Goan Catholics

Christian adherents to the Catholic Church who originate from the present state of Goa, a region on the west coast of India, and their descendants are generally referred to as Goan Catholics. A majority of Goan Catholics belong to the Konkani ethnicity while a smaller proportion are Luso-Indians. Goan Catholics played a pivotal role in the formation of the state of Goa and in designating their native language Konkani as a scheduled language of India. Diaspora communities in anglophone countries usually speak English as their first language while regarding Konkani as their ancestral language. Some upper class Catholic families in Goa spoke Portuguese as their primary language prior to 1961. Portugal took control of Goa in 1510. The Portuguese soon consolidated their power by imposing their own government and culture through intermarriage and converting the majority of the local population to Catholicism. Many pre-Portuguese Hindu traditions were adapted or retained by the Goan Catholics. This included a variation of the Indian caste system, although it was not practiced rigidly. Throughout the Portuguese Empire a large part of civic administration (e.g. registration of births, marriages and deaths, schools, colleges, hospitals, orphanages, etc.) was initially maintained by the Catholic religious orders. Under Portuguese nationality law, Goans born before 19 December 1961 in the then Portuguese territory of Goa are entitled to Portuguese citizenship. As per the law of Portugal (Jus sanguinis), this is extended up to two generations, that is to their children and grandchildren. Due to the distance from Portugal, Goans (like the people of Macau and Timor) had a high level of autonomy, although still a part of Portugal. Goans moved for work to other parts of the Portuguese Empire, and hence it is possible to find people of Goan descent in the Americas, Africa, Europe, as well as other parts of Asia. A large-scale emigration of Goan Catholics to Bombay (now Mumbai) began in the 1800s, because of better economic opportunities. They congregated in the same churches, attended many of the same religious functions, and shared Portuguese surnames and culture. The British favoured the Goan Christians in administrative jobs, due to their proficiency in western language and culture. ==History==

Renaissance and Baroque eras (c. 1540) The Portuguese came to India with the ambition of capturing the Asian trade to Europe through the Arab world and by-passing the traditional Silk Route from China to Europe. The Portuguese first reached the west coast of India in 1498 when Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut. On 25 November 1510 Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur. By 1544 the Portuguese conquered the districts of Bardez, Tiswadi, and Salcette. Pope Nicholas V had enacted the Papal bull Romanus Pontifex in 1455, granting the patronage ("Padroado") of the propagation of the Christian faith in Asia to the Portuguese and rewarded them a trade monopoly in newly discovered areas. Trade was initiated shortly after Vasco da Gama arrived in India in 1498. The Portuguese Catholic Church was granted the responsibility of proselytizing in Asia by the Pope, and all missionaries had to call at Lisbon before departing for Asia. In Goa different orders were designated different areas, with the Jesuits granted Salsette province in the South, and the Franciscans, the northern province of Bardez. Other orders such as Carmelites, Dominicans, and Augustinians were also present in Portuguese Goa. dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, in Old Goa, was built by the Portuguese in 1510. It is one of the oldest churches in Goa and one of the largest in Asia. It also holds a miraculous cross that is venerated to date. In 1534 the Diocese of Goa was created from the Diocese of Funchal to serve as a common diocese for the western coast of India, including Goa and the area in and around Bombay. The Portuguese built many churches; the most notable are Basilica of Bom Jesus (Basílica of Child Jesus) built during the sixteenth century—a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to the Infant Jesus.The church also holds the embalmed body of St. Francis Xavier.