Sneak Peek Into 2009!

Happy New Year 2009!

DAMAN GLOBAL eNEWSLETTER - Issue -2 uploaded!

Issue -2 (Vol. I) of the DAMAN GLOBAL eNEWSLETTER has been uploaded!

You can download the PDF file by going to http://public.me.com/noelgama where I've also archived the previous issue.
If the link doesn't work, kindly copy and paste it into your web browser.

Enjoy!

Call the chilli by any other name!!

Portuguese-based Creole of Damao came closest to Standard Portuguese in the seven years or so preceding the liberation in 1961 during the time the Portuguese troops camped in Daman. This is also the period when the Indo-Portuguese culture leaned more on the European side, again, as a result of the influence of the troops and their families.
Further, this happened more in Small Daman than Big Daman as most of the troops and their families lived there. Also, almost all of the elite of Damanense society lived in Small Daman. It was the elite of that time that interacted most with the 'White' officers and their families. Hence the slight difference in the Portuguese of Small Daman and Big Daman.

Even the same dishes are named differently in Small Daman and Big Daman, eg., a common fish dish is called, 'Coco manteiga' in Small Daman and 'Caldo doce' in Big Daman; a Christmas sweet is called, 'Teia de aranha' in Small Daman and 'Aranha do ceu' in Big Daman; a blossom is called, 'flora de ice cream' in Small Daman and 'Coco ralado' in Big Daman; a roadside flower is called, 'Flora de ardoza' in Small Daman and 'Flora de Virgem Maria' in Big Daman. (Excuse the spellings:)

When the Portuguese left in 1961, there was an exodus of the locals too, mostly from Small Daman when most of the elite left. Big Daman became the new seat of Indo-Portuguese culture by default - it had more catholics and it's original creole and Indo-Portuguese culture was not affected much during the last seven years of the Portuguese as Small Daman was.

But the language is certainly not dying despite the convent school discontinuing Portuguese as a second language and more and more Goan priests who do not know the language being posted in Daman not to mention the large numbers of south Indian Christians in Small Daman. The number of people speaking Portuguese as their mother tongue may be declining for the simple reason that they're migrating to the UK and definitely not because they're switching to another language as has happened in other parts of India where P'guese based creole was spoken. Not only that - quite a few traders/shop-keepers in Big Daman who migrated to Daman (Rajashtanis being the most prominent) as recently as five years ago, speak Portuguese with their Portuguese-speaking customers!

Well, for good or for bad, Damanense Portuguese says it best - people feel they heard a 'real' mass when it's said in P'guese and nothing could give them more satisfaction than using a P'guese swear word... the English SOB is a sob before it's P'guese translation. And there's a variation that was used by the Pguese to name a local chilli!!

Eu Falo Português!

The topic about the Portuguese language spoken in Daman by Damanenses is very popular on the forums.

Here's my take on the current status of the language...

There are four main types of Portuguese in today's Daman:

1. The most popular is the 'remix' version - Portuguese (ungrammatical), garnished with English words, a dash of Gujarati and of late, a sprinkling of Hindi! This is spoken by everyone up to the age of 50 to 55. If you're at a distance where the speech is audible but the words are not decipherable, the 'tune' is Gujarati! To cite an example, I was attending mass in the Se Cathedral in the Fort a few years back when a group of Portuguese tourists entered from the main door. The mass was in Portuguese and therefore, the choir was singing a Portuguese hymn. A good three minutes into the hymn, one of the Portuguese men tapped the shoulders of his colleagues and whispered, "E Portugues!"

2. Badrapor Portuguese - same as above but grammatically the most incorrect and with a few dozens of words that are said to be 'original' Portuguese and decidedly old. Badrapor Portuguese is romanticized the most by Westerners and locals 'scholars.'

