G'BYE GOA:GOAN EMIGRATION-4. By Valmiki Faleiro.

G’bye Goa: Goan Emigration-4
By Valmiki Faleiro

Most Goan émigrés in Portuguese and British Africa never returned. They either
stayed on, or moved to Portugal, UK and the rest of the developed world. With
families raised and settled in that milieu, why would émigré-parents return to Goa?
They’re part of Goa’s permanent emigrants.

Then there's another major chunk of Goan expats: Gulf Goans. Like seamen, they
emigrated for work, but are rooted to Goa. Not by choice perhaps, because Arabs do
not grant citizenship to foreigners. Some Gulf Goans, sure, resettled in the west.

The story of Gulf Goans, again, traces back to the British and their 1799-1813
occupation of Goa, which ushered the modern wave of emigration by Goans.

The Persian/Arabian Gulf began to open up when the British placed a garrison in
Aden in the early 1800s. After Napoleon conquered Egypt, Aden became strategic to
protect British interests in India. When steamships were invented and a coalbunker
station was needed on the Britain-India sea-route in the Red Sea area, the British
promptly captured Aden in 1839 and made it the “Coal-hole of the East.”

(They punctured many other holes in the region, and I’m not only on oil wells.
Remember the 1922 Palestine Mandate and creation of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.)

Oil interests of the West blossomed into new job opportunities for Goa. The “Gulf
Fever” infected Goa in the 1960s. It never really subsided. By the 1970s, Kuwait and
UAE alone absorbed 50,000 Goans. In 1987, Gulf Goans counted 1,50,000 plus.

When the Gulf Fever was in full bloom late last century, most Goan villages in the
Old Conquest talukas, particularly Salcete, would have their working population
depleted by anywhere between 15 to 50 percent. The Gulf is the single biggest
destination of Goan emigrants (56%, leading far ahead of Europe with 13%, South-
SE Asia 11%, North America 10% and seamen 7%.)

No official statistics on modern Goan out-migration/emigration was ever compiled.
Perhaps for the obvious reason: migration out of the land was a shameful reflection
of the competence of Goa’s successive governments since 1963 to create adequate
and rewarding local job opportunities.

Credit for conducting the first ever post-1961 survey on Goan emigration goes to the
NRI Commissioner, Eduardo Faleiro, once my college lecturer in law, a distinguished
parliamentarian and a man of foresight. At his instance, Thiruvananthapuram-based
Centre for Development Studies (CDS) undertook the job. (CDS is a Government of
India body, established by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.)

CDS conducted a representative survey of 6,000 households across Goa, selected
under the Stratified Multistage Random Sampling method. The report threw up some
interesting, if not unexpected, results.

Let’s look at a few highlights today. And a bit more in detail next Sunday. Here are
some of the findings of the study.

Salcete accounts for one-half of Goan emigration. Together with Bardez and Tiswadi,
the Old Conquest talukas add up to 81% of Goan emigration. Three-fourth (75%) of it
is Catholic. In contrast, Goan Hindus (66% of the population) account for only 20%
emigration. (“Emigration rate is 42 per 100 households among Catholics, but only 5%
among Hindus.”) However, when we count out-migrants (émigrés out of Goa but
within India), Goan Hindus account for 71% as against a mere 24% Catholics.

Seventeen percent households have two family members abroad, 20% have more
than two members. This figure goes up to as many as five family members abroad
from a single household!

Goans are spread over 43 countries of the world, as per the study’s statistical sample
(though the report adds, “they are found the world over and it would be difficult to
name a country without a Goan community … the general understanding among
scholars in Goa.”)