—and the Se Cathedral, the largest church in Asia dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, the construction of which was started in 1562 during the reign of King Dom Sebastião and completed in 1619. It was consecrated in 1640. The Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church (Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição Igreja) was built in 1540. The Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi (Igreja e Convento de São Francisco de Assis), Church of Lady of Rosary (Igreja da Senhora do Rosário), Church of St. Augustine (Igreja de Santo Agostinho), and St. Michael's Church, Anjuna (Igreja São Miguel em Anjuna), built in 1613, were also erected during the Portuguese reign. Modern era In 1787, some Goan Catholic priests, unhappy with the process of promotion within the Church and other discriminatory practices of the Portuguese, organised the unsuccessful Pinto Revolt against the Portuguese. From the 19th century, Catholic Goans started emigrating to British-run cities in India, especially to Mumbai and Bangalore in the 1920s and 1930s. They also started migrating to Portuguese territories, the United Kingdom, and the United States. According to the 2011 census, Christians formed 26.01% of Goa's total population. ==Geographical distribution==

According to the 2001 census there were around 359,568 Christians in Goa. During 1954 it was estimated that there were 20,000 Goan Catholics in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, while 30,000 were living in Pakistan, out of which 10,000 were settled in Karachi. In 1931 it was estimated that there were around 1,772 Goan Catholics in Tanzania of which 700 were in Dar es Salaam. In Uganda during 1931, there were around 1,124 Goan Catholics, out of which 500 were settled in its capital of Kampala. Prior to the 1960s it was estimated that there were around 5,000 Goan Catholics in Nairobi, Kenya. By the 20th century there were around 6,000 Goan Catholics in London, while in 2001, 9,000 were present in Swindon, United Kingdom. ==Culture==

Architecture Goan Architecture is heavily influenced by Portuguese styles, a result of being a territory of Portugal for over 450 years. Houses influenced by Indian architecture were inward-looking with small windows and roofed with Mangalore tile. Houses were constructed with walls of wooden planks, mud, laterite brick, or stone. Canja de galinha and Frango à Cafreal are well-known chicken dishes. Fish curry and rice form the staple diet of Goan Catholics. Patoleo (sweet rice cakes steamed in turmeric leaves consisting of a filling of coconut and palm jaggery) are prepared on the Feasts of San Juanv (São João) on 24 June, Maria da Assunção on 15 August, and Konnsachem fest (harvest festival) which occurs across Goa during the month of August. Kuswad (Consoada) is a term used for the sweet delicacies prepared during Christmas which include Bebinca, Dodol, Bathica, Kulkuls, Neureos, and Perada. Names and surnames Portuguese names, having variants in both Romi Konkani and English, like Mingel (Michael) and Magdu (Magdalene) are common among Goan Catholics. Portuguese surnames (like Lobo, D’Souza, Rodrigues, Fernandes, Pereira Pereira and Pinto) are standard among Goan Catholics because of the Christianisation of Goa during Portuguese rule. Language and literature Language " of the Gospel of John in Konkani. Goan Catholics employ the Roman script for their religious and secular writings in Konkani. Goan Catholics speak the Konkani language which is key to the community's identity. Konkani is an Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-European family of languages, which is spoken predominantly on the west coast of India. According to linguists this dialect is largely derived from Maharashtri Prakrit and is similar to Bengali in terms of pronunciation. The Ethnologue identifies this dialect as the "Goan" dialect. The Goan Catholic dialect is written in the Roman script. Portuguese influence can be seen in the dialect's lexicon and syntax. 1,800 Portuguese lexical items are found in the Goan Catholic dialect. The syntactic patterns adopted from Portuguese include mostly word order patterns, such as the placement of the direct and the indirect object and of the adverb after the verb, the placement of the predicate noun after the copula, and the placement of the relative or reduced relative clause after the head noun. There are, however, some transformations as well among these patterns. Such syntactic modification is most evident in this particular dialect. It is observed only in the written word and in formal speech such as sermons. In recent times, more and more periodicals have abandoned the Portuguese syntactic patterns. The dialect is significantly different from the dialect spoken by the Hindu Goans not only with respect to Portuguese influence, but also with respect to grammatical and lexical characteristics. Literature , the first published work in Konkani and any other Indian language. The origin of their literature dates to 1563, when