HARD CORE GOAN COMMUNALISTS ANTI-DR.JACK SEQUEIRA

This is in response to the news item in the local daily Herald on 23.01.19,  “Is Dr. Jack Sequeira  discriminated because of his religion?” Yes, I feel so.  On 19.12.61 constitutionally Secularism was born in Goa but practically communalism came forcefully in which both the major communities indulged in, one openly with more ferocity while the other silently being at receiving end having no other choice.

On 17.12.61 in the evening one Mr. Esso  from Orda Candolim when came to know Indian Millitary  is already entered Goa, near the Candolim Church he jumped in the air shouting loudly and running home saying, “atam amchem raj zatelem, tumkam ami kitem tem dakoitele etc” that means now it will be Esso's community that will rule Goa and then we will show you - meaning my community, what we can do to you.  While on the next day one Goldsmith near Candolim Tinto asked the Catholics mockingly “where is your Forsulo gone now while his relative asked where is your Antulo now?” For St. Francis Xavier he made an ordinary  Forsulo while for St. Anton he made Antulo without any due respect to both these Saints.  Gradually, the big family of that Goldsmith disappeared from this earth like ether while the Goldsmith died a miserable death. There is no family member even to stay in his house, so much so, even cats and rats too deserted that house.

The one who was mocking at St. Anton by saying Antulo was shamelessly going to Siolim Church every Tuesday to pray and ask from St. Anton, what? forgiveness? I don’t know but one of his close relatives was found selling “Kaddio – Boddio” during the Novenas for the feast of St. Francis Xavier at Old Goa.  These traitors want St. Francis and St. Anton to make money by selling Kaddio-Boddio otherwise these Saints are mocked at. But they forget that the power of God is more powerful than everything else on this planet.

 

The MGP was born mainly out of revenge against Christians and to diminish their influence in Goa by marginalizing them. When they came to power in the first election even government jobs mainly on important places were clandestinely denied to Christians. In Portuguese School in my village some non-Christian colleagues of mine started looking at us as if we are second class citizens because of our religion. This impression was inculcated in their young and raw minds by their elders at their home places. Those who were very close to us during the Portuguese regime from the majority community suddenly remained far from us as if we were Jews in Naziland. Externally everybody claimed to be a secular but internally a big NO. 

To cite one more justification to my  answer, the denial of Chief Ministership to Francis D’Souza (Mapusa MLA) is a concrete proof of how BJP practiced religious discrimination.

Though  there were many Hindus who worked  hard to win the Opinion Poll for Goans yet Dr. Sequeira was the tallest among all of them in all respects making him the “de facto” leader. In fact there was not a single leader among the Hindus at that time with the stature of Dr. Jack Sequeira.  As a matter of fact all the Hindu leaders who helped the victory of Opinion Poll were “kichddi” leaders, they were just regional and parochial having no acceptance all over Goa but Dr. Jack Sequeira was accepted as the leader by all over Goa, if not then at least by more than all others.

Those who try vociferously to deny major credit to Dr. Jack Sequeira for the victory of Opinion Poll, from the language and the tone of their language, it looks that they are not against Dr. Jack Sequeira but they are against the religion of Dr. Jack Sequeira.  These people are very good in vomiting their anger without any shame, not only on Dr. Jack Sequeira and his religion now only but it started in December, on 19^th, in 1961.  Their ambition is to liquidate the religious community of Dr. Jack Sequeira because they are jealous. Otherwise, they know within themselves that Dr. Jack Sequiera was the major architecht of the victory of Opinion Poll though officially he was not elected nor selected nor voted as the leader of anti-mergerists. But people knew that he had that charisma and qualities to become the leader of anti-mergerists and besides him no other person. For this reason overwhelming majority of Goans especially the antimergerists including those so called "kichddi" leaders who are now trying to belittle Dr.Jack Sequiera's importance had given their allegiance to Dr. Jack Sequeira if not externally then at least internally. With communal mind set up they are roaring now like Tigers against Dr. Jack Sequeira but during the time of Opinion Poll they were like cockroaches in front of Dr. Sequeira.

 When the Opinion Poll result was known, a huge crowd of anti-mergerists gathered at Dr. Sequeira's place and more were coming to congratulate him. Then and there only they accepted and agreed to declare that Dr. Jack Sequeira was the FATHER OF OPINION POLL and at that moment only they took a procession around Panjim with Dr. Sequeira leading the procession. Some of the fake Lions who are now raising their voices against Dr. Sequeira's contribution were also a part of this procession. 

Finally, let me make a firm statement thru this forum in this article that "THESE ANTI DR. JACK SEQUEIRA CAMPAIGNERS WILL NEVER GIVE US PEACE OF MIND. THIS IS NOT AN END BUT MANY SUCH CAMPAIGNS WILL COME UP AND WE SHOULD BE BOLDLY AND TRUTHFULLY FACE AND COUNTER THEM".

