ADEUS KUWAIT.
I don’t think anybody in Tiatro circle in Kuwait will not know this man whose photo is appeared here below. He is none other than the Tiatro lover and Tiatro promoter Saby whose real name is Sebastian Pereira. Born at Khobravaddo Calangute, Bardez, Goa at his mother’s house and brought up in Ponda at his father’s place, Saby was taken to Bombay by his parents when he was 11 years old. It was during the peak of hostility between Portuguez Government of Goa and Bharati Government of India in mid fifties that Saby was taken to Bombay. There was travel ban between Goa and Bombay, because of this Goans could not move legally from Bombay to Goa and Goa to Bombay. There was lot of hardships Goans had to undergo to travel to Bombay and from Bombay to Goa. Yet there were some agents from Indian side who were charging some hefty amount during those days to take Goans to Bombay or up to Vengurla after crossing the Goa border. It was illegal and if you are caught on the way by the concerned authorities, you could be imprisoned and harassed and even maltreated. Some of these Indian agents were so cruel that they were even leaving you on the half way itself to the mercy of Indian highwaymen, Indian thieves, criminals and even rapists because that was the culture of those Indians but not of Goans unless those days Goans were influenced by the harsh cultural attributes of Bharatis.
Saby’s parents finally got one Ghantti agent at Mapusa who took assistance of his colleague and agreed to take Saby and his parents up to Vengurla for Indian Rupees Three Hundred Only, it was a big amount during that time. From Calangute Saby’s parents left for Mapusa early in the morning and joined their Indian Hindu agents near the Mapusa Church. From here they walked the whole evening and whole night crossing the mountains and hills about which Saby knew nothing because he was too young to know these routes. While walking and crossing the hilly places, Saby said he was constantly praying to God to prevent any problems on the way. There was danger of wild beats also at night time. But by the grace of God nothing has happened though in similar case many of the Goans while going to Bombay in this way were devoured by the wild beasts and killed by the Indian criminals. Because of this “Vatt Bondi”introduced by Nehru’s Government, Goans have suffered a lot. Next morning at dawn they reached Vengurla and from here they boarded the Ship Santo Antonio and went to Bombay.
While in Bombay Saby was put to School at Anthony D’Silva, Dadar from where he was later on shifted to St. Michael Night School at Mahim. During day time he started apprenticeship to earn some money. It was here as a young boy and a great lover of Tiatro and a great fan of Tiatrists of yesteryears that he came in contact with great tiatrists of those days, namely C. Alvares, Souzalin, Saby Coutinho, Titta Pretto, Prem Kumar and others. While in close contact with them, he started serving them by way of selling their tickets, distributing their handbills and even preparing their posters. Like this he gained name and fame for him in tiatrist circle. All he was doing only for the love of Tiatros and tiatrists and not for money, He never asked money for this type of work he did.
He came to Kuwait in 1993 and immediately joined Bavaria company in Parts department and later on joined Al Mailem Tyres from where end of last month he was retired. Though he has great wish to prolong his stay in Kuwait but things are not in his hands. He mentioned his wish to many people to help him to prolong his stay but nothing is working in his favour.
In Kuwait he was introduced to Kuwait Tiatro Circle by Hilton Pinto from Assolna. Hilton is also a great lover and promoter of Tiatro. Most of the Tiatro organizers and directors made use of Saby’s services in Kuwait to distribute their handbills near the Church not only in Kuwait City but also in Ahmadi and on soccer grounds too. His services were abundantly used by most of the tiatrists especially the visiting ones to sell their Konkani Albums in the form of Cassettes, CD’s and DVD’s in the Tiatro halls. All these he did only for the love of Tiatro promotion and also for the love of tiatrists. Saby’s face is very much familiar in the tiatro halls and in tiatro circle. In his going very many Kuwait based and visiting tiatrists will miss his services and helping hand. It will be very difficult to get another Saby for the promotion of our Tiatros in Kuwait. Such Goans do not come again and again. They surface once in one’s lifetime because they don’t adore money. Those who promote Konkani cause thru the promotion of Tiatro without any monetary benefits are the real lovers of Konkani. We will miss Saby very much in Kuwait and when I say we, I also include myself in it.
I wish Saby all the best in Goa where he will settle down. Hilton Pinto according to my information has already arranged a job for him in Colva May God Bless You Saby and Thank you for helping us in the promotion of Konkani thru the medium of Tiatro in Kuwait.
Adeus Ixtta, Adeus Tukam.
Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