the first Konkani grammar was published by Fr Andre Vaz at St Paulo College at Old Goa. In 1567 the first Konkani-Portuguese dictionary was published by missionary priests at Rachol, Goa. In 1622 Thomas Stephens, an English Jesuit, published Doutrina Christam em Lingoa Bramana Canarim (Christian Doctrines in the Canarese Brahmin Language), which was the first book in Konkani and any Indian language. On 22 December 1821 the first periodical, Gazeta de Goa (Goa Gazetteer), edited by Antonio Jose de Lima Leitao, was published. On 22 January 1900 the first Portuguese newspaper, O Heraldo, was started by Prof. Messias Gomes. It was transformed into an English daily in 1987. Periodicals such as Amcho Ganv (1930) by Luis de Menezes, Vauraddeancho Ixxt (1933), a weekly by Fr. Arcencio Fernandes and Fr. Gracianco Moraes, Konkani-Portuguese periodicals such as O Concani, a weekly by Sebastiāo Jesus Dias, Sanjechem Noketr (The Evening Star) (1907) by B. F. Cabral, O Goano (1907) by Honarato Furtado and Francis Futardo, and Ave Maria (1919) edited by Antonio D'Cruz were published in Bombay. In February 1899 Udentenchem Sallok (Lotus of the East) by Eduardo J. Bruno de Souza, the first Konkani periodical, was published as a fortnightly in Poona. The first Konkani book in the Devanagri script, Kristanv Doton ani Katisism by Dr. George Octaviano Pires, was published in Sholapore in 1894. In 1911 the first Konkani novel, Kristanv Ghorabo (Christian Home), was published. Modern literature is diverse and includes themes such as historical awakening in Lambert Mascarenhas' Sorrowing Lies My Land, In 1974, the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman published the Novo Korar (New Testament) of the Holy Bible in Konkani. Later, on 4 June 2006, the Archdiocese released the complete Catholic Bible in Konkani employing the Latin alphabet known as Povitr Pustok. In 2018, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao launched the Povitr Pustok, a Konkani Bible app, a mobile phone application software with the entire Konkani Bible text. Traditions and festivals Traditions Many Indian customs and traditions persist among the Goan Catholics, which are more conspicuous during their marriage festivities. Traditionally, as in other Indian communities, arranged marriages were the norm. Pre-marriage traditions include Soirik (matrimonial alliance), Utor (promise of marriage), Mudi (engagement ceremony), Amontron (wedding invitation), Porcond (bridal shower), Chuddo (glass bangles) ceremony wherein the bride's forearms are adorned with colourful glass bangles of green, yellow, and red which are symbolic of fertility and married life, Saddo (red or pink dress) ceremony of cutting and sewing the bridal dress, the bridegroom's Hair-cutting ritual, and Bhuim jevon (a ritual meal in honour of the ancestors) or Bhikream jevon (a meal for the poor or beggars). Dennem (trousseau) is sent to the groom's house the day before the wedding. The Ros (anointing) ceremony held on the evening before the wedding involves the parents, relatives, and friends blessing the soon-to-be-wed couple before they begin their married life. It is conducted at the bride's and bridegroom's respective homes, who along with their bridesmaids and best men are ceremonially bathed with Apros (first extract of coconut milk). The bridegroom's/bride's mother dabs her thumb in coconut oil and anoints her son's/daughter's forehead by placing the sign of the cross on it. Special commemorative songs called Zoti are sung for the occasion. On the wedding day, the bridal couple receive Besanv (Benediction) ceremoniously from their parents and elders before the families leave their individual homes for the church to celebrate the Resper (Nuptial Mass) which is followed by the wedding reception later in the evening. Traditions post the reception include Hatant dinvcheak (handing over) the bride solemnly by the father or the guardian of the bride to the groom's family, Shim (boundary) ritual which involves crossing an imaginary boundary created by pouring liquor on the ground as the Vor (bridal party) prepare to leave for the groom's house. After the ritual, one or two relatives from the bride's side formally invite the newlyweds to the bride's home for a celebration the next day. This is known as Apovnnem (invitation) in Konkani and the occasion is called Portovnnem (ceremonial return). Festivals Konsachem fest (harvest festival) celebrated on 15 August that involves blessing of new harvests are other Goan Catholic celebrations. In addition to common Christian festivals like Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter, the community celebrates many other festivals of religious and historical significance. The Zagor (nocturnal vigil in Konkani), mainly celebrated in Siolim, in Bardez taluka, is a festival highlighted by dance, drama and music. