FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DAMAN, January 30th 2013: 2nd of February, the historical date (02.02.1559) when Damão first came to be, has been celebrated worldwide by Damanenses as ‘Dia de Damão’ (Daman Day) for centuries.
The festival is a celebration of the unique culture of the people of Daman and includes musical festivals, food festivals, traditional/folk dance performances, art & craft displays and various competitions that encourage artistic expressions of their culture.
The essence is celebration of all that is inherently old-world, 'Damão’ - the sights, the sounds, the senses and the ‘saudades.’ The mandate - “Feel, think, breathe, live, eat and drink, to Damão!"
The celebrations begin in August, along with World Goa Day celebrations, in countries like the UK, US, UAE, Canada, and Holland among others, and culminate on Daman Day on the 2nd of February which is celebrated in Daman, Macau and Portugal.
The theme for Daman Day 2013 is "Viva Damao! Raise a toast to traditional Damanense cuisine!" The theme comprises a title and a subtitle. While the title, “Viva Damão" is permanent, the subtitle changes every year. The themes in the last few years have been:
2012: "Viva Damão! 100% Música Portuguesa!"
2011: "Viva Damão! Proud to be Damanense!"
2010: "Viva Damão! Eu falo Português!"
2009: "Viva Damão! Come, Discover Daman!"
2008: "Viva Damão! Keep the culture alive!"
Daman Day is a self-financed initiative of the Damanenses under the aegis of World Goa Day and its founder, UK-based Rene Barreto. Each participating country has a ‘Country Coordinator’ who is in constant touch with the Daman-based ‘Overall Coordinator’ and founder, Noel Gama.
Beginning last year, the organisers in Daman, teamed up with the Daman Municipal Council (DMC) to celebrate the event jointly as the council has already been sponsoring the traditional annual mass commemorating the feast of Our Lady of Purification and N S das Candeias every February 2nd at the DMC Square.
The event launches with high mass in honour of the patroness of the city, Our Lady of Purification at 6pm, followed by a cultural program showcasing Damanense folklore which will include a play in Portuguese, Damanense folklore and traditional Portuguese and Damanense dance performances by local artists and musicians.
More information can be found at www.Discover-Daman.com
Noel Gama
Overall Coordinator - Daman Day (Dia de Damao)
Daman Day 2013 - Press Release
Carnival 2011
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| This is the main road in Big Daman - people are coming out of Machiwar (one of the 'Bairros' of Daman) and heading towards the football field |
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| Revelers coming out of the various 'Bairros' on to the main road of Big Daman |
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| Revelers dancing in one of the 'Bairros' of Big Daman |
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| The groups (mini floats) dance their way from 'Bairro' to 'Bairro' to recorded Portuguese Pimba music blaring from speakers mounted on to little trucks with a DJ onboard The closest thing to carnival in India is 'Holi' in that both have revelers and use colour on each though in the Daman Carnival, a sort of cheap talcum powder is used and 'gulal' or water-based colours are never used. The main two differences however, are that while 'holi' is a religious festival, carnival though celebrated by Catholics, is not a religious festival; secondly, revelers come out in fancy dress while in 'holi' that's not the case.
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| Adeus, ate outro ano! |
Daman Day 2011 Celebrations
Daman Day 2011 was celebrated on "Dia de Damao" - 2nd of February which also coincides with the feast of "Nossa Senhora das Candeias" - an annual, open air mass held on the forecourt of the DMC building and offered by the councillors and staff of the Daman municipal council.
Due to the ongoing DMC elections, the organizers of "Daman Day 2011" decided not to have the sports and cultural events this year and instead hire out a restaurant-cum-discotheque for celebrating their 4th Daman Day soon after the mass. A special bus ferried revelers to venue - "Nana's," in Small Daman at 8pm and dropped them back at 11pm.
The theme for Daman Day 2011 was...
Mr. Gabriel Guedes, well-known orator of Daman, made the welcome speech in Portuguese which was followed by a toast raised with the traditional goblets of port (albeit Goan) wine! This was followed by the quintessential Portuguese traditional dance - the Vira - performed by children in authentic costumes to the musical performances of the Daman Folklore Group.
The evening flew by in the time it took to sample the starters and down a couple of drinks, with renditions of popular Damanense folk songs as revelers jammed with the folklore group.
Then there was the customary session of ballroom dancing to peppy Portuguese music by DJ Rambo before dinner was served. The traditional Daman "Dampaque" took centre stage on the buffet table as did a bottle of the local fiery drink, "Benslor" on the bar counter!
Soon it was time to sip liqueur and head for the bus but not before everyone made a pact to meet again on Carnival 2011!
Visit http://www.WorldDamanDay.com for more!
Sao Joao
Sao Joao (St. John’s feast) was celebrated yesterday, 24th June 09, in Damao (Daman) Portuguese style as usual with 'add-ons.'
I woke up around 7am to firecrackers in the churchyard as well as echoes from the various ‘bairos.’
The day was spent putting up effigies made by stuffing old suits with straw and firecrackers. An earthen toddy pot is used for the head which is also stuffed with straw and firecrackers. The effigies are usually of men.
I had a rather heavy lunch around noon - the traditional ‘vale nascido,' a dish made of sprouted beans garnished with salted cubes of pork fat.
After lunch, I packed my family into our car and headed for the beach. Damanenses don’t wear conventional swimwear. Men and boys wear Bermuda shorts and women and girls opt for slacks and Tees. Typically, Damanenses seldom protect their eyes with sunglasses. Very few actually swim, preferring to frolic in the waves near the shoreline.
We waded along the shoreline from Ferrieros to Badrapor but got back into the car and drove to Jampore beach around 4pm. Jampore was where the party was in full swing - Damanenses from Small Daman preferred crossing the creek over to Big Daman than partying on rocky, Devka beach. There were people in the water and in little groups on the shore under the needle pine trees, partying - eating, drinking canned beer, strolling, snapping pictures, cruising in cars.
There was more fun in store elsewhere later in the evening - the ‘Judas’ effigies were burnt all over town.
For those that missed all the fun or would like a replay on a smaller scale, there's always Sao Pedro (St. Peter’s feast) to look forward to on the 29th of June.
The first rain of the season
Daman had its first showers on Sunday afternoon, lasting over two hours.
When it stopped, the sun did come out again, to give Daman that clean-washed look and to release an earthy-scented vapor all evening.
Jampore beach in Big Daman was jam-packed with tourists and so was Devka beach in Small Daman.
San Joao (St. John's feast) is on Wednesday, the 24th of June - looking forward to photographing the glut of 'Val nacido' (sprouted beans) in the bazaar - it looks as if there's nothing else on display but 'Val nacido!' It's the same scene on Good Friday - but it's 'Bred' (green leafy veg) used for the devil's recipe, 'Aag sal de bred' to tempt those fasting to pig out at lunch.
And 'Val nacido' is no newborn's food either - you need a shard of 'Papri' (papad) as the only piece of cutlery, to scoop out a portion of the beans and garnishing of salted cubes of pork fat, and convey it into your mouth - you eat the 'papri too - each time!'
The next logical step is a swill of liqour. Some spoilsports swig beer. A few rounds of this and then you're ready for your first clumsy plump into a surf-n-sand roller.
Right - eat/drink, rinse and repeat! As easy as that!
By my calculations, high tide is around 5pm on San Joao and 9pm on San Pedro (29th June).
Oh, despite the 360 degree pollution (dirt, water/air pollution and corruption) in Daman, life is good in a secret place called, Damao.