amcho ekvott issue ii

Greetings and a warm welcome to our second issue of Amcho Ekvott to

commemorate World Goa Day 2015.

Amcho Ekvott team brings to you yet another issue of our novel online

publication. It is an ever changing time where people talk about the de-

mise of print, the rise of smart phones and tablets and the growth of

news through web and social media. Our Team pledges to bring you

informative and thought provoking content in each of our issues.

As you work your way through this our second issue of Amcho Ekvott,

you can look at one category at a time, or just peruse the articles on our

home page as to which ones to read first. Just as with a paper magazine,

you may want to sit and read the whole thing at once, or come back to

this issue several times to digest the articles more slowly.

Variety is a catchphrase, and we intend to explore by featuring people from different walks of life be it the field of writers, editors, journalists, religious scholars, artists, professors and educationalists, musi-cians , chefs or social workers.

We would like to thank all those who have actively contributed their recipes for our initiatives ‘The Goan Food’ & ‘Traditional Goan Sweets’ recipe e-book Look out for your free copy.

We, therefore encourage our members to actively participate by sending in their contribution be in the form of an article, poem, or pictorials

Viva Goa

Debbie Santamaria WGD General Secretary

INSID E THIS ISSUE:

Basilio Magno - Journalist & Song Writer 3

Remembering Emiliano 4

O’luv Rodriguez - GOA’s Pop Sensation 6

Cazar in Goa - Silviano Barboza 12

Events & Happenings 20 - 21

Amcho Ekvott A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 I S S U E 2

Ed

itor

s N

ote

P A G E 2

Tony Colaco - Overall Coordinator Goa Day Dear fellow Goans

The overwhelming positive response and feedback received from all corners of the world has inspired us – the Global

WGD Team to fast track our second edition of the Amcho Ekvott in a short space of time. I am hoping many of you

will join in and contribute a good story in our future newsletters. If your Association or group has already celebrated

WGD by now, please share your report with photos for greater world-wide publicity.

World GOA Day celebrations remind us of our proud Goan heritage - one that is worth celebrating now and preserving

for future generations of Goans.

Our Official WGD Facebook page serves as the main platform (Portal) for communicating, interacting, and, sharing eve-

rything Goan. Launched a few months ago, the Official WGD 2015 Facebook group has grown from strength to strength

with more and more people joining daily. The fact that we have grown to over 5000 members in 5 months tells us

something – that people love the concept of joining a Portal Facebook Group which covers all aspects of being a Goan,

that is, our music or musicians, our Konkani language, our mouth-watering Goan cuisine, beautiful sceneries of Goa, our

artefacts and matters of historical and heritage significance or just current affairs highlighting the good, the bad and

the ugly. Put simply, it is sharing and celebrating everything good of being a Goan. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our mem-

bers for sharing and cross posting items of interest, thus making the portal concept possible in a short space of time. Together, we can take the

Group members to grow to 100k in years to come.

I would also like to thank all our Goan celebrities who have shared their profiles and their contribution to good causes in their areas of interest

- be it Art, Music, Food, Konkani, charitable works or business. I thank you all for sharing your story and your passion as well as your contribu-

tion to the world and Goan causes. I can say with confidence that your story has and will inspire many of our younger generation of Goans to

emulate your achievements or to follow in your footsteps.

Many thanks to all the enthusiastic participants who are participating by sharing a recipe for the Traditional Goan Sweets recipe eBook project.

Recipes are a treasure trove of experience, history, and love all rolled into one and it's great to share this experience with others. Preserving

your recipes for future generations as well as your contemporaries, is a very worthy reason to write this Traditional Goan Sweets Cookbook. We

hope this will inspire many of you to try them out and celebrate with family and friends. I personally tried some food recipes posted on the

forum and surprised myself. Please avail a free copy of this classic e-book.

Our “Add a Friday Friend” initiative has been great. With your active engagement, this group will grow exponentially. Please take a minute each

Friday and add a friend or two to the group.

The Theme for WGD 2015 is “Goa a land united by beautiful villages”. What a way to ignite the passion at WGD celebrations. Goans like to be

recognised and are very attached to their villages in Goa and also love to associate something their village is famous for. I am calling upon

Goan artists to share their paintings that depict Goan village life so that this can be displayed at WGD celebrations. Let’s share our talents for

the benefit of many.

I would like to thank Debbie our General Secretary for working so tirelessly to bring you this newsletter.

Tony Colaco

WGD Overall Coordinator

A M C H O E K V O T T

Basilio Magno - (Journalist & Songwriter)

P A G E 3 I S S U E 2

Basilio Magno essentially a journalist but he is better known as a composer-lyricist. He started composing and publishing songs in English

in 1950 and was dubbed by critics in Bombay as "Irving Berlin of India". Among his many published songs are viva el rey, beloved Eng-

land's sweetheart, Friede Komm, O Rock de portugal, Polle Sndor ti, Folk-operetta, a day in Goa, 10 folk songs in English, audio and cas-

sette by basilio.