3. The Portuguese spoken by those who studied it at least up to 'segunda grau.' These are in the age group of 55+ and have also studied English post-liberation. They are the self-appointed ambassadors of the Indo Portuguese culture of Daman, forming a closely knit circle that is as impenetrable as the forts of Daman. They swear by 'Badrapor Portuguese,' but try to speak their best 'European Portuguese' in the presence of whites. Interestingly, they speak the 'remix' version amongst themselves and in their homes:)

4. The Portuguese spoken by the endangered species of Damanenses in Daman - the erstwhile elite of Damanense society, who speak grammatically correct though 'old' Portuguese, even in their underwear - before whites as well as amongst themselves in their own homes. They are old, 70+, have an old-world aura, old-world values and have seen or rather heard it all but have chosen to remain silent and let the babble go on and on...

Noel Gama
Daman

The general public of Daman was caught unawares when the police descended on them on the night of 19th November (2008). Many were returning from work or from shopping, others were just relaxing on municipal benches and public places and the yet others were in bars when jeep-loads of police accosted and indiscriminately beat up people all over Daman (Nani/Moti) and then herded them to the police station.

Those on mobikes were stopped and thrashed. It is reported that even some people who were still shopping, were beaten and the tables of those sitting outside bars, smashed to pieces. Those locked up were released around 2pm the next day.

Neither the victims nor the general public seem to know what hit them! It is alleged that when the victims tried to contact the local politicians, they discovered that they'd switched off their mobiles.

It is rumoured that the policemen were from neighbouring Silvassa. It is also rumoured that the Gujarat police were conducting a search for terrorists in Daman at the same time!

Another curious thing - only men, mostly young, were beaten up.

Since the 19th, people don't venture out after dark. Bars - the only nightlife you see in Daman - wear a deserted look. It is rumoured that no more than four can seat at each table though there's been no official notification of any kind... only rumours and more rumours!

DAMAN GLOBAL eNEWSLETTER - Inaugural Issue uploaded!

Daman's first global eNewsletter has been released today - 6th November, 2008!

You can download your copy (PDF) here:

http://public.me.com/noelgama

Viva!

Noel

"Discover Daman" Homepage up!!

The homepage of my content-based theme site, "Discover Daman" just
went up!

Tier-2 and tier-3 pages will start going up in the days and
months that follow.

Check out the homepage here and let me know what you think: www.Discover-Daman.com

Viva Damão! Keep the culture alive: First “WORLD DAMAN DAY” Celebrated Worldwide on 20th August 2008

The first-ever, “WORLD DAMAN DAY” was celebrated by people of Daman origin living outside India in countries like the UAE, USA, Canada, Holland, Macau, Portugal and the UK along with the 9th “World Goa Day” on invitation from its London-based founder, Rene Barreto. The month-long celebrations were undoubtedly, the biggest worldwide Damanense party in the history of Daman!

World Daman Day like World Goa Day, is primarily celebrated outside of India in an effort to first establish identity and later turn it into a brand as Goa has already done. The date, though significant for Goa vis-à-vis the status of the Konkani language, isn’t of any significance to Daman. But there was the benefit of getting a helping hand from the much-experienced organizers of WGD. In any case, ultimately, it was the spirit that counted and which turned a black number on the calendar into a red-letter day!

The theme for World Daman Day ’08 was, “Viva Damão! Keep the culture alive!” The imposing centuries-old monuments, customs and traditions have withstood the test of time – all 450 years of them – but it is the culture that breathes life into them.

The motto was to promote, publicize and celebrate all things Damanense by showcasing the unique Damanense cultural heritage, expressed culturally and artistically.

Cock in the shadow of the peacock
A heady blend of Indian and Portuguese cultures, the Indo-Portuguese subculture of Daman is obviously multicultural, multilingual and multiracial yet always in beautiful melodic harmony. When the Portuguese spelling of the word, ‘Daman’ is broken up into its two syllables, it reveals the secret behind the characteristic hospitality of the typical Damanense – 'Da mão' – which literally translates as, 'give me your hand,' meaning, ‘welcome!’ Says Asunta Franco, Country Coordinator for Fujairah, “You can take a Damanense out of Daman but you can never take Damão out of a Damanense.” It truly is a way of life, for life!

