Canadian Goans' work to be read in Goa

Just a short reminder to say that Dan Driscoll reads this evening in
Goa excerpts from the book 'Goa Masala'. First published by Ben Antao
in Toronto, this collection covers essays, short stories and the
writing of Canada-based Goan expats.

Given the trajectory of Goan migration, many of the stories are linked
to Africa, one to Burma, and quite a few to Goa itself. They talk of
another time and another world.

There's a short-story called 'Baba Puta' (you could guess on what
theme), and writing set amidst life in the railways, the Margao of the
mid-fifties, and the Goan belief in evil-eye.

Growing up in the Goa of the yesteryears is a recurring theme across
some chapters.

A Briton tells what it means to be "married to a Goan" and how she
coped with the challenges of a generation ago, while another essay
talks of the travails and importance for an expat to study and cope
with the 'mai bhas' (mother tongue). One essay deploys an entertaining
use of Konkani literal-translations, while the stories from Africa are
peopled with elephants running wild and their tragic end, a lion
transported on a plane which can't take off (together with an unusual
twist), and the charms of the Zanzibar of old.

Africa-to-Goa ship journeys apparently make for memorable stories, as
do possibilities of encountering snakes in Goa! Ghosts, saints, coping
with migration to the US, funerals of the past, the long "Africander"
holidays in Goa,  and preparing for the monsoons are among the other
themes for essays and stories.

Writes Rudy Fernandes of the 55PGA [http://www.55PGA.com], "Our vision
was to capture for the future the many stories that resided in
people's minds, and which otherwise might have not seen the light of
day. Over the centuries, the Goan diaspora has enriched our culture
and provided many lessons that should not be forgotten."

By some quirk of fate, the reading will be done by a Canadian settled
in Goa. More about Dan here
http://www.tambdimati.com/dan-driscoll-on-film/

The reading is on October 28, 2010 (Thursday) at 5.30 pm during the
History Hour session of the Xavier Centre of Historical Research at
Alto Porvorim (located at Bakibab Borkar Road, off the Porvorim Tank
area). It is open to the public.

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