It was in the month of February 2007, I had read an article about Basilio Magno in the newspaper, and I was particularly interested in

two of his compositions "Proud to be a Goan" the anthem of the World Goa Day, which was composed at the request of the founder of

WGD which is celebrated annually on 20th of August, since the year 2000 and his prized song 'Friede Komn' dedicated to his holiness

Pope Benedict XVI, Its a ballad on Peace. I wrote to Basilio an email asking him for the songs. I had an instant reply from him and not

only that he sent me his compositions by post which included "Proud to be a Goan", "Meet me at Calangute", "Lets sing and pray for

Blessed Joseph Vaz", "A Hymn to Xavier" and many more of his musical pieces. He has been a good friend of mine fver the course of

time. He is son of the Goan soil - a "pakkha-goan". After his retirement in Germany, as a pensioner he is presently living in Spain along

with his wife Rosa Maria Lopes Gonsalez (Rossi). He Celebrated his 84th Birthday this year on 14-06-07. He was a special invitee to the

Convention of the "Goan Diaspora in Lisbon" where he was asked to make a presentation about his work and his understanding of Goan

Music and about all his new songs composed, including the World Goa Day anthem. He played his compositions the song that caught eve-

ryone's attention was "Come to Goa" - a mini story of Goa told in words and music, meant more for children, adapted to the old Goan

air. Proud to be a Goan and his latest production-flock-rhapsody "Ring Wedding Bells (a 10 minutes boy-girl duet) the other pieces of his

music played.

Basilio though in Spain his heart has always been in Goa and for Goans has also been writing a column "Konkani corner"

Store Greens and Herbs with a Damp Paper Towel

Don't you hate it when you open up the vegetable drawer and spot that

plastic produce bag at the bottom that's filled with green slime that

used to be herbs? You can extend the lifespan of washed herbs and

greens by several days by rolling them up in damp paper towels and

placing them in zipper-lock bags with the seals left slightly open.

The paper towels will even give you a built-in freshness indicator. At the

first hint of decay, you'll see darker spots of liquid forming on the paper

towels. This is a good sign that you should use up your herbs and greens

within a day or two.

For chopped or picked herbs, store them in a small deli container with a folded up damp paper towel on top of them

http://www.exoticgoa.co.in/

P A G E 4

Emiliano was regarded

an icon of a Goa

bygone, much like his

country cousin, Mario

de Miranda.

Remembering Emiliano


Emiliano da Cruz, the musician from Loutolim whose magical skills on the violin and

mandolin lit up many a Goan evening for decades, died at a private hospital in

Margao on Friday. He was 70. His demise, due to sequential organ failure, brought

down the curtains on a glittering, four decade-long career that saw him serenade

millions, including the world's high and mighty, at concerts in Goa, Mumbai and

around the world.

Emiliano was regarded an icon of a Goa bygone, much like his country cousin,

Mario de Miranda. Also like Miranda, Emiliano first gained prominence in Bombay. In

1968, the 23-year-old musician moved to the bustling metropolis. In his luggage was

a letter to the legendary musician Sebastian D'Souza, an arranger in the Hindi film

industry. The letter was sent by Dominic Pereira, Emiliano's mentor. Pereira had

watched Emiliano perform at a Mando festival six years earlier, in 1962, and had wanted the talented lad to make a name for h im-

self. But for Emiliano, Bombay was a new world. Having been educated in Portuguese, he couldn't speak English very well. But that

didn't deter him. While he played music by night, he read newspapers and the dictionary by day in an attempt to improve his English.

And like many Goan musicians before and after him, Emiliano hit his stride in Bombay. The rest is history. He performed at concerts

around the city. His band, the 'Gay Caballeros' (later just Caballeros), helped popularize Latin music in Bombay's thriving restaurant scene.

He would later play at the city's top hotels, covering the music of the Beatles and Cliff Richards at the Trattoria at Taj President, among

other venues that boasted high-end clientele. But Bombay couldn't contain him. His music would subsequently take him around the world.

London, Berlin, Singapore, Macau, Portugal, Maldives and Bahrain are just some of the places where he's enthralled audiences. Then, in

1980, he married Lilia, and the next year, their first son was born. They then relocated to Goa, where the family has lived ever since.

Many years later (2009-10), he would win the Goa State Cultural Award.

Two years after he settled in Goa, the Chogm meet was held in the state. It was then that Emiliano serenaded two of the world 's most

powerful women — British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her Indian counterpart, Indira Gandhi, in his home state. In the years

that followed, he played around Goa, most notably at the Taj; his collaboration with the hotel chain stretched over 35 years.

