East Asian influence on the Goan Mando
Since ancient times, hybridization brought on by colonization and migration has led to things related to human life such as culture, language, cuisine, and even garments taking on blended forms. Consider the unique Hindi we speak in a melting pot metropolis like Mumbai, or the way the Brits have absorbed chicken tikka into their repertoire of national dishes, or the way strange new varieties of yoga are sprouting in the United States, and you’ll get the picture.
The Goan Mando, like all other hybrids that evolved out of the mixing of cultures, has many captivating features. Interestingly, in addition to its music and dance components, the costumes worn by the men and women performers also exhibit a fascinating fusion of east and west. The Lusitanian impact is the most evident, but how many Mando lovers are aware of the Malay or East Asian influence on the Goan Mando? Continue reading
He was one of the most prominent intellectuals in nineteenth century Goa. An illustrious parliamentarian who represented Goa in the Cortes Gerais – the Portuguese Parliament in Lisbon, he was widely acclaimed as one of the best in Europe in his time. He was lauded as the “Prince of Intellectuals” in Europe for his remarkable contributions in the fields of philosophy and economics, and even felicitated by the French emperor Napoleon III (nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte). Yet, this internationally renowned, great Goan genius – Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes – remains pretty much forgotten in his home state of Goa.
Recently a little nugget of inspiration came winging through cyberspace into my inbox by way of a forwarded e-mail. It was something that John Lennon is supposed to have said: When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. Whether the late Beatle really said this or not, the quote is thought-provoking for sure. Set me thinking. Though many of us delude ourselves that a bigger house, a fatter bank balance, or a fancier car is the thing we want the most, what we’re all really longing for above everything else is happiness. Who doesn’t want to be happy? No matter what our age or ethnicity, it’s something we all want, something that’s prized by everyone, senior citizens included. After working hard to raise a family, and slogging for 40-80 hours a week, maybe more, for decades, not to mention coping with stress at the workplace and the nerve-racking commutes to work and back, every senior looks forward to being happy after retirement. And justly so. Happiness after sixty, after retirement, is every senior citizen’s right. 
Folk songs in Konkani were common among the Goan people long before the Portuguese came on the scene. But the mando came into existence during the colonial rule and shows strong Portuguese influences both in its song and dance form.
Recently I came across this video of a guy who goes beyond just mouthing sweet nothings like that ‘perfect husband doll’. This guy actually walks the talk. Of course he’s acting, but he’s very convincing in the role of a man helping out with household chores on his day off – on a day when his wife is away at work.
This Olympics-related news item will come as a knock out punch to many. Everyone knows Goans and football, like xit-koddi or 15 August and patodeo go together, they’re a team. Goans are also often spoken of in the same breath when it comes to hockey, many of them having won Olympic gold medals for India as part of the national Olympic hockey team. But Goans and women’s boxing? Yes, we do have a budding and very talented woman boxer – Siona Fernandes, and she’s a part of the New Zealand Olympic boxing team.
Read the article below for more details. And don’t forget to watch the Olympic boxing events and cheer for her when she dons the gloves for her first bout tomorrow – Sunday, 5 August. Our very own M. C. Mary Kom, five time world champion, will also open her campaign tomorrow. She has a tough draw, and not just that, she has been forced to train without her regular coach, Charles Atkinson, on some technical grounds. So let’s wish her luck too. What can we say to these two stars boxing in London tomorrow, except… Atta girl! Go for it! 
Our tiny state of Goa has no dearth of illustrious personalities. But let’s begin by turning the spotlight on one of the earliest non-resident Goans to make a mark on a global level, who introduced the West to the benefits of hypnotherapy and hypnosis in healing people, who engaged in pioneering work in the study of the mind, and became a legendary figure inspiring a writer like Alexandre Dumas to immortalize him as a fictitious character in his classic adventure novel – “Count of Monte Cristo”. 
Just a few days ago, during his talk show on a popular TV Channel, the American political commentator Chris Matthews referred to President Barack Obama as “the perfect father, the perfect husband”. Set me thinking. How many wives (I mean, not just the ones who’ve managed to stay married to the same guy for decades but also those who’ve dared to get hitched with different guys) can happily say they’ve married the perfect husband? That they’ve found their Mr. Right? I know, I know, different women have a different idea of what the perfect husband should be like. But, no matter if their ideas clash, there are some things that almost all women would just l-o-v-e to hear their husbands say. At least once, if not once in a while.
