http://www.saligaoserenade.com Essays on the history, people and traditions of a colourful Goan village Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:56:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas In an earlier essay (A Red-Letter Day for Saligao) I had detailed the events that took place at the time of inauguration and installation of the image of Mae de Deus in Saligao Church on 26 November 1873. This statue formerly belonged to the Mother of God ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/03/11/first-mass-in-saligao-church/ by Mel D’Souza During my last two years in high school, I had a new friend – Gerry Lopes. Gerry had done all his early schooling at the Portuguese Liceum College in Go’s capital Panjim until his dad, Aquino Lopes, decided to move him to the English medium. As a result, Gerry ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/03/01/blending-compassion-with-toughness/ by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas Many Christians dream of making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land someday. For some the dream actually becomes a reality. My school companion and friend Salvador Isidoro Mascarenhas from Mollebhatt, counts himself among those fortunate ones, when, about a year ago in April 2009, he, along with another ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/02/23/saligao-in-the-holy-land/ by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas As the well-known American priest and psychologist Michael Garanzini once said, “Children are excellent observers but poor interpreters.” They observe everything that others do, but they are poor interpreters of these actions; they know exactly what you are doing but they don’t know exactly what it means. A ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/02/14/lines-of-communication/ by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas In the 1940s and 50s one means of transportation that all were familiar with in the picturesque Goan village of Saligao was the boilanchi gaddi (ox-driven carriage). Only a few people could be accommodated in it. The man driving the carriage was known as the gaddiekar, and ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/02/08/the-carriage-that-never-ran-out-of-fuel/ by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas As a priest on staff at the Holy Spirit Church in Margao, one of my duties is to visit the parishioners. A few days ago my visits took me to the famous Rua Abade Faria (named for Jose de Custodio de Faria, the colourful and enigmatic son ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/01/31/the-vendor-of-church-wine/ by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas Saligao is a well-known village in Bardez, Goa. The people from neighbouring villages refer to Saligaokars as Uxellantle Kole or, nowadays, simply Kole (foxes). How did this nickname originate? Let me tell you the interesting story: Many centuries back it was rather difficult for people in Saligao to travel ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/01/24/the-foxes-in-the-sugarcane-plantation/ by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas The people of Goa have always had a fascination for names, and take the naming of their children very seriously. In days gone by it was not unusual for an infant to be given three, four or even more names – after patron saints, forefathers, famous figures ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/01/11/saligao-nicknames-%e2%80%93-swearing-by-a-quaint-goan-tradition/ by Mel D'Souza  “Baba” was a universal term of affection used in Goa to address a little boy or an adult male who was in good standing in the community. The term would also be used, somewhat grudgingly, when addressing the odd individual who was an embarrassment to his family, but ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2010/01/04/our-family-baba-black-sheep/ by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas Prior to the Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510, Goan villages had schools that were known as patshalas.  According to George Moraes, “There was no village but had a school, be it in the shade of a grove or in the porch of the temple where ... http://www.saligaoserenade.com/2009/12/27/historical-view-of-education-and-schools-in-saligao/