AMKAM ZAI FOKOT NACHONK.
In Kuwait we have number of our Associations. To further their activities, they regularly organize their functions in the form of Tiatro and Ballroom dancing. Tiatro and what is connected with Konkani is a part of our culture but Ballroom dancing is not, even though some depict it as a part of Goan culture. When we organize Dance we don’t care for anything. Many of our Goans promote it as if it is our life and death and thru this many of our people erroneously show ballroom dancing as a Goan way of life. Currently this item is taking precedence over everything else because it has its own physical amorous charm and monetarily good income. A few years back, during one such function in one of the city hotel’s ballroom, one prominent Goan journalist representing one of the local English dailies, while attending this function suddenly got a massive heart attack and collapsed. When he collapsed still people were busy in dancing only oblivious of what has happened below their own noses. Even the Goan organizers were least bothered to take care of the collapsed Goan journalist. None really bothered to take note of this calamity. For every one of them this was nothing because they believed in one Konkani proverb “Kunkodd Melem Funkot Gelem” because “Amkam Zai Fokot Nachonk”.
That particular journalist was a great lover of Goa and Goan causes and thru his press coverage many of our functions got publicity. And for such a man to ignore by the organizers and others is like a crime!! But we prefer such crimes because we love dancing and that too ballroom dancing because “Amkam Zai Fokot Nachonk”. Finally, with the initiative of one or two Bom Samaritans, our Goan journalist was rushed to the hospital but unfortunately for him, he was declared as dead on the way to the hospital itself. If the Goan oganisers of that function were quick enough to rush him to the hospital may be his life would have been saved. But no, because we are more interested in dancing than in saving the precious life of a Goan. And yet we call ourselves as advanced Goans. Advanced in what? In ballroom dancing? Those who are involved in organizing ballroom dancing are mostly idiotic minded Goans because in their minds there is nothing but ballroom dancing. For the good cause of Goa and Goans they don’t have power to think high. Most of them back at home are coming from hoi-polloi circle, rejected by the intellectually advanced society. In order to overcome this deficiency they involve in ballroom dancing thereby pshychologically elevating them to the westernized culture as if western culture is superior to our own great culture. They are very cheap people seeking cheap prominence.
December is the month for our people to organize more socials and more functions to mark the Christmas festivities. In last December in one of the Star Hotels, one Goan Association organized its Social comprising ballroom dancing. In order to make hay while shine shines, to make maximum profit for their show, the organisers sold entry tickets to any “altu-faltu” person including some Pakistanis and other non-Goans. Our ways are totally different from many of the other Indians and also from Pakistanis. Our ways are more open while theirs are more closed. When they see our girls dancing with men holding each other they feel our girls and females are cheap. Taking advantage of the liberal sale of tickets, these males with their closed door ways entered the ballroom and started taking advantage of our girls, some of them even started misbehaving with our females. There was fist fights also in the ballroom. Some of our females are also guilty for associating with such rowdy non-Goan young boys. Partly our females are responsible for bringing such animals in our midst for our functions because many of them are “Cheddio” and being such they like all vulgarity only.
Regarding the attitude of our “Cheddio”, some years back when Fr. Gabriel was conducting Night Vigil in the City Church, he noticed that many females not only spinsters but also married ladies used to come to the Church with the excuse of attending Night Vigil. Their husbands and fathers used to drop them for the Night Vigil near the Church at 8.00 p.m. and go home and return back to pick them up again on the next day early in the morning at 6.00 after finishing the Night Vigil. The modus operandi of these Catholic “Chedio” was like this: Once they are dropped by their husbands and male parents from their cars in front of the Church, then immediately their boyfriends mainly “katres” awaiting them near the Church only, pick them and take them to their flats and enjoy with them for the whole night. While these Catholic females enjoyed illicit sex with their “Katre” boyfriends, their husbands and parents at home thought their wives and daughters are attending the Night Vigil. No, they were not attending Night Vigil in the Church but they were attending illicit Sex Vigil somewhere else in the name of Night Vigil. When Fr. Gabriel came to know of this, he personally took interest in what was happening outside the Church. He alerted the concerned persons in the Church circle and saw to it that both the main gates of the Church are closed at 8.00 p.m. till 6.00 am on the following day. In between once you are inside the Church, you were not allowed to leave the Church. Not only this, he even covered the compound wall with curtains so that nobody could see who is inside and who is outside.
Coming back to the ballroom dancing in one of the star hotels in last December as indicated above, due to rowdism created by non-Goans there was chaos and total break down in the discipline in the ballroom leading to the hotel management to switch off the lights and stop the function temporarily. The hotel management became so angry that they have now decided never to allow Goan function to be held in their premises. They have dubbed Goans as cheap, vulgar and rowdies. They did not know who is behind this indiscipline but they know only one thing, that is, the Goan community has organized that function which created nothing but vulgarity, rowdism and indiscipline. Who is responsible for this? Are not our own Goan organizers? And yet they boast of the superiority of their “Chaddo” caste. Superiority in what way? In digging the graves of already buried Catholics in an unchristian manner and boasting over it in Kuwait? They are shameless Goans. They are not Chadde but worst than “Madde”. No, sorry, Madde are far superior but not these Chadde. They are a shame on Goans and Goan Catholicsm. Superiority in what way? In establishing independent Church in Goa under the late Fr. Alvito Vaz to promote their own brand of Catholicsm and boasting over it in Kuwait saying we belonged to that particular area in Goa? Superiority in what way? In facilitating doling of our females to non-Goans for the sake of making money? These are “Vollkott” Goans who bring the fair image of genuine Goans into disrepute. And all those who are keeping their silence on this type of happenings are equally guilty.
I admire all those decent Goans for boycotting such dirty and vulgar functions. Regretably, many times such functions are attended even by our religious leaders and religious “gurus” thereby sanctifying illicit happenings which give a booster for the organizers to go ahead in organizing un-Christian functions. Fr. Gabriel once gave a strong call for the Catholics to boycott such functions because as he rightly said then that such ballroom functions are the source of temptation for sin which we must avoid by all means. Unfortunately, we don’t have another Fr. Gabriel in our midst to protect our interest and that of our community for this reason vulgarity in the community is on the rampage. Fr. Gabriel’s call came when Goan Welfare Society organized Goa Day function created total chaos in the premises of Indian Arts Circle at Funaitees where vulgarity, drunkardness. rowdism and indiscipline disgraced not only the good image of Goan community but also of their religion. For this reason, many people with discipline, character and decency do not patronize Goa Day Function organized by GWS. Mostly third class Goans patronize such functions and who they are one can easily notice. The main person who was responsible for organizing that function at Funaitees is the one who demanded sexual favour from the girls for providing jobs to them. Along with 2 others, he is also involved in duping Goans of KD 30 thousand dinars of their association and yet he is moving in society without any shame because those who support and associate with him are equally shamelessl Goans. His photo has already appeared in the press and cyberspace recently along with “Navelimchem Robonn” during the soccer match. Young ladies should be very careful of this man. So also the parents of young girls.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
