing so many of our young boys especially those who had no Godfather. In Kuwait unless you have a “wasta” or Godfather or Godmother you cannot get a decent job in a decent organization. If you have nobody to help you in getting a job leave aside a decent job, then you are like an orphan. Willie eradicated this orphan type of feeling from many of the jobs. Those whom he helped were not his relatives, some of them were even not known to him earlier.

Here in Kuwait jobs especially in selective sectors are dominated by few families and if any person not known to them approaches them then they will give an excuse saying, "Oh, No, now they dont accept Indians". But when they have their own people then things turn out to be opposite. In Kuwait amongst Goans jobs in lucrative sectors are reserved and monopolised by few handful families. They will not lose their grips from these jobs which they reserve only for their close relatives and "Daijis" even if they are yet to born. If they come to know any of their relatives is pregnant and expecting a child soon, then from this point only they keep their eyes on the new jobs in the lucrative sectors reserved for their new born but will not help the immediate needy.Willie Gomes was not of that type of a man. He would even share his heart with the needy.

Even though he did so much for our soccer and especially for Goan Sporting yet he never displayed his cheapness for photographs. One would rarely see his photos even along with his victorious team in the Magazines for Socials or in the local newspapers. He always refrained from being cheap especially with cheap people. He never craved for cheap publicity nor even for deserving publicity. Before his leaving for good from Kuwait a few years, I asked to interview him so that his achievements I could highlight. But as usual, shy for publicity, he just smiled and closed this subject. That was his nature.

Inspite of his vast influence and abilities, he confined his activities only to soccer. Never he associated with us openly for any of our Goan causes especially for Konkani when he was a great lover of Konkani. But he allowed and supported his younger brother Oscar who left from Kuwait some years back, to join Kuwait Konknni Kendr and support its cause. KKK is the only organisation that worked hard for the cause of Konkani and put a strong base for the promotion of Konkani activities in Kuwait, including Tiatros.

In his death we lost a great man, great because he helped the needy in getting jobs. In his death his memory should not be allowed to die. Instead his memory should be kept alive by organising a memorial tournament at Sour Grounds either 11-a-side or 7-a-side one day festival. And on 29th of this month when he completes one month for his death, his close associates should organise a Condolence Meeting in Kuwait City, preferably at Village Inn, to remember all his good deeds. In case any assistance is required from my side, I am ready. But in his death, Willie should not remain a forgotten Goan hero. Willie Gomes belongs not only to his close associates and friends. Willie Gomes belongs to all Goans who loved the good of Goans in Kuwait.

May His Soul Rest In Peace. And may God give courage for his family to bear this colossal loss.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

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A frequent, chronological publication – exclusive, unpublished and hybrid personal thoughts of A. Veronica Fernandes -- can now be read at http://goa-kranti.blogspot.com/