While he continued to mesmerize audiences with his dazzling skills, off stage, he continued the musician's 'circle of life'. He who was

mentored in his younger days now became a mentor to many. "We are what we are because of him," said musician couple Lulu and

Filipe Fortes. "His selfless virtue of sharing knowledge about music with youngsters helped build many careers." Jazz singer Chrystal Farrell

agreed. "Emiliano was full of encouragement," she said. "He would sit and listen to me sing in his breaks, and when I was on a break,

he would give me a lot of musical advice."

Even in the twilight of his life, as he battled illness, Emiliano never lost hope. "I met him a fortnight ago and he was talk ing about his

plans of some future stage shows," said veteran tiatrist and singer Anthony San. "Even through his illness, he still had the enthusiasm to

make magic through his music." Carlos Monteiro, Emiliano's fellow-musician and collaborator, said, "I had the pleasure of recording with

him for his last album 'Latin Romance' and it was an amazing experience. He was a kind-hearted soul who played some soulful solo

violin."

But it wasn't just music that won him the affection of his audiences. "He had a heart of gold and an infectious sense of humour. His zest

for life was enviable," said Margao-based cardiologist Dr Francisco Colaco. Fortes added, "He had a sense of humour peculiar to him. His

funny habits and absent-mindedness would crack us up." Irene Alvares Seixas, a crooner who performed with Emiliano in the 1970s, said,

"He was an excellent teacher and an inspiration to everyone who worked with him."

As the news of Emiliano's death spread on Friday, many musicians recalled their last moments with him. Orlando de Noronha, the accom-

plished Panaji-based multi-instrumentalist, recalled their final jam together. "Emiliano serenaded everybody, so I wanted to serenade him,"

he said. "I'd been trying to do so for years, but only this year did it happen, on his birthday." So, as the clock struck 12 on Emiliano's

last birthday, Noronha finished his own gig, and then, past midnight, got his son, Stefan, a few of his musician friends — Siddharth Cota

on guitar, Peregrino da Costa on violin and Kevin Mendes on accordion — and headed to the birthday boy's house.

And in the early hours of January 3, 2015, Noronha fulfilled his long-cherished dream. He serenaded Goa's most famous serenader. "By

then, he had stopped playing the violin," Noronha recalls. "At past 3am, I requested Emiliano himself to jam with us, and he did," He

said the look on his face was one of immense gratitude. "It was probably the last time he played his violin," Noronha trails off.

Emiliano's violin may now have fallen silent, but he's left behind a successor to his legacy — his son Zubin, a talented musician himself.

called his father "the spark that inspired him to take up music". He said that till the last day, Emiliano encouraged him with his music,

and his career. "He was a terrific musician," RIP Emiliano. - Source TOI

Meet Our Rising Stars


O’luv Rodriguez

Frederick Noronha

P A G E 6 A M C H O E K V O T T

Goa’s Pop Sensation O’luv

Our TEAM’s objective is to promote Goa Day within the wider Goan community by reflecting on

our Goan identity, taking pride in being Goan and uniting Goans all over the world by celebrating

our history, language, music, cultural heritage, traditions and not forgetting our GOAN cuisine.

We are delighted to feature “Olavo Rodrigues (O’luv)” a multitalented personality who enlightens

the path to success. Our Goa Day TEAM wishes him well in all his accomplishments.

In this hustle and bustle frenzied world there are numerous stars, some flash in the limelight while

some inaudibly burn out. There are a few who make an undeviating place for themselves in the

hearts of their fans and well-wishers. One such star who needs no introduction is our very own

O'luv, an emerging artist from GOA’s entertainment world. O’luv stands out as an amazing enter-

tainer, who has with time slowly but surely climbed the popularity charts.

O’luv is a strong believer of constant practice for the ad-libbing of music and voice. He is a firm be-

liever of daily rehearsals. It is this utmost passion and dedication for music that today we have

amongst us a multitalented pop singer who has inspired both the young and the old.

If someone can create music with the combination of a comb and a mere piece of paper, it’s our one

and only O’luv. This is his signature move which fascinates his audience who are left spellbound with

his amazing performance that resembles that of a saxophone/trumpet. Our pop icon sings fluently

in languages ranging from Portuguese, Hindi, Dutch, Spanish, German, English and Konkani. The suc-

cess of O’luv's performances is due to his connect with the audience, getting them in the mood to

sing and dance along with him in high spirits.

O’luv's first professional album ‘Poilo Kiss’ by Chris Perry propelled him to the topmost category of

Goan singers and all his songs were instant hit. O’luv's very first pop album ‘Kor Cantar’ by Jess

Louis, Hey Hey Moga, Feliz Natal, Ooh Va Veh, Baby U R My Luv and Love You Goa are hit amongst

the youth. He has also sung for two Mega Konkani Albums "HAZAR ZAITAM" and "UTSAV" with

bollywood singers. He has had the privilege to work with legendary greats like Lorna, Sudesh Bho-

sle, Sadhana Sargam, Ashok Patki & Others. Musicians of international repute have acclaimed his al-

bums including well-known members of the Bollywood fraternity.

