WHERE ARE OUR MOTETS GONE?

Gone are  those great days when many of our elders working abroad used to return home in Goa during the Lent season only to listen to the great songs “Motets” which were very popular in Goa and mandatory to sing in our Churches during the Lent period.  Though it was popular in Goa but not everywhere in Roman Catholicsm. 

Motets are the very sorrowful songs of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and they were scripted and sung in Latin, however, in mid sixties they were translated in Konkani in Goa.  The original Motets scripted in Latin with the very sorrowful tune were very pleasing to the ears, I noticed earlier some of the passionate listeners and admirers of Motets by just listening to the tune only and not understanding the meaning of same because they were in Latin, they used to cry and actually tears were rolling down their cheeks. It is sung in voices with the accompaniment of the musical instruments such as Double bass, Violin, Clarinet and Trumpet. Its genuine beauty was lost when its originality was mutilated in the translation process.

Motets are the great heritage and asset of the Goan Catholicism but unfortunately it seems it is dying now which should be prevented by all means by the Church authorities in Goa. During my younger days where I did my first schooling in the Parochial school in our village, our Church Mistiri by virtue of being a Mistiri he had vast knowledge of “Solfas” written on 5 lines and the Motets are recorded in this form of Solfas.  Our current local boys and girls who are acting like Church Mistiris by playing Organ and Guitar in the Church are having totally zero knowledge of Solfas and thus they are unable to promote neither Motets nor other rich  devotional songs which used to reverberate  all the four walls of our Churches.

Once during my vacation in Goa, I wrote one article on Motets and its copy I gave to one lady who was acting like a Church Mistiri in our Church.  When she read the name “MOTET”, she immediately asked me “ Who is this Motet?”  Unfortunately our Church music and devotional songs are gone into the hands of these Motes only.  In such a situation how we can develop?  When Altu-Faltu person takes the charge of our devotional songs in the Church, there becomes mockery of these great songs.

Much of our diamond wealth in the form of devotional songs including Motets remained hidden in the Church armory in the absence of properly qualified person in the form of Mistiri.  In our Churches there is no qualified Solfist Mistiri who must be hired or employed like earlier days by paying them salaries.  The fund for their salaries can be easily acquired as it is done now for so many other causes. The quality of the gold is known only to the Goldsmith and hence the quality, beauty and greatness of Motets are known only to the qualified Solfist Mistiri and not to any Altu – Faltu Pe. Vigar and because it is so, most of the Pe. Vigars have left the Motets  dying a slow death.

In mid sixties, J.P. Souzalin the renowned Tiatrist from Bombay came to Goa with his Tiatro “Saibinnicheo Sat Dukhi” during the Lent season.  The then great musician from Siolim Maestro Joaozinho D’souza who was also the Band Leader of his Band “Johnson and his jolly boys” which was the best in Goa then, he came to see this Tiatro of Souzalin twice and when I asked him the reason, he said even after listening to the Music of one Motet in one of the scenes, he was not satisfied.

During Portuguese time in Goa, Emmisora de Goa recorded best of Motets including from our Church Choir  in 1958 where I was one of the participants and one of the most sorrowful Motets we recorded was "Filius Filius est Jerusalem”. There should be an enquiry at All India Radio Panjim, to find out where is this wealth of Goa Church gone because most of the people who occupied the top post there after the exit of Portuguese from Goa were ignorant of Motets and other such materials and as such there is every possibility for them to destroy the same.   

A.Veronica Fernandes.

LAWRY TRAVASSO'S NEW TIATRO "POVITR FULAM"

On 9^th of this month, in Candolim at St. Thresa’s  High School compound, I saw the new Tiatro “POVITR FULAM” written and directed by the prominent Stage artiste and Melody King , Lawry Travasso. The Tiatro was attended by a very good number of attendees who came from all over Candolim and also from the ambient areas.  It was staged  in aid of  “Our Lady of Desterro Chapel” located at Saipem, Candolim.

The Tiatro was scheduled  to begin at 8.00 pm as indicated in the Ticket while elsewhere it was announced at 7.30 PM but it started finally at 8.20 pm.  The organisers must  first give one timing which should be proper one and then they must try to adhere to the given timing otherwise it becomes headache for the attendees to remain seated for long thereby wasting their precious time.

The name of Lawry Travasso is not only a simple name but it is a real name and fame and in Tiatro fraternity it is a ripple creating name.  He is not only an ordinary Stage artiste but he is also a great songster, composer of songs of diverse topics and above all a good script writer.  His entry on the Stage is always applauded by the audience who always expect something good from his solos, duets, duos, trios and quarters.  And that he is an ace writer & director one can easily make out from this Tiatro “Povitr Fulam” which was witnessed with rapt attention by the audience because of its beautiful story based on our Nuns who are doing great sacrificial job for the cause of humanity in general and old people in particular in the name of God. It comprised lot of sayings and proverbs which were very interesting since many of them I heard first time. 

The role of one of the Nuns played very appropriately by Rosy Alvares was excellent.  Antonette de Maina also played her role of another Nun well. Lawry Travasso played very beautifully the character role of an elderly man superbly. Others also played their roles well.

The comedy part was too noisy and was not too well.

In the Side Show songs, the best song among all was the political solo on Indo-Pak conflict rendered very beautifully by Francis de Tuem, it was very factual and nicely worded.

