From: "Simon D'Silva"
CALLS TO REVIVE KONKANI MARK "WORLD GOA DAY" IN QATAR
The Goan Overseas Association (GOA), Qatar has
formally launched a Konkani Language Course to the
their community on WORLD GOA DAY 2003 by Mr. M.C.
Naithani, Counsellor at the Indian Embassy who was the
Chief Guest at a function held on 20th August 2003 at
the Doha Palace Hotel at 8.30 p.m. followed by a
Konkani Song "MAI BHAS KONKANI" (Mother Tongue
Konkani) sung by Mr. Wellington Coutinho and music
provided by Albert and Martin Mascarenhas. The World
Goa Day function was attended by a large number of
konkani speaking community members.
The President of Goan Overseas Association, Qatar Mr.
Simon D'Silva has extended a warm welcome and revealed
that he is very happy to see a large gathering and
support for the Konkani and the association on this
auspicious day of World Goa Day. In his welcome note,
he said today is the 12th Anniversary of the Konkani
Language being included in the 8th schedule of the
Indian Constitution when in 1992, the two houses of
the Indian Parliament unanimously voted and approved
an amendment, thus according the national status. The
GOA, Qatar has done a lot of work in Qatar for their
community which have been always successful with your
continuos support.
World Goa Day is a golden opportunity and a valuable
day for all of us. Today we are launching this Konkani
Language Course for the community, take the benefits
and do register your children now and make a decision
to teach your child Konkani. We are ready and capable
for teaching in both the scripts, Devnagri as well as
Roman Script, but in the beginning we will start with
Devnagri for the easiness of our children and later on
in Roman script as demands and requests receives from
you, said Simon D'Silva. He also said. Let's make a
decision today on this auspicious day of World Goa Day
to begin to speak in Konkani with a slogan "KONKANI
ULOI, KONKANI BOROI AND NIZ GOENKAR MHUNNON SOUNSARAK
DAKHOI" (Speak konkani, write konkani and prove to the
world that you are a true Goan).
The Chief Guest of the occasion, Mr. M. C. Naithani,
Counsellor at the Indian Embassy thanked G.O.A., for
giving him the privilege today. He said, as far as my
knowledge goes Konkani is not only one of the oldest
language but an ancient language. As far as I know, it
was one of the older language than many others. It
went from Goa to South to Kerala, East to Bengal and
to Maharashtra and then to Madhya Pradesh, but they
could not give back to Goa. The World Goa Day, theme
today is "Giving Back to Goa" and I think this is the
right time to give Konkani back to it's place of
origin. The first book was written in Christianity.
Bible was printed in Konkani in the year 1808 and
still 500 copies are there in the museums, etc. There
is a long history of Konkani and konkani people
themselves have let it down and did not give it back
to their language and today is the right time to give
to their language. He also said, besides Sanskrit
Konkani is the only language that is written in 5
different scripts. It has been written in Devnagri,
Roman, Arabic, Kannada and Malayalam. It is such a
huge language that can be written in any scripts, but
only in 1992 it made the official language of GOA. He
appealed to the Goans to give back what they have
achieved. Language is the basis of all the development
and culture, other things will develop simultaneously,
please Give Back to Goa, Mr. Naithani concluded.
Mr. Eddie Sequeira, a konkani writer, director, poet,
musician and an actor who was the Special Guest on
World Goa Day function said "The Goan Overseas
Association has come out with a Victory Map that is to
teach Konkani which is very hard but with everyone's
support he praised to all those who have supported the
idea. Mr. Sequeira spent his youth around 15 to 20
years for the development of Konkani in Mangalore. He
spoke very humorously and said, after 15 to 20 years
he came to Qatar to spend around 4 years to make some
money, some gold, some bank balance and go back to
Mangalore and continue the work of acting and
directing dramas, etc. etc but today he completed 13
years still in the gulf and unaware when he will
return to work for konkani. He thanked GOA for
inviting him and wishes all the success for this
wonderful idea. Today, 12 years have passed Konkani
has been included in the 8th schedule of the Indian
constitution. Everyone was saying konkani is over and
why to teach our children Konkani? For what reason?
None of us have ever loved Konkani from our heart that
is why our children speak only in English at home.
Which language 8th month old baby can understand? Even
with the dog and cat at home we speak in English. He
cautioned, it is very much necessary to learn and
speak Konkani to preserve our identity. We are
dramatist, there are many good Konkani songs, let the
children listen them in the morning and evening. In
this world we have only one thing which is of our own
and nobody can steal it from us and that is our
language. This is our identity. We should keep and
maintain our identity and give our children also our
identity that can be achieved only through the Konkani
Language.
During the World Goa Day function, Fr. Jose
Thachukunnel said that there was only one Language in
the world that the God has created and people were so
united that they became proud and powerful. It is so
powerful, it can unite and divine people. It is also
very important in connection with the culture that
makes a men what he is, it makes a human being.
Culture includes religion, value system, etc. To grow
in a rich culture ones own language is a must. Roots
of a culture is it's language. Language unites people,
you can learn other languages but is very important
and necessary to learn our own language. I appreciate
the good work the Goan Overseas Association, Qatar are
doing and for launching a Konkani Language course on
World Goa Day which is being celebrated around the
world by the goans. I wish the organization and all
the same to your children who go out of it. Culture
makes a real human being, stated Fr. Jose.
Mr. Rui Fernandes, a social worker and a Konkani lover
said during the World Goa Day function that there are
many languages in India. All these languages have come
from four Mother languages; Sanskrit, Ardha Magadhi,
Pali and Prakrit. Konkani is derived from Prakrit. It
was written in devnagri before the Portuguese, and
after the Portuguese came Roman Script was written. It
is a high time for us to preserve our language
Konkani which has kept by our older generations. It
should be our duty and responsibility to keep and
maintain our language alive. In many languages we say
Thank you but Konkani is the only language we say "Dev
Borem Korum" Dev means God, Dev Borem Korum means
Thank you.