The survey, however, covered only Goan émigrés in the Gulf region, Europe, South
and South East Asia, North America and aboard ships, not the ones settled in
regions like South America, Australia and New Zealand. Remember these figures
pertain only to émigrés who still have family back home. Since ancient times and yet
to this day, entire Goan families moved away, leaving no one behind to report their
emigration. (ENDS)======================================================== The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of August 9, 2009

NEW VCD “CALANGUTE” BY JERRY CAL

“CALANGUTE” - NEW VCD BY JERRY CAL

The recently released Konkani Album in the form of Audio VCD reached to my hand for review. Dedicated to his late loving mother Carmelina Fernandes from Phorba Vaddo, Calangute who herself was a great lover of Konkani songs and Tiatros, this Album was produced by Jerry Fernandes from Calangute, popularly known as Jerry Cal working in Abu Dhabi since a long time now. This Album comprising 12 songs was released in Abu Dhabi last month in an especially organized function there attended by among others Rosary Ferns and his wife Cassilda. Musical score for this Album was beautifully provided by Maestro Josinho and all the songs were composed by Jerry Cal except one in the form of a Mando by Rosary Ferns. It is marketed thru Music House, Mapusa and recorded at Magic Touch Studio, Margao. According to the information, Kuwait based songster and renowned Tiatrist Rosary Ferns gave a strong helping hand to Jerry Cal to produce this Album. Besides, Pascoal de Calangute and Mathias Mascharenhas too assisted Jerry Cal in his endeavours to finalise the enormous task of producing this wonderful Album “CALANGUTE” in a short period of one week.

All the top Konkani artistes and singers lent their beautiful voices for this Album, namely Rosary Ferns, Rita Rose, Jessy Dias, Lawry Travasso, Bab Andrew, Pascoal de Calangute, Mathias Mascharenhas and Jerry Cal himself who is known to be a very good singer and composer. The introductory announcement “Funfare” in her sweet voice with perfect clarity was lent by Jerry Cal’s wife Theresa Fernandes. Jerry Cal has been acting in Tiatros and singing songs especially solos since his schooling days at Arpora. Because of his likeable songs, even the then Principal of Arpora School Fr. Mendonca patted Jerry Cal during one of the annual School Dramas staged at School Hall for public and for students too. During his long innings in the Gulf and also in the UK, Holland and Germany where he went for specialized studies and training, Jerry Cal served Konkani Mae thru his beautiful songs. He acted in many of the Tiatros of many of the top Tiatrists namely Remmie J. Colaco, M. Boyer, Prem Kumar, Rosary Ferns and others and that too not only in the Gulf but also in Goa and Bombay. He helped Fr. Rego of Calangute Dom Bosco School in organising Drama shows to raise funds for that school and acted in these shows along with once renowned singer Souza Giao.

Besides songs and Tiatros, Jerry was a very good sportsman during his schooling days at Arpora being Champion Table Tennis player, a long distance runner, a footballer and Cycle Racer including Cross Country Races in Cycle and in running.

From Abu Dhabi, he helped many of the Goan causes including Konkani and raising funds for Konkani Martyrs. He helped many Goans in getting employment there even getting them directly recruited from Goa. For Tiatro cause, he has done immensely well, for this reason many of the Goa based Tiatrists are grateful to him.

Regarding the new and his first Album ‘CALANGUTE” comprising 12 songs, the title song rendered by Jerry Cal is worth listening for the genuine Calangutkars. It gives history of great Calangutkars and what their contribution for the cause, name and fame of Calangute. I hope “Congottkar” will awaken now by listening to this song. The other solo of Jerry Cal which gives strong impetus to this Album is “Address” in which the singer advises us of the importance of carrying our addresses in our pockets for any eventualities. It is very interesting and beautifully rendered by Jerry Cal. Pascoal de Calangute in his beautifully rendered solo on “Divorce” advises us not to fall prey to Divorce by citing ill effects of it. Thru this solo Pascoal de Calangute shows his caliber of singing songs with excellent clarity. Another solo which deserves highest compliments is of Rosary Ferns’ “Bhau Bhau”. It is so beautifully rendered by Rosary with his mellifluent and attractive voice. Another song of Rosary Ferns “Noxiban Nirmunkna” has got all the attributes of a Mando and it is very romantic and as such worth listening. Bab Andrew renders two solos, one “Rinn” and the other “Gulfantlo Dadlo” both are interesting. So also of Lawry Travasso’s “Maincho Mog”. Rosary Ferns renders a duet with Jessie Dias and Jerry Cal with Rita Rose. She also renders a solo “Xevott Bhurgeancho” which depicted the miserable end of our children when they are patted too much and Mathias Mascharenhas sings a solo “Bheos Tornatteancho”.