A.Veronica Fernandes.

NEW TIATRO "TANNE MHAKA OBHIXEK((annoited) KELO" BY VALENCY D'SOUZA.

WELL  SCRIPTED TIATRO BY A YOUNG GIRL VALENCY D'SOUZA FROM CALANGUTE AND VERY WELL DIRECTED BY MICHAEL JUDE GRACIAS, WITH ALL THE SIDE SHOW SONGS AND CANTOS TOO(COMPOSED)  BY HIM ONLY

Script writer Valency sings her solo

On Monday, 28^th of this month, almost at 8.30 PM instead of at 7.30 PM as officially announced, I saw the first and the inaugural Show of the new Tiatro “TANNEM MHAKA OBHIXEK KELA”.  It was written by the young and energetic girl, the Stage artiste Valency D’Souza from Calangute known all around the globe for its beautiful Beach with silvery sand and directed by Michael Jude Gracias who is the well – known writer/journalist, editor, actor, playwright and a renowned Tiatrist.  He also is the composer of all the Side Show Songs including the “Cantos”. It was staged in the Church Compound at Santa Cruz (Kalafura) and attended by a very good number of attendees.

Seen on front raw with the audience areTiATRISTS Josephine and Martha

Seen on the Stage from left: Prince Jacob - Fr. Raymond Godinho - local Pe. Vigar Fr. Alexandre Pereira - writer of the drama Valency D'souza & Direcotr of the Tiatro Michael Jude Gracias.

This Tiatro is a spiritual presentation based on the pastoral letter 2018-19 of Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao. The special attendee for this Tiatro was the director of Diocesan Catechetical Center – Old Goa, Fr. Raymond Godinho.  Fr. Alexandre Pereira the local Pe. Vigar also attended this Show. Since the story is based on Biblical teachings and we are almost in the Lent season, people must not miss the opportunity to see this spiritual enactment where some of the biblical quotations are beautifully enacted.

                                        Seen in this scene are Jacinto - Diana & Meena      
              

Seen above in yet another scene are M.Jude Gracias & Prince Jacob

The story revolves around one Call Girl whose indulgence in this trade is so deep because of the lust for money showered on her by her Pimp Boss whose role excellently performed by Jose while that of the Call Girl by the script writer Venesly D’Souza. Finally due to the efforts of  one Cathechist whose role beautifully played by Michael Jude Gracias and one priest whose role was most appropriately and of course wonderfully played by Prince Jabob, she surrenders to the  command of God.

Seen above in yet another scene are Wenesley & Jose

Seen singing a duo by Lucian and Jose

The others who played their roles well were Jacinto as drunkard, veteran and seasoned artiste Diana, Meena and Fr. Eusico as Jesus Christ. Others too played their roles well to make this Tiatro a great success, thanks to the efforts of director not to leave a stone unturned to achieve this success.

Seen singing a duet by Meena & Francis Rebello

Seen above scene is Fr. Eusico doing the role of Jesus Christ.

Beautiful lady  Lourdes sings a beautiful song, a solo

The comedy role  was played well by young new comer Raymond whose comedy role was admirable,  He was at times well assisted by Diana, Meena and Jacinto.  On the horizon of comedy, one more comedian is born in Raymond who dished out decent comedy without any vulgarity.

Jude Gracias & Fr. Eusico sings  a duo. 

                                          Singing a duet by Lourdes and Fr. Eusico 

The Side Show consists maninly on songs related to morality and spiritualism without any “Zupatti” nor politics. Those who excelled in this segement were Lourdes, Valency, Jude, Fr. Eusico, Luciano, Francis Rebello, Meena and others.

Seen in one of the scenes are Valency & Prince Jacob

Seen above in one more scene are comedian  Raymond

Musical score was well provided by Saby Moraes and his troupe.

A.Veronica Fernandes

THE WELL-KNOWN GOAN MUSICIAN PETER RODRIGUES.

THE RENOWNED GOAN MUSICIAN PETER RODRIGUES FROM CANDOLIM.

Seen above is Peter Rodrigues with his Saxophone

The village Candolim was known to produce some of the finest musicians in Goa, they learnt this skill of playing music from the Parochial (Church) school starting from the Church Choir Master Agostinho D’Souza who was the Professor of my father, Alexinho de Candolim, Dioginho Vaz, Gonsales Bostiao and many more of that era.  In one of his songs in praise of his Professor Agostinho D’Souza, his renowned student Alexinho de Candolim sings thus:

Konnuch volkonastana aschenant bhavani hangasor

Agostinho de Souza Candolim igorjecho Professor

Mistirpon tanne choloilem vorsam Cheallis bhor

Bharkaen tachem jivit ami niallun pollet tor

Bharikuch aslo khoro pun xinkop tachem chodd vhodd

Tachea hathan kitle xinkon zalet Band Mastor

Kantorist sadoitat Stage ani Igorzanche Kor

Derrepent melo babddo Saiba Sorg taka favo khor.

