SHIP S.S. SLAMAT
Goa since a long time now is known to be the land of Tarvotti. During those good old days Tarvotti were recruited to work on board the ship directly from Bombay, PNO was the most sought after shipping company by Goan Tarvotti to work. During those days to work on PNO owned ship means a great honour and even a girl would immediately show her preference for marriage with a boy working for PNO ship. Very rarely Goan Tarvotti held top posts there but majority of them in the Catering Line and other menial jobs.
Tarvotti during those days were the source information for many of the Goans who were ignorant of the World places and other world countries, their peoples, their customs and traditions since by virtue of being Tarvotti they were travelling all over the world thus gathering lot of information. During those days in my village lot of priests, Teachers and Tiatrists were collecting information of the world thru our Tarvotti. The renowned Tiatrist the late Alexinho de Candolim used to come running to our neighbour Tarvotti Poklo Titiv when he arrived from his “Tarvar Viaz”, to collect information of the world affairs. Alexinho de Candolim was hungry for knowledge like other Tiatrists of his era. Those Tiatrists of that great era were full of knowledge and full of wisdom. For this reason their Tiatros and songs are become immortal. Which Tiatrists from the current ones can replace Alexinho de Candolim, Minguel Rod, A.M.B. Rose, J.P. Souzalin, and many others?
Some Tarvotti were giving proper information while others nothing but lies and pure “Bonddolam”. For this reason legendary Tiatrist Minguel Rod in one of his songs criticizes Tarvotti very much. So much so, while singing this song in Bombay, some Tarvotti attending this Tiatro where Minguel Rod was singing this piercing “Zupatti” were felt so much humiliated that after finishing this song, all the humiliated Tarvotti rushed to assault Minguel Rod but by the grace of God Miguel Rod was saved by his Tiatrist colleagues. This song runs like this:
“TARVOTTEANCHEM AIKONK GHODDNA,
TANKAM THUIMSOR KONN BORIM MENDNA,
MEDTTA TIM FOKOT PAIMXIM MADDANCHIM SONDDNAM.
BORIM CHEDDVAM MUNNONA TANKAM ‘COME HERE SIT DOWN’,
TE TUMKAM SANGOT BABA VHODDLIM BONDDOLAM LAUN,
TE PONCH CHEDDVANCHI ETAT LIPISTIK KHAUN,
HEM SOGLEM TANCHEM POILAM ANVEM TARVOTTI ZAUN”.
Minguel Rod in his song criticized Tarvotti while another renowned Tiatrist of yesteryears known as Star of Aroxim highly appreciated Tarvotti's work and the sacrifices that they made of their precious lives during the last World War II. Few precious lines of this song summarize the greatness of this song and the greatness of the sacrifices of our Tarvotti “Bhau”. These few lines run as follows:
ASTOCH AGBOTT SOMDIRACHEA POTTAR KHEUTAT LAHRAM.
VORSAM MHOINE SORONANT FOKOT MEZTAT VORAM,
GHAUM GHORA SINTIMENT KADDTAT MAI PAI BAIL BHOIN ANI LAHN PORAM,
DEVACHE KURPEN SUKHI ASSAT TARVOTTEANCHIM GHORA.
During those days to work as Tarvotti was not a tension free job because of the storm in the sea leading to the sinking of the ships and also because of the wars due to which many of the ships were bombed or torpedoed by the enemies. It was during the Second World War, tension was very high in the Sea as Hitler’s Submarines were targeting the Ships of Allied nations. In one such tragic incident, the ship “S.S. SLAMAT” a Dutch Passenger Ship was taken over by the British to transport troops on 27th April 1941. This was an evacuation mission of British and New Zealand Troops from Greece. While in its mission in the sea this ship was attacked by the Hitler’s TG 77 Bomber sinking the ship S.S. Slamat with the loss of 193 Tarvotti while 700 Troops on board the S.S. Slamat were rescued by the allied destroyers HMS Diamond and HMS Wryneck. However, both these two were later on bombed and sunk by the Germans and most of the survivals from S.S. Slamat were killed while only 10 crew members survived among whom 6 were Goans.
The crew of S.S. Slamat consisted of mixed nationalities namely 74 Dutch, 24 Chinese, 10 Australians, 1 Norwegian and 84 Goans, all the Goans were the holders of Portuguese Passports. Tey were called as Goanese Portuguese.
On 27th of last month, the great S.S.Slamat commemoration was held in honour of the victims. For this commemoration abundant praises were showered on founder and Chairman of Royal Rotterdam Mr. Eduard Van Lierde. During the commemoration ceremony special mention was made of all the Goans who lost their lives and in particular for their sincerity and dedicated hard work. There is a hunt now from the concerned authorities to get some information of the families of these dead Goans. If anyone is aware and wants to know more on this subject, kindly contact on email “aggynelo@yahoo.com".
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