In Kuwait, this Album from today Friday 7th August went into distribution while in UAE and Goa its sale has already been started a month back.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

NOMAN TUKAM PROF. OLIVINHO GOMES.

NOMAN TUKAM KONKNNI MOGUIA.

PROF. OLIVINHO GOMES.

Khup dukh zali aikon khobor Prof. Olivinho Gomes auchituch somplo mhonn. Tachea mornan Konknni chollvollik ek khup vhod burak poddlo ani to burak konnachean tori bhorunk zait sompeponin? To Romivadi toxoch Nagrivadi pun torui astana zaite Nagrivadi tachi niddukai kortalet hem aum khud zanna. To auchituch somplolean tache nidduki aslet te khuxi zatelet heim aum zanna. Pun torui astana mojean ekuch sangonk zata ki moron zossem tukam toxench makaim bhi assa. Moronn konnakuch amkam chukona, aiz makam tor faleam tukam.

To Kristi samazantlo zalolean kaim Nagrivadi Hinduank to Konknni mollar naka also pun Prof. Olivinho Gomes ek unch xinkop aslolo munis zalolean tachexim tache virodhi sarke nanch zatalet. To Kristi samazachi ek boddai zaun also. Moji ani tachi ixttagoth khup vorsanchi, sumar 25 vorsam zatelint. To moji sodanch vakanni kortalo Konknni molar aum nettan vavr kortam mhonn Gulfak ravon. Kuwait Konknni Kendracho vavr to sodanch vakandtalo. Majorda ghanva voir tachem pustok xaptoch tannem amkam Kuwaitak khup “copies” daddloleot teo ami ani amchea sangateanim vhodde khoxen khopoiloleot. Fattim aum Goyam suttien astana tachi ani moji bhett Ponje zaloli, tachim don-tin pustokam anvem viKtim ghetlolim, tim makam diunk zai mhonn to khud Ponje eun makam bhettlolo. Kaim vorsam fattim tanne makam aplea Dona Paula aslolea “Flattan” khud amontron diun velolo ani tea dissa sumar 4 voram ami tanger aslet zuim Konknni molar kitem kat zata ani kitem kat zaunk zai tache voir bhasabas keloli. Konknni molar tachem guinean ani zannvai khup unch asli.

Prof. Olivinho Gomes ek unch guineani munis torui to ekdom khalto kosso vagtalo. Makam khup mhanan lektalo. Tachem ulop ekdom “dilikad” and to kednanch tikxe naslo. Anvem taka kaim pavtt Ponje TB Cunha Vosreant bhasabas kortana dhekla zannvaen uloitana. Tachea utrak ekdom mhan also. Tacho mojer ek pavtt xinn also aum Nagrivadeank chodd laguim assa mhonn zorui te Nagrivadi amcher Romivadeancher hadd vavurtat ani ami Romivadeani kelole vavracho foll apun vortat mhonn. Anvem tachem mandun ghetlem. Nagrivadeani amkam Romivadeank Nagoilet ani amchem nagoun te khuxeal zaleat.

Moje sarkilleancheam ani mojea sangateanchea navan tachea mornavoir aum mojem dukh porgottaitam and tachea othmeank sassnachem sukh anvddetam. He porim ek – ek khoddegantt Konknni mogui moron Konknnichem ani chodd korun Romi Konkanichem boll denvot veta tem chintrun kallzak dukh bhogta. Prof. Olivinho Gomes hachi aiz amkam chodd goroz asli ani nhoi team Nagri choranchi zanni amchem chorlam ani apun mouza martat Konknnichea fustar.

Ze bhaxen Prof. Olivinho Gomes Konknni molar vavurlo ani ze bhasek lagon tanne ed’do vhod teag kelo tech bhaxen ho lekh boroun aum taka mozo noman korta.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.