The Guest of Honour, Mr. Walter Dias, Acting Area
Manager at Gulf Air and a prominent Goan, said GOA DAY
was first established in Kuwait by the Goan Welfare
Society in the year 1990 that is why we are all
gathered here in this evening. GOA DAY is all about
unity, friendship and togetherness. Today is the 12th
Anniversary and the Goan Overseas Association, Qatar
has given us a good opportunity to understand and
appreciate Goan heritage and the konkani language.
GOA, Qatar has taken a step further by introducing a
Konkani Language course for our children and elders
alike, I am personally of the expat stock of whose
konkani is poor. What a wonderful opportunity now to
learn our mother tongue in a distant land. Today
Konkani represents 0.5% of the Indian Population. The
Konkani was the first to recognize the need of
education. 40% of educational institutes in India were
started by Konkans, managed by Konkans and over 100
years old. The First Book in any Asian Language was in
Konkani written in the year 1622. The name of the Book
is Doctrine Christine means Doctor of Christ. In 1640
another book "Arthe Da Lingoa Canarim" (Art of the
Language of Canara), first grammar book written for
any Indian Languages. The first konkani newspaper was
printed in 1886 "O Konkani" and the oldest existing
printing paper today is "RAKHNNO" which was started in
1938. In 1976, the konkani was officially recognized
as an Independent Language by the Sahitya Academy and
in 1987 was made official language of Goa, and only in
1992 it was included in the 8th schedule of Indian
Constitution. Goans as we all know are an ethnic group
that are spread all over the world with a sentimental
blood line that connects us together with Goa. It is
no easy mission to bring Goans together without
creating social and psychological islands, but to
those who endeavor in this noble objective task people
like Simon, John and the Committee members of GOA, it
should not be a question of considering merit but a
matter of extending support without prejudice. I would
like to offer on behalf of the larger community
gathered over here this evening our ongoing best
wishes and prayful good intentions to promote konkani
as a bond that links all Goans all over the world,
said Walter Dias in his speech.
Mr. Wellington Coutinho, said, first time in Qatar
after many years I have achieved some strength when
GOA announced Konkani for Goans. Today's speakers have
shared with us a lot of knowledge and intelligence on
konkani which is very important but cautioned saying
that is not enough, implementation is must. If we
speak 15 words in English a day at least make a
resolution to speak 2 words in Konkani to keep our
mother tongue alive.
Prior to the vote of thanks Mr. John De Sa reminded
that lot of goans in Goa and world-wide have worked
hard for the Mother tongue Konkani. During the Konkani
agitation in 1986, seven brothers have died and became
Martyrs. They are Alfred Fernandes, Cajie Dias, Inacio
Gonsalves, John Fernandes, Joaquim Pereira and Mathew
Gracias all from Agassaim, Goa and after some days
Floriano Vaz died from Borda, Margao. Goans have died
for Konkani, he questioned, what we have done and can
be done for Konkani? Today GOA has launched this
course in Qatar, we appreciate you send your children
and also speak to them in Konkani to keep the language
and culture alive. To my knowledge the first printing
press of konkani is in Panjim, Goa. Today we lack to
teach our children in Konkani saying they will not
excel academically. It has been scientifically proven
and scientific research has been done that a child can
study one or more languages. These languages will be
remembered by the child if taught before the age of
eleven. There are many goan organizations in the
countries where goans are living world-wide, however
such organizations have done little to promote
Konkani. He further called upon all the goans
world-wide to set up a society in the name of Shenoi
Goembab, a well known poet, writter and "Konkan of the
Milenium" award winner. The sole objective of this
society shall be to promote Konkani in those countries
where goan expats resides. This society shall be
similar to Dante Alighiri and Goethe Societies which
promotes Italian and German languages respectively in
foreign countries. Later Mr. De Sa profusely thanked
all those who have supported GOA continuosly and to
make World Goa Day a grand success. Mr. Camillo
Fernandes compered the event.
The ceremony conluded followed by a dinner where all
the Goans started singing Goan Konkani songs and
mandos.
The following song was sung by Wellington Coutinho:
MAI BHAS KONKANI
Sobit udentich polongar,
Kedo dhobazo ani banddar,
Mannkam motiancho vhodd surngar,
Amchem mogachem Goa-xar.
CH.
Ul'has soddum-ia, vhoir vhoir kaddum-ia
Mhunnun sobit amchem Goa,
Khuxeal zaum-ia, mogan uddum-ia,
Mhunnum sobit amchem Goa.
Konknim mai-bhas amchea Goiemchi,
Ros-roshit, suvaddik, ruch'hichi,
Avoi-bapui, purvozanchi,
Khalti, mogal, mhoipasachi.
CH.
Konknim vengoum-ia,
Burgeank xinkoum-ia
Mhunnum sobit amchem Goa,
Ul'has soddum-ia, vhoir vhoir kaddum-ia,
Mhunnun sobit amchem Goa.
Mai-bhas konknim jivi dovorunk,
Zonn-eklean ami zaiem vaurrunk,
Burgeank amchea mhukar vhorunk,
Kalzant tanchea konknim rigounk.
CH.
Mon-lain vhaurum-ia,
Urben bhorum-ia,
Mhunnum sobit amchem Goa,
Ul'has soddum-ia, vhoir vhoir kaddum-ia,
Mhunnun sobit amchem Goa.
- Forwarded by www.goa-world.com
Links:
www.goa-world.com/konkani/
=====
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