O’luv also has to his credit of featuring in his first Bollywood venture “Damaad

Ke Intezaar Mein” which has a social message “Don't go for dowry, go for

Love” and worked as the lead protagonist playback singer besides acting.

He has performed at numerous events be it at the Jugge Nohall’s Goa show,

International Centre Goa, Tribute to Music legend ‘Chris Perry , The Portu-

guese Nite, Rain or Shine Konkani Rocks, Indo Israeli musical extravaganza,

Radio Mirchi , International Jazz Festival in Netherlands, World Goa Day cele-

brations in Doha Qatar, Kripa Nite and Goan Outreach Association, Mumbai.

O'luv also has to his credit of being the first Pop Icon to connect Goa/Karachi

via skype at Goa Day celebrations and Goinkars Own Academy’s 10th Anni-

versary celebrations. O'luv joined in the celebrations by singing along with

GOA members.

O’luv has to his credit of wining the YUVA SRUJAN PURASKAR, an award presented by the Govt. of Goa for excelling in the field of

music . His Konkani album, Love You Goa was nominated at the 6th Global Konkani Music Awards held in Mangalore in 2014.

To give without any reward or any notice, a special quality that Goa’s pop sensation O’luv possesses, he enjoys performing and play-

ing the Comb music and works his magic during his performances for the Slum kids, Orphans or Home for the Aged. O’luv says

“making them happy, makes me happy”. What an awesome sight to see

smiles on their faces as they watch in awe as they are entertained by Goa's

Pop Sensation O'luv. Viva Goa. Viva O’luv.

Inside Story Headline


Our TEAM’s objectives is to promote World Goa Day within the wider Goan commu-

nity, by reflecting on our Goan identity, taking pride in being Goan and uniting Goans all over the world, by celebrating our history, language, music, cultural heritage, traditions

and not forgetting our GOAN cuisine.

We are delighted to feature the multitalented Frederick Noronha. Our Goa Day TEAM wish you all the best in all your endeavors.

Frederick Noronha is an independent journalist and alternative publisher, based in Sali-gao, Goa. Has been active in cyber-journalism, and involved with e-ventures with issues

concerning Goa, developmental issues and free software. He writes on various issues -- Goa, book reviews, technology, and computing issues in India. With photography as a

hobby, he has shared 50,000+ photographs on his Flickr.com page, apart from a few hun-

dred short videos on YouTube.com. He is also the cofounder of the “Bytes For All “.

Frederick Noronha graduated in Commerce and Economics, did a post-graduation in English Literature, and has an

advanced diploma in journalism from IIJ-Berlin. Frederick has also undergone training in environmental journalism in Kalmar, Sweden, and has been a Sarai and a Panos fellow.

Frederick’s first few steps on the road to journalism started of in 1983, when he was a young trainee at the old (formerly Portuguese newspaper) Herald. From November 1987 to December 1994, he was the Goa staff corre-

spondent for the “Deccan Herald”, of Bangalore. From 1994 onwards, he turned a freelancer, and has written news related to Goa and Information Technology in the India Abroad News Service which is now the Indo-Asian

News Service. Frederick has also worked as an editorial consultant with Herald (Goa) from October 2003 to April 2004.

He has written articles on Goa, Goan books, media, environment, development, and information technology. From 1996 to 2006, Frederick has been part of the Admin Team of Goanet, a volunteer and a non profit network that

links the Goa Diaspora community. His work is known in many publications that have featured Noronha's works including The Economic Times, The Financial Express, Spider Internet Magazine (Pakistan), Associated Press

(photographs), Dawn, BBC website and Outlook.

He started the IndiaLists.org, which is an initiative to promote content-relevant mailing lists in India. He moderates the Goan journalists list Goajourno He is also involved in running the Docuwallahs2 mailing list, which is a network

that connects a number of Indian alternative documentary film-makers. He is a supporter of copyleft-based models for sharing digital information and resources.

Frederick is a supporter of free software, and has been actively involved in chronicling its growth in India and other

Asian countries. His articles on Free Software have been published in international journals such as Linux Journal and Free Software Magazine.

He has also participated in a study on FOSS in the 'developing' countries from 2003 to 2004 in Finland, and has been a member of the panel deciding on the FSF Award for the Advancement of Free Software and The Manthan-

AIF Award 2006. He has also spoken at FOSS conferences, including FOSS.IN.

In the last few years, Frederick has been actively involved in publishing books on Goa, using alternative models. Since 2007 he has published some 87 titles on Goa, mostly non-fiction in English.

http://foss.in/

P A G E 8



In the run-up to the canonization of Joseph Vaz, his saintly life and his missionary zeal was the

subject of intense media attention and rightly so. Far away in Colombo, as we joined thousands of

Goans who had congregated at Galle Face Green that early morning on the 14th of January 2015, it

was but a moment of pure joy to be cherished when Pope Francis declared the son-of-the-soil from Goa

a saint of the Catholic Church.