UK – Leicester & Peterborough
The largest body of Damanenses outside India is based in the UK comprising largely Catholics, Hindus and Muslims who have literally transplanted the culture on to British soil. Says Franco Fonseca, Peterborough-based Country Coordinator for the UK, “the British come to observe our social and cultural events but not with the intention of adapting to the culture… they have adoption in mind.” The month-long festival held in Leicester and Peterborough showcased Damanense cuisine, folklore, folksongs, Damanense Mando, Portuguese folk dance, art and sport… “We included games like Sete Telhas, Jili Patta and Inti-tolla even though these are now sidelined in Daman itself,” says Luis Fonseca, Overall Coordinator for Leicester.

UAE – Dubai, Sharjah & Fujairah
The three country coordinators for the UAE organized cultural, culinary and sporting events as well as picnics and excursions, which included a visit to a Portuguese fort in Fujairah. Lysa Lopes, the coordinator for Sharjah, uploaded some of her best Damanense recipes on the WDD-08 website. Tourists to Daman often ask where they can sample Damanense or Indo-Portuguese cuisine. Damanense food is not served in any of the hotels though many label some items on their menu as ‘Daman special.’ The grand finale of the month-long celebrations was in Fujairah, where Damanenses from Sharjah and Dubai joined in a gala event of music, dancing, games and a traditional Damanense dinner.

Daman – Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?
On reading about WDD-08 in the Hindustan Times and the Times of India, Damanenses in Daman too wanted to join in the partying. “The whole world is celebrating and what are we doing about it?” asked Mr. Fremiot Mendonca, the go-to person when researching the local history and culture of Daman. In a matter of minutes, the Damanenses in Daman got their act together, using nothing but their telephones!

The ‘elders’ and the not-so-young were not only more enthusiastic than the youth… they knew what they wanted. Louella Rocha, overall coordinator for Daman, had a list of Do’s & Don’t’s – “no Slim Shady stuff, please... it’s got to be proper ballroom music; no colas, please... it’s got to be wine or rather cake ‘n’ wine; no ‘English’ mass... it’s got to be in Portuguese; no artificial flowers for decking the hall… only ‘kajooree’ palm fronds please…” ‘Viva Damão’ is not just lip service for the Damanenses – it’s the real thing and they don’t just ‘do it’ – they do it right! So, though late in getting into the groove, Damanenses in Daman perceive it as a new beginning and look forward to WDD-09.

Truly global community, bonding on the Internet
During the planning and execution of WDD-08 on a global scale, country coordinators and their team members as well as other Net savvy Damanenses worldwide, made good use of the Internet to achieve so much in so little time – a mere two months from idea to fruition!

The first step was setting up a website at http://web.mac.com/noelgama/wdd08 which was bombarded with traffic minutes after Rene Barreto shot out his press release on the Internet.

As WDD-08 came closer to D-Day, everyone felt that the festival was already turning into a movement! To keep the momentum and meet public demand, “Daman Global” was launched on Google Groups at http://groups.google.com/group/daman-global – a place to network, share news, make announcements and to do what Damanenses do best and enjoy most... gossip!

This is being followed up with the first global eZine, “Daman Global eNewsmagazine” which will bring news updates from all the countries where Damanenses live in. The inaugural issue is being released this month. Subscriptions are accepted online on the WDD-08 website.

A website with the most comprehensive and authoritative information on Daman is being launched next month at www.Discover-Daman.com.

World Goa, Daman & Diu Day ’08
For the first time, Damanenses, especially those in Daman, found that they were doing it for themselves – unlike other times when they’d be programmed to perform the tired ‘vira’ (known locally as ‘Portuguese Dance’) for visiting ministers. The Damanenses in the UK proved that just performing the ‘vira’ on stage is not what culture is about... it’s beyond that, more inclusive and much, much bigger... it’s a way of life – the Damanense way of life.

“Let’s keep the spirit and wish in our hearts – to one day celebrate World Goa, Daman & Diu Day,” says Lysa Lopes, Country Coordinator for Sharjah, UAE. Well, it had always been “Goa, Daman & Diu” until some politicians in Goa decided to delink two of the smaller siblings. Remo Fernandes’ hit song could be tweaked just a bit to make it more specific – “Politicians in Goa don’t know how to do the mando!”

Viva Damão!