Well done Bab Lawry Travasso  and his troupe.

A.Veronica Fernandes.   

THE LATE DAYANAND BANDODCAR RUINED GOA.

The late Dayananda Bandocar

Personally I have nothing against him but as a political leader he deserves nothing but curses from the genuine Goans for destroying Goa and using his power to degrade Christians in Goa that does not belong to his ancestry. Reading elsewhere I came to know that today is his birthday.  I think if he was not born only it would have been nice. What good did he do for our golden Goa soon after the invasion of Goa by the vastly militarily powerful India?  When Goa was under the Portuguese rule, he enjoyed all the benefits for himself of developing into a successful businessman in Mining.  Just because he was a Hindu, Portuguese rule in Goa never debarred him from gaining previlleges in doing business.  Because of this previllege he should have been grateful to Portuguese rule but on the contrary he had dislike for them.  It is these Bandodkars, Salgaocars, Chowgules, Shantilals, Dempos, Caculos, Naiks and many such Hindus grabbed the business opportunities  from Portuguese Pakles, some of them even by doing illicit acts. 

Christians never acquired those fatty and lucrative previlleges from the Portuguese rule in Goa.  And on top of it, some of the bloody rascals  are saying on the top of their voices that Goan Christians enjoyed better facilities from the Portuguese rule in Goa further adding that that they were very good chamchas of Portuguese.  If they were so then the Christians in Goa would have captured all the business facilities for them only but it never happened that way.  The Commerce and Industy mainly the major one, mining was into the hands of Hindus. The Non-Brahmin Christians comprising major part of Christians in their community in Goa, especially those coming from “Koixtty”  Christian community such as “Xetkar, Zotkar, Nistekar, Paddekar, Mottorcar, Dukonkar, Posorkar, Sorekar etc. never received any benefit from the Portuguese, they came up in life mainly by going abroad in Africa – both Portuguese and British, Gulf, Bombay, Karachi, Tarvar and elsewhere.  These Goans made lot of sacrifices by working in far places by keeping their families in Goa.  They suffered so much of physical and mental trauma. Their self-sacrifices made them develop themselves and their families. And for their development nobody in Goa should take credit. 

  

Portuguez had to leave from Goa because my beloved Goa is not the fathers’ property of Portuguez “serkar”.  If I had to be a little bigger then, I would deffinetely involve myself in the freedom movement of my own but would never associate with the prevailing one then consisting some of the rogues, criminals, communalists and crooks.  Even if I had to suffer torturing and imprisonment from the Portuguese “serkar” I would accept it but never I would accept nor demand like a shameless pimp any favour from the government of Goa nor Central government, for taking active part in the Goa's liberation movement. I would declare openly and loudly that my sacrifices are so great, so great that they cannot be remunerated with the financial pension nor compensated with the awards and certificates which means nothing other than a piece of paper.  In this way I would keep the value of my sacrifices for the cause of my beloved Goa uncompensated and unremunerated, above all.

The name of Dayananda Bandodcar was not new to me as I already heard his name during the Portuguese rule in Goa as one of our locals Rahul, the son – in – law of Candolim, rented his Hino Truck with the Driver Pequenino by name from our village only.  Monthly once Bandodcar was paying Rahul his Truck charges as per the trips.  But every month when Pequenino was going to collect the money for the service provided by the Truck of Rahul, Bandodcar was delaying thereby putting Rahul into inconvenience.  Then from Rahul and Pequenino I came to know that Bandodcar was a “kettist”. Knowing Rahul was not rich man yet Bandodcar was harassing him to pay his money and yet this  man later on became lover of poor people.

His involvement suddenly in politics on behalf of Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party was such a rude shock for us especially for genuine Goans in general and for Goan Christians in particular that he like drugged man by Maharastra started working against us and our interest.  He projected himself as the patron of Bahuzan Samaz the poor in Goa and these people he found only among Hindus, among Christians he never found Bahuzan Samaz people.  Thus he created a wedge between Christians and Hindus in Goa, both the dominant communities. He and his Party started treating Christians as rejected people. No doubt Christians started feeling the discriminatory attitude of MGP but surely he gave a sense of identity to the Hindu Bahuzan Samaz. The high profile administration of Goa started going into the hands of these hoi-polloi new administrators thereby “Bozekar” became top persons in Goa.

At the fag end of his rule he became so powerful like a dictator that he and his Partymen could do anything.  If it was not for his sudden death, Christians would not have a place in Goa to live peacefully with dignity.  As it was, many Christians already started accepting the fact that they are non-entities in Goa.

In his death his Chamchas suffered and they got lost in Goa dawning peaceful, dignified and respectable life for Christians for whom he and his party treated as second class Citizens while his community members as full fledged Indians. In his death the greatest enemy of Goa and Goans gone into extinction.  Because of him his party came to power and did all nonsense in Goa.  It was our misfortune that he got the power to rule Goa after the exit of Portuguez otherwise the Opposition in power would rule Goa with perfection to the satisfaction of all because they were all true Goans with high caliber.

The "Mundkar Kaido" he introduced was not for the love of Mundkars but more for the hatred he had for the Christians Bhattkars many among whom deserve more punishment.  This was the only good measure he took during his "Rajvoddki".        

A.Veronica Fernandes.