A day earlier, not very far from Negombo, we had visited St.Mary’s Church in Bolawatta and realized that another illustrious son of Goa,

the Divar-born Fr. Jacome Gonsalves was equally held in high esteem in Sri Lanka. The itinerary of every tour operator invariably included

a visit to his tomb and his importance could be ascertained even before stepping inside the church. Two life-size statues - of Joseph and

Jacome - greeted us on either side of the path leading to the church.

At that time, I was carrying a copy of Fr. Luis Xavier Gomes’ biography on the life of Joseph Vaz, Bhoddvo Yadnik which had just been released at the Sancoale Sanctuary, Goa but that did not help much as far as Fr. Jacome was concerned because he was only mentioned

in passing.

In his book, Profiles of Eminent Goans, Past and Present, J. Clement Vaz states, “It may well be said that while Pe. José Vaz reinforced the

foundation of the Catholic Church in Ceylon, Pe. Jácome Gonsalves, the talented successor,

erected the edifice.”

Fr. Jacome passed away on July 17, 1742 and was interred on July 19, 1742. This article will

largely focus on the literary contributions of Fr. Jacome Gonsalves, who left the Goan shores in

May, 1705 and joined St. Joseph in Sri Lanka somewhere in September of the same year.

Hailed as the ‘Father of Catholic Literature in Sri Lanka’, Fr. Jacome is credited with writing a

substantial corpus of religious texts in Sinhala and Tamil, thus facilitating the local population

to learn and adopt the Catholic faith. His work include Sattya Upedesa, a catechism book in

Sinhala and Sattya Vedagama Samshepam - its Tamil version, Deva Veda Puranaya, a compen-

dium of the Bible in two parts influenced by Thomas Stephens’ Khristapurana in Sinhala, besides a Portuguese-Tamil-Sinhala dictionary and

a dictionary of Selected Expressions in Tamil.

A 290-page Selected Works of Jacome Gonsalvez was also published by the Govt. of Sri Lanka in 1993. Considered as a significant contri-bution to religious amity in the country, the volume was compiled by Sunil Ariyaratne, of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

In an article contributed to Daily News (17 July 2002), W.T.A. Leslie Fernando, a former High Court Judge, writes, “ Blessed Joseph Vaz introduced Passion plays in Sri Lanka on the model of puppet shows he had witnessed in Goa. Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez wrote "Dukprapthi

Prasangaya" - a series of sermons to be chanted while the dumb show was on. To break the tedium of listening to sermons he composed

"Pasan" or lamentations to be recited in a plaintive tone. Even today Pasan introduced by Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez are sung in churches and

in homes during the season of Lent.”

Fernando further writes about the accomplished musician that Fr. Jacome was, “[He] composed Sinhala and Tamil hymns set to Carantic

[Carnatic] ragas, folk music and Vannam. His work "Mangala Geethaya" (Canticles for Festivals) contained hymns set to folk music found in

Seth Kavi, Pal Kavi and Goyam Kavi.”

Traveling far and wide in Sri Lanka, Fr. Jacome “moved with the high and the low from the Kings in the Kandyan Court to the humble

peasant in the village” and is credited with 22 books in Sinhala, 15 in Tamil, 4 in Portuguese and 1 in Dutch.

It is high time that the legacy of Fr. Jacome is recognized in Goa.

HANV KHOROCH NIZ GOY'MKAR


Utram ani muzg ghoddpi Basilio Magno (Spain)

1st Verse: Goem zait ek lhann ganv sonvsarachea mapar, Punn tachi vhoddvikai gaztta sonvsarak.

Oi, Goemkar zaun asat sogllea lokavon huxear,

Vhodd muzg ani vhodd padri, vhodd vidyavant sabar.

Ghoddtam ami Club-am zhuim ami jivetam,

Tantun ekvot am' dakoitam.

Chorus: Hanv khoroch niz Goy'mkar, oi khoroch niz Goy'mkar,

Porvau nam khoim zolmollear.

Zori zolmolam Kenyak vo Indiek,

Inglandak, Kanadak, Amerikak.

Oi, hanv khoroch niz Goy'mkar,

Sit-koddi jeitam, uloitam Konknni bhas. (repeat Chorus)

2nd Verse

Goemkar khoim asunk, jivetat moi-mogan,

Zoddtatt vhodd posisanv zaunk kosleai kaman.

Zaite zalet Profesor, Director bhair pordhesan,

Padr' Zuze an' Padr' Agnel ravtat veiginch Sant zaunk.

Tor magumia: "Deva, Goacher gal besanv,

Pois kor tem "Vice and Corruption".