Noel

Message from Founder of World Goa Day
World Goa Day is in its ninth year but WORLD DAMAN DAY is in its very first year. The WDD-08 celebrations have come about from a suggestion put by me to Noël Gama in Daman, India two months ago in mid-June. But the progress they have made in those two months is just unimaginable! Noël and his Global team of Damanenses could make any community proud of them. The progress in these celebrations have been exceptional – a very good example for us, Goans.

My congratulations to the people of Daman! I am proud to be associated with the people of Daman and with their overall leader and founder of WORLD DAMAN DAY, Noël Gama!

Rene Barreto
London, UK

Coming soon... 'Discover Daman'

The most comprehensive and authoritative site on Daman will be up
soon... maybe the 20th of August?

Here's some insider info:

It's an SBI! site - read, 'theme-based content site.'
The site concept is 'Daman'
The site name is 'Discover Daman'

URL: www.Discover-Daman.com

Viva Damao!

Join "Daman Global" on Google Groups!

Hi Damaneses!

As suggested my Rene Baretto quite a number of times, I’ve just created a Google Group titled, “DAMAN GLOBAL” for Damaneses around the world to keep in touch with each other and to network.

Details:

* Group name: Daman Global
*Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/daman-global
*Group email address daman-global@googlegroups.com

Everyone is invited to go to http://groups.google.com/group/daman-global and join the membership.

Enjoy!

Noel Gama
Daman

Press Release - 1st World Daman Day

Here's the press release shot out by Rene Barreto founder - World Goa Day, from London on 3rd July 2008:

1st WORLD DAMAN DAY – 20TH August 2008

WORLD DAMAN DAY is being celebrated for the very first time on the 20th of August 2008 under the aegis of WORLD GOA DAY courtesy, Mr. Rene Barreto – the founder himself!

Daman has always looked upon Goa as its 'Big Brother.’ But no two fingers are alike and so it is with siblings. These cultural differences though subtle, lend Daman its uniqueness. This worldwide event is a CELEBRATION of the unique culture of the people of Daman who have an identity of their very own – the DAMANESE!

“Damão is not just the former name of Daman,” says Noël Gama, Overall Coordinator of WDD-08. “It’s another name for the Indo-Portuguese subculture of Daman and is a way of life. But most importantly, when broken up into its two syllables, it reveals the secret behind the characteristic hospitality of the typical Damanese – 'Da mão' – which literally translates as, 'give me your hand,' in Portuguese meaning, ‘welcome!’”

The organizers are sure that the Administration of Daman and the Tourism department in particular, will support this endeavour. But only the proactive participation of Damaneses abroad will make it a resounding success.

So, we call upon all Damaneses wherever you may be around the globe, to dedicate the 20th of August every year, to PROMOTE, PUBLICIZE and CELEBRATE all things DAMANESE by showcasing Damanese cultural heritage through artistic and cultural expressions and celebrations like…

• DAMANESE MUSICAL FESTIVALS & COMPETITIONS
• DAMANESE FOOD FESTIVALS
• TRADITIONAL/FOLK DANCE PERFORMANCES & COMPETITIONS
• ART & CRAFT DISPLAYS
• POETRY & SONGWRITING COMPETITIONS

People of Damanese origin, all over the world, are invited to come together and not only actively participate but initiate these worldwide celebrations, which will be coordinated by Noël Gama who is based in Daman.

Let’s all celebrate all that is Daman – the sights, the sounds, the senses and the ‘saudades.’ Let the party begin – feel, think, breathe, live, eat and yes, drink to Daman!