That was the great eulogy the great Tiatrist Alexinho de Candolim made of his Teacher. The words are so measured and so appropriate that I, doubt any other Tiatrist could compose such a beautiful song. That was the greatness of Alexinho de Candolim on whom the great educationist of Goa and also the great Principal of St. Joseph’s High School Arpora, Fr. Philiph Neri Mendonca passed a remark thus: “Oh my goodness ! What Alexinho de Candolim !!  If this man had a little more educational background he would be a genius”.

Peter is seen above playing his Saxophone

Overwhelming majority of Candolim Musicians were the products of local Parochial School which was closed somewhere in mid Sixties and thus came the end of producing Solfist Musicians from Candolim Church School and thus losing the earlier beauty and grandeur the Church Choir had under the Choir Masters.  Now there is no Church Mestiri to teach how to sing in the Church nor to teach Solfas thus among Candoikars producing NO SOLFIST MUSICIANS.  Some of the beautiful musical works of the Church recorded with Solfas are no more in existence now for our current and future generations.  This is how the beautiful Motets are gone into extinction from our Churches. I hope our Church authority at Altinho, Panjim will do something to revive the old system in our local Churches.   This should be done with the employment of  a Mistiri for every Church in Goa and with the help of his knowledge of Solfas he will surely give a bright look for our Church Choir.  Money should not be a problem, every Sunday every village Church is collecting so many thousands of rupees from where a portion can be allocated as salary for the Mistiri.

The last topmost Solfist Musician Trumpeter of Candolim was the late Andre Cursino a powerful member of the “Merry Makers” Band while the late Maestro  Isidore the father of Tiatrist Young Menezes rattled Goa with his top efficiency in playing music on Solfas.  His favourite instrument was Doublebass.

Peter is seen at extreme left

However, in Candolim now the lone top solfist musician who carry forward the tradition of Candoicars as the best musician is none other than Peter Rodrigues from Pintos Vaddo, who by being a member of Chris Perry’s troupe playing the important instrument Saxophone for the Musical Show (Tiatro) “Nouro Mhozo Devchar” written, composed and directed by Chris Perry, created a strong impact of his musical prowess when Chris Perry with Lorna and others staged the said Tiatro in Bombay and in Goa in April, 1971. Our Candoicar musician was the strong member of Chris’ troupe playing with Chris the most important instrument Saxophone. However, much before this Tiatro, Peter Rodrigues was already a member of Chris Perry’s Band playing at various occasions at various places in Bombay.

Peter Rodrigues learnt to play music at an early age under the guidance of his musician father who was during those days one of the best musicians in Bombay.  Peter Rodrigues attained the perfection in playing Violin at the age of 10 in Bombay where he  developed his musical skill under his father who took lot of care to train his son appropriately well. Some of the members in the family of Peter Rodrigues were very good musicians including his father the late Joaquim Luis Rodrigues who got great distinction of playing in the Orchestra of Zubin Mehta and in Bollywood Films. Being a humble man, his father never aspired for self glory and pompousness of his profession. Being a strict disciplinarian, his father never touched the Drinks but unlike many in the profession remained Teetotaler throughout his life.

 

                                          Peter is seen playing Saxophone for IFFI in 2009

Though music was his first love yet Peter took it as a hobby  and never survived on music to earn his daily bread.  This daily bread he earned thru his permanent job elsewhere as a professional in Bombay.  After a few years in Bombay he was recruited to Bahrain  and returned to Bombay in 1975 and till 1976 continued playing with various groups in Bombay. Later he  left Bombay on 20^th Nov. 1976 with Chris’ Band for Jumairah Hotel, Dubai. He came to Goa for good in 1977.  In Goa he never remained idle but joined  groups that played for Hotels – Resorts – 5 Star Hotels including the Taj at Sinquerim and earned laurels for him.  In 2015 he started training the youngsters in music with Solfas and thus he trained so many students who with their knowledge of playing music with Solfas are happy.  This knowledge of music with Solfas is like the knowledge of international language which  can be used anywhere in the world.  Where Esperanto failed – the language of Solfas succeeded.

Having considerable knowledge of three instruments, namely Saxophone – Violin – Organ he still maintains the mastery over Saxophone which according to him fetched him monetarily as well as social gains. 

When questioned him, why we Goans now mainly the Catholics and especially the Candoicars inspite of having a great tradition of music are become orphans and so poor in this field, replied he “because our current generation is not ready to take pains to do the hard work and learn Solfas. The present music trend is not Solfas but sequencing (including miming and noise).  Music without Solfas is like a man without eyes”.   

A.Veronica Fernandes.