Chorus: Hanv khoroch niz Goy'kar.........(repeat Chorus)

3rd Verse

Goy'mkar asat soglleak, ximpoddleat ganvamnim,

Konn as' clerk vo dhorji, zaiteo mistinnim.

Oi, Kristanv, Hindu an' Muslim jivetat ekvottan,

Tanchi bori dekh gheunchi sogllea bhailea lokan.

Amcheo bailo sobit, an' zoddtat soglleak nanv,

Goa, tum sonvs'rant vhoddlo ganv.

Chorus:

Hanv khoroch niz Goy'mkar.............(repeat Chorus)

P A G E 1 0

CAZAR IN GOA By Silviano Barbosa


A close look at the old fashioned weddings in Goa

There is no happier and more ecstatic moment in one's life-in this world than the day one gets married. From times immemorial, man and woman have

both craved and yearned for a consummate love and heavenly bliss. And this institution of marriage with age-old traditions still survives in Goa.

A marriage in Goa is a long drawn out process. It starts with a soirikar, who is forever scouting the villages for prospectiv e brides and grooms. He

scans their background, status, caste, pigmentation, occupation, assets, and education, matches the couples and makes contact with their parents. Later

he gets them together at a pre-arranged meeting place. And if they like each other, there is a promise of a marriage and the .so irikar claims his

commission. Then their parents discuss matters such as dowry and dennem, and a date for the wedding.

Now the real tasks begin. You go to Church to talk to Padre Vigar. He asks lot of questions on Catechism and you better brush up on your doutrina,

otherwise your letter will never be read in the church three times. "Devache kurpen cazar zata ...". Next you make arrangements for the wedding, the

band, get all your certidaos in order for the civil marriage formalities, arrange for a pig, and build fire -place outside the house to cook pulau, sorpatel.

and doce. Then paint your house white, go to the shetti (gold-smith) to order custom gold jewelry. Don't forget to get all your savings for the dowry and the furnishings for the

dennem or arrange to get a big loan for the expenses or go to all your relatives and friends for contributory loans and possi bly even the village Bhattkar to mortgage your

ancestral home.

The bride looks forward to the day she will get married. But first, she has to go to her maternal uncle's house (mamaguer) where she drinks water from the well and her uncle

offers her chuddo, a bunch of multi-coloured glass bangles on her both hands, a sign that she is now engaged. Next comes the mudi, to celebrate the engagement, when a

priest will bless the gold rings. Now as she is really engaged, doce and dalli (sweet rice pudding) will be distributed throughout the village in a black earthen pot with a doulo

(coconut ladle). Only a couple weeks left for the big wedding. Time for the great bridal dress. The best tailors are hired to do customized stitching for the bride as well as the

bridesmaid and new dresses for close relatives.

Only a couple days left now and the closest relatives from far off villages come running to help the household with their horde of children and the bridal house becomes a

palace of relatives and children running around making noises and having fun and no school for about two weeks. The cooking i s now done outside on the fireplace in big

burkulo and kunnim (pots), a collso of fennim is always ready. And after rosary at night, they eat, drink and later they go f or a deep slumber on ator (a large bamboo mat) in

the midst of a kanni (story). Parents visit houses in the neighbourhood for an informal wedding invitation. If no one is home , they stick a tallo (a stalk of leaves) in the main

door key-hole (message waiting). By default the entire village is invited, no cards, no gate-crashers, all guests.

Now two days to go. Bride and groom go to the city hall for the civil marriage and after that they go to a restaurant for cel ebration. Friends and relatives gather to kill a pig,

cut meat for sorpotel, hadd-mas, ross-mass buch, and kalliz.(bones, roast, tripe and liver) Kids take the poskotto (bladder) and blow it and tie it and play with it like a balloon

and later eat the fried pork rind, the fat remnants.(Cholesterol was not invented yet). Neighbourhood womenfolk are busy help ing with the cooking and doce, men are helping to

put up a big mattou (mega tent) The mattou is draped with white decorated sheets. The chairs and tables and the band stage is all set. The dance floor is all sand filled with

jack-fruit leaves for easy dancing.. The village chief sets up her wares. The soda machine is set with old soda bottles with marble at the top. Cases of cerveja St. Paulo Girl beer

are purchased for special guests like Padre Vigar and Bhattkar and other special guests.

On the eve of wedding day, there is bhikream jevonn, a big lunch for the beggars, consisting of big pieces of meat, vegetable and fish served on a potravoli (leaves plate) on

the floor, in memory of the dearly departed. And on this day, you get saguades, like fish gantonn, kellim-guellavo (gift baskets of fish and bananas) from your well-wishers and

relatives that you have to pay back later in kind. Later at night they perform ross, a ceremony to bathe the bride/groom with coconut milk, in unison with the singing of

verses in Konkanni in praise of the bride/groom and their relatives.