FOR MORE DETAILS – Please contact your coordinator in your country of residence or the Overall Coordinator in Daman at: noelgama@mac.com

About the Overall coordinator – Noël Gama is the winner of the "Writer of the Year 2007" award of The Writers Bureau, UK and the author of "Culture Wise INDIA," now listed on Amazon.com. His signature Blog2Book projects caught the attention of a former Consul General of Portugal in India, who launched one of his websites, www.noelgama.com on Indo-Portuguese culture and is now being turned into four books viz., "Viva Damão! The Indo-Portuguese Subculture of Daman," “Saudades! Folk Memories of Damão,” “If You Ever Come to Damão – Ultimate Travel Guide to a little-known Ex-Portuguese Hideaway”and “Where Angels Tread – Photo guide to the Churches, Chapels, Crosses & Grottos of Daman”

Country Coordinators:

Portugal – Bosco Mendonca
UK – Franco Fonseca /Bertoldo Lopes
Macau – Noel Libano
Holland – Veridiana Veloso de sousa
Fujairah – Maria Franco
Sharjah – Lysa Lopes
Australia – John Machado
Saudi Arabia – Sylvia Rebello
UAE – Joe Colaco
Ajman – Maria Noruega
Abu Dhabi – Anthony Colaco
Dubai – Jack Machado
Oman – Sharmila Mascarenhas
Saudi Arabia – Brian D’costa
Kuwait – Veronica Fernandes


Websites – http://web.mac.com/noelgama/wdd08
http://worldgoan.blogspot.com/

WORLD DAMAN DAY Website

The World Daman Day 2008 website is now under construction but can be accessed here: http://web.mac.com/noelgama/wdd08

Feedback and suggestions are welcome!

WORLD DAMAN DAY!

Here's some great news: Rene Barreto, the founder of World Goa Day contacted me for launching the first ever, WORLD DAMAN DAY along with World Goa Day on the 20th of August.

Like World Goa Day, WORLD DAMAN DAY is a day for Damaneses all over the world to celebrate our great cultural heritage which is so unique.

Rene asked me whether the culture of Daman is similar to that of Diu - this is what I replied:

"The culture of Daman has elements of both, Diu and Goa though more of Goa as Goa is the big brother of Daman & Diu.

However, Daman has a subculture mostly populated by the Catholics. I call this subculture, 'Damao.'

And, this subculture is more Portuguese than the Indo-Portuguese culture of Goa.

My book, Viva Damao! Guide to the Indo-Portuguese Subculture of Daman, portrays this."

Rene has invited me to be the World Coordinator and is now seeking Country Coordinators in the UK, Portugal, Macau, Dubai and every country where we have even just one Damanese.

Cheers!

Oops, They Did It Again!

It's been reported that an anonymously written letter objecting to the transfer of a priest back to Daman, was being circulated last week.

Phones of people with connections (other than phone connections:) buzzed late at night, with matters finally getting to a head when two people suspected of having written the letter were summoned by the police.

And to think that these are the very people who have been teaching us to be like Christ and to 'turn the other cheek' - what cheek!!

While I was told that one elderly man did appear before the police, the other one who has a history of diabetes and hypertension, took so bad that the last rites had to be administered before rushing him to a hospital! Last I heard, he was still in hospital.

I pray that he recovers completely - he has a wife and young children.

Sorry to disappoint you, my readers - I cannot divulge names (at least not yet) and am forced to use terms like 'alleged,' 'reported,' etc., because it is rumoured that some of our pastors are contemplating filing defamation cases against a few of their parishioners.

How foolish we've been to sit pretty, feeling safe that persecution of christians only happened in other parts of India and could never happen in Daman. Who'd ever think that it would be an inside job. I'd reword the saying that charity begins at home to - "persecution begins at home!"

Goa Parishioners' Association - To tackle 'arrogant' priests!

And you’d think that Goan priests took a dictatorial stance only with us in Daman!

An article (see scanned image) published by “Sathyadeepam” in their May 16-31st issue, cites instances where some priests refuse to administer sacraments to people who dare to challenge them or are poor and so have no voice, besides instances of parish funds being administered arbitrarily... sounds all too familiar, doesn't it?

According to the article, about 200 Catholics met in Margao on April 18th to form the “All Goa Parishioners’ Association” (AGPA) which will address parish priests’ “dictatorial attitude,” besides fighting corruption and lack of religious freedom in the Church.

It’s time ADPA (All Daman Parishioners Association) came into being!

Miracles of Fatima - If you look closely

The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was celebrated as usual on the evening of 13th of May, 2008 at the foot of the grotto adjoining the church of O L of Remedios... high Mass followed by the procession around the park with the congregation holding home-made paper lanterns with candles in them, singing Portuguese hymns in praise of O L of Fatima. My wife, Louella pushed the pram carrying Noé, our seven-year old son as I walked alongside them bringing up the rear... so much like Fatima, Portugal. 



But I had my own agenda for the evening... 



About 18 years ago, I had written a song that was inspired by a sermon by Fr. Joseph Dias, my favourite preacher. His words, "you have eyes but cannot see. This man is blind but he can see..." had such a great impact on me that I reflected for days, when all of a sudden, the whole song fell into place and I wrote it down in one go in just 10 minutes flat. I titled it, "The Greatest Gift Of All," and dedicated it to the blind. 



But what has this got to do with Our Lady of Fatima, whom I can see in her grotto every single day, from every window of our flat across the street? Well, the Writers Bureau (UK) announced their prestigious annual poetry writing competition recently and I thought about sending in my song (critiques all agree that it's a poem too) with a new title, "For Your Eyes Only" and so I thought it appropriate to print it out and put it up to Her and let Her decide - if I won, the world would get to read it; if I did not, it would remain for Her eyes only but with a petition to help restore sight in the blind of the world.

We waited for the crowd to disperse after the service, so that I could make my special offering in private, by burning the sheet of paper instead of a candle, at the grotto. 



In the meantime, Carroll Remedios, my schoolmate, opened the glass door housing the statue in the grotto, so that he could recover the plants put inside for the Mass. As an afterthought, he brought down the statue for Noé to kiss. Of all the people that came to the service, only Noé got to actually touch the statue! And this was even before I had made my offering... I had to come back around 9.30pm to make mine, as I needed candles for setting the paper on fire. I thought this was very meaningful and again, so much like Fatima, Portugal... yet so different... so special, because it was She who came down to Noé! 



But it is only today, the 15th, that I realized another thing... She had also opened the door to accept my offering! It is I who have been blind for these last two days! And look at me, writing a poem for the blind!

Lee Gimpel Interview

Here's the link to a pre-release interview of my book, "Culture Wise India," with Lee Gimpel the editor of INDIA TRAVEL INSIGHTS: http://www.indiatravelinsights.org/noel_gama.html

India Travel Insights endeavors to provide insights into India travel and tourism through candid interviews with thought-leaders and knowledgeable observers. ITI's contributors are Indians and non-Indians with informed opinions about the state of tourism in the subcontinent.

Lee Gimpel is a business, travel and technology writer based in the US. He is the author of the popular PassingThroughIndia.com blog as well as a forthcoming book about traveling through emergent India.

Sad Demise

Frank Gonsalves, a founder member of the Daman Association in Portugal, passed away on the 6th of March.
He was 82 and is survived by his wife, Celina and two sons, their wives and four grandchildren.

'Bungalow Inglais!'

My parents spoke a great deal about an establishment in Small Daman called, 'Bungalow Inglais' and also referred to as, 'Dak Bungalow' by the locals. It was the official guest house of the English during the Portuguese reign.

I persuaded my mother to lead my brother, Dr. Frank Gama to the spot for a shoot last Christmas.

I need to do more research about 'Bungalow Inglais' and invite inputs from readers.

Look who's on Amazon!

My book, "Culture Wise India: The Essential Guide to Culture, Customs & Business Etiquette" is now listed on Amazon.com

Culture Wise India is essential reading for anyone planning to visit or live in India, whether for business or pleasure, for a few days holiday or a lifetime. It is guaranteed to help newcomers avoid cultural and social gaffes; make friends and influence people; and enhance their understanding of India and the Indian people. Printed in full color.

Product Details
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Survival Books, Ltd. (July 25, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1905303475
ISBN-13: 978-1905303472

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Wise-India-Essential-Etiquette/dp/1905303475

Viva Carnaval!

The carnival floats made a comeback after about 25 years! Gabby, a popular local DJ took out a mini float on Tuesday, the 5th of February, the last day of the carnival.

The float comprised five trucks with dancers and merry-makers in a variety of costumes, Brazilian Samba dancers' outfits being most prominent, despite the cold - 7 degrees! The music blaring out was Brazilian and Portuguese folk.