Finally comes the big day. The bride is all nervous. A beautician is hired to fix the bride's hair, dress her up and to make -her look like a princess for a day. Every one is busy

and no one is ready, a specially decorated car pulls in to take the bride to the church. The bride starts wailing and mother joins to make it worse as their hearts cry out at

the final parting. from her mother's house. The groom and the best man go to church in a separate car. In fact the bride and groom shouldn't see each other for 24 hours

before wedding, it's bad luck. At the church, the father gives the bride away and soon the solemnity begins with a beautiful choir. They both go to the alter and the Mass

begins, they exchange vows but don't kiss, sign the roster and they are man a wife forever. The church bells ring, the fireworks explode and the celebration begins. Once outside

the church they are hugged and kissed by the well-wishers.

Then they go to the groom's house, where they are welcomed by the groom's mother, who holds a dhumpel,(urn containing burning incense) in one hand making circular mo-

tions around their heads and with the other hand helps the bride step inside the house with her right foot first for good luck. Then more fireworks signal the grand entry. And

at once the mestre begins his violin recital for the commencement of the Ladainha. And after that some snacks and drinks make the rounds and the bride and groom go to the

city for the grand wedding photo.

And later that night at the reception in the mattou, the house is crowded with village guests. The guests from the bride's side (potvor) come in specially hired buses singing

manddos on their way. "Tambdde rosad tuje pole " The loud speaker in the mattou plays Konkani songs from Alfred Rose, and songs from Amchem Noxib, etc.. The live Band of

Johnson and His Jolly Boys belt out sweet romantic music that encourages every young couple to dance. Men approach their dames requesting for a dance. But some dames are

discriminating, they say "I am engaged". Poor guy goes back to his chair dejected.

The sound of opened soda bottles and shouts of joy from the children, together with hot drinks such as fennim, Porto, Moscate l, Macieira and Vinho Branco and heavenly smells

of basmati arroz, sorpotel and miskutt and the presence of beautiful guests and their joie-de-vivre fill the whole mattou with a celestial ambiance not seen on this earth for a

long long time. There is dancing going on forever, interrupted only by the serving of soup, arroz and ixttou (stew). And in the early morn, the Bhattkar or Padre Vigar or a VIP

raises the toast to the newly-wedded couple, to be followed by "He's the jolly the fellow Hep, hep burre, Uddon guelemm parveamchem birem... Beddsaum tumcher poddom

re".And all guests wish the bride and groom with the Port chalice in hand. And at 5 o'clock the wedding is over, every one is sleepy and tipsy. The potvor perform the xim

(border) by pouring wine on the ground and they depart on their buses to their village singing manddos all the way back. And for the young wedded couple, the tiresome

It is AMAZING how

much you can accomplish

when it doesn't matter

who gets the CREDIT!!

ELICK VAZ, recipient of Yuva Srujan Award

P A G E 1 1 I S S U E 2

Music Composer and Lyricist of nearly 30 Konkani albums re-

leased so far. Some recent and much appreciated albums include

Chitra Shirwaiker’s Miss U Love, O’luv Rodrigues’ Love You Goa,

Allan Vaz’ Goenchim Festam and Zoit-achim Fulam, an award-

winning album co-produced in association with Walter Menezes.

Twice nominated for Best Music Composer Award and once for

Best Music Arranger Award at the 4th & 5th and 6th Global Kon-

kani Music Awards held at Kalaangaan, Mangalore in December 2012, 2013 and 2014 respec-

tively for Baby U R My Luv from A Fern’s album of the same name, Sath Tuzo (album, Chitra’s I M in Love) and Un

Petit Endroit (album, Love You Goa).

As Music Director of various Konkani albums, he has worked with Bollywood singers such

as Sudesh Bhosle, Sadhna Sargam, First Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant, Swapnil Bandodkar,

Janvi Arora and others.

Composed music and lyrics for Bushka’s popular Konkani film, Adeus Moga.

Former band member of The Trix and duo-band Music Lovers.

Presently playing for Destiny. Performed live for Konkani tiatrs,

folk-plays and musical shows.

Recipient of Ulhas Buyao Best Lyricist Award at the Goa Konkani Video Film Festival 2013

and MyTV GOA’s Fantasy Films Appreciation Award for Best Music Director in the same

year.

P A G E 1 2 A M C H O E K V O T T

NOMAN NOMAN TUKA GOA - Shailendra Singh

Music n Lyrics : Alfred Rose

Noman Noman tuka Goa Indieche put tuka Noman kortanv

Konknni kantaram korun, vhodda mogan tuka vakandtanv Bhangarachea tum Goa tujea surpoaye ojeaptanv

Tum sobitaichem sogleamchench mogachem Tujea gopant khellonk anvdetam

Soimban tuka bhorlam denneani

Nettoitlam xetani maddani Put tuje uxear sogllea vattani Muzgamponn riglam addani

Noman Noman tuka Goa Tujea suropayek ojeaptanv

Tum sobitaichem sogleamcheach mogachem Tujea gopant khellonk anvdetanv

Calangute ani colva vareak vetoch meuta xitollkai Templani igorjani rozar kortoch meuta xantikai Vaddeani ani xarani dista ti molladik sovostkai

Daktim sobit gharam toxinch xitoll lahram, tum aiz Indiechi voddvikai

Soimban tuca bhorlam tuka denneani Nettoitlam xetani maddani

Put tujea uxear soglea vattani Muzgaponn riglam addani

Noman Noman tuka Goa Tujea suropayek ojeaptaum

Tum sobitaiechem sogleamcheach mogachem Tujea gopant khellonk anvdetam

P A G E 1 3 I S S U E 2

Jodi’s Art

P A G E 1 4

Contributed by Lino B. Dourado


AII VISARLI SANGPAK…

Addlo thodd lok, nennar ani nixpap (innocent) aslo. Sokoll asleli ek gozal vachun polleyat. Eke cholieak logn korun dili. Dusriach disa ti ghovache ghorsun, aple Aii-ik fon korta DHUV: Aii, mhaka ghora vorcheak bapak hangasor pattoun diyat. AVOI: Kitem???? Kitem zalem mhojea pora,? Samon unnem zalem khoim? Sarkem pavunk nam mhonntat tim? DHUV: Na Aii…Toxem kai nhi tem. Jea mon’xa lagim mhojem logn bandlam, to monis sap hollxik. Koslea mon’xa kodden tumi mhojem logn kelem ge? AVOI: Deva..deva! Toxem uloinaka go pora. Ekdom boro zanvui-putr mhozo. Xalent, mhoje borobor xiktele ixttinicho, ektoch morgad cholo to. DHUV: Aii, tumchi ixttin bori zatli kori. Ponn tigelo por burxo, mansuki naxill’llo. AVOI: Age baye…Toxem mhonnchem nhi go pora. Tugelo ghov to. Kiteim chukunk xokta. Zalam tor kitem? DHUV: Ratim nhidche…………… AVOI: Ham ham.. puro puro somzolim. Mhoji chuck zali. Lognna adim tuka soglleo gosti san-gunk zai axill’leo hanvem. Visorlim hanv….. DHUV: Aii…ii!!! Hanv kitem sangunk sodtam tem tumi aikun ghenant. Fokt tumchich kexet vazoitat. AVOI: Sang tori aikotam. DHUV: Mhojem logn kelam to monis matui boro nhi. Sapuch pozddo. Pidear zal’lo dadlo monis. Zanam mu ghe Aii, ratim mhajea angaveli mustaiki, dhenvoupachio try kori. Osle monis nakat ge aii. Mhaka vegim ghora vor………….

Khodd’ddeache Bhognnar

“Lokanche dadle wig ghaltat Tuka ghalunk kitem zalam? Wig ghatlear torne distat

Kiteak mhunn kanar ghenam?“

Rat-dis sundori mhaka sotaita Khodd’ddo mhozo, punn tika loz dista

Mhataro zalam, tori mogan lasta Zhoddlole kens porot yetat ixtta?

Mhaleak sanglem, wig bhovuch mhargelem Khodd’ddeak sobta toxem bosounchem

Rup mhagalem sarkench bodol‘lem Sundori khos zatli, vochun darar marlem.

“Mom, there’s someone looking out for you”

Vhoddlem cheddum mhaka vollkhunk visorlem “Sorry salesman, kuch nahin chhaiye zha tu”

Ani sundorien ‘ddapp‘ korun dar dhamplem.

Lino B. Dourado (Utodd’dekar)

P A G E 1 5 I S S U E 2

Konkani Riddles Hennem polleleari disonam,Tennem polleleari disonam, Soglleo gozali kolloita,

Tori, khoim asa kollonam (Kan ) Peleak ditai tori, tunvenuch dovrunk zai. (Tujem Uttor) Ek vollem narlachem, bonvta soglo desh Na taka addkoll, Nhoim-Doria,

Dongor (Chondrim) Abba mhuntlear lagta, Arey mhuntlear lagona. (Vontt )

http://edskantaram.blogspot.com/2008/09/konkani-riddles.html

P A G E 1 6

Alexyz Cartoon’s


P A G E 1 7 I S S U E 2

Billytoons

P A G E 1 8

Amche Tiatrist (Pics only)


P A G E 1 9 I S S U E 2

Traditional Goan Sweets - Cover Page

P A G E 2 0

Events & Happenings


P A G E 2 1 I S S U E 2

P A G E 2 2 A M C H O E K V O T T

Thank You For Making It Happen

P A G E 2 3 I S S U E 2


We Thank our Members Friends and well wishers For their Continued Support!

Viva Goa

WGD TEAM

amcho ekvott issue ii

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