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Monti Saibinichem Fest in Konkani, Feast of Our Lady of the Mount) on 8 September is a major festival, especially in Chinchinim. Milagres Saibinichem Fest is the feast of Our Lady of Miracles, celebrated at St. Jerome Church (Mapusa). Contrary to popular belief, Goa Carnival is a commercial festival in Goa. Its current form (King Momo, floats, etc.) was created only in 1965 to attract tourists. Costumes and ornaments In the past, Goan Catholic women wore a hol, a white sheet over their saris, while going to Church. In the early period of Portuguese rule, Goan Catholic women were married in whites saris (hol) and changed into a red dress or sari, known as saddo, at home. Women of the upper strata wore the Fota-Kimao after the Church ceremony. Fota was a blouse made of red velvet and satin with a black border and embroidered with gold thread. Accessories used along with the fota included a variety of jewellery worn on the head, ears, neck, and arms. The fator was an ornament that consisted of a green stone between two corals held by double chains. Together with the fator, women wore a set of five intricate chains known as contti, and other chains. Women wore bangles known as nille with matching carap on their ears. They also wore few small chains from the ear to the head, combs made of gold (dantoni), silver, or tortoise shell, and rings on every finger. During the later period of Portuguese rule, women got married in Western clothes. The Cordao (wedding necklace) was a necklace with two black-beaded chains reminiscent of the Hindu Mangalsutra, interspersed with roughly twenty gold coins, which formed a gold pendant, often in the shape of Jesus or the cross. A widow had to wear black clothes for the rest of her life and was not allowed to wear ornaments. Society ) of a Goan Catholic family, constructed using old-style Portuguese architecture Goan Catholics retained the same caste system which their ancestors had followed. A village in Goa was known as Ganv, its freeholder was the Ganvkar, and Ganvkari included the Ganvkars' village associations and co-operatives. Village communities were known as Ganvponn, The mass was celebrated in Latin; the Homily was delivered to the congregation in Konkani. Caste Native Catholics in rural Goa retained their former Hindu castes. The Bamonns (the Konkani word for Brahmins) were members of the Hindu priestly caste. Brahmin sub-castes (such as the Goud Saraswat Brahmins, the Padyes, the Daivadnyas), the goldsmiths and some merchants were lumped into the Christian caste of Bamonn. Performing arts 's monochrome Konkani film Amchem Noxib On 24 April 1950, Mogacho Aunddo (Desire of Love), the first Konkani film by Al Jerry Braganza, was released at Mapusa, Goa. The Konkani hymn Asli Mata Dukhest, which was translated into Konkani from the Latin hymn Stabat Mater, is sung during Lent. Jocachim Miranda, a Goan Catholic priest, composed Riglo Jezu Molliant (Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemene) during his Canara mission. Diptivonti, Sulokinni, an eighteenth-century Konkani hymn, was performed at a concert held in the Holy Spirit Church, Margao, Goa. Other hymns composed by Goan Catholics include Dona Barrete's Papeanchi Saratinni (Sinners Repent), Carlos Jrindade Dias' Sam Jose Bogta Bagvionta, and Fr. Pascal Baylon Dias' San Francisco Xaveria. Konkani pop music became popular after Indian Independence. Chris Perry and Lorna Cordeiro are known for the Bebdo (Drunkard) in 1976 and Pisso (Mad) in the 1970s, while Frank Fernand's Konkani ballad Claudia from 1966 is popular. The Mando, a contemporary form of dance music, evolved in Salcette in the first half of the nineteenth century out of wedding music, specifically the Ovi. Early composers of the Mando were Ligorio de Costa of Courtarim (1851–1919) and Carlos Trindade Dias. Other dances are the Portuguese Corridinho and Marcha. Dulpod is dance music with a quick rhythm and themes from everyday Goan life. Other dances performed at the Goan Carnival are Fulwali, Nistekaram, Vauradi, and Kunbi. The Ghumot is a musical instrument played, especially during weddings, and is used while performing a Mando.{{cite web Konkani Plays, known as ‘Tiatr’ (theatre), a form of classic stage performance with live singing and acting, were written and staged in Goa. The form evolved in the 20th century with pioneer tiatrists such as Jao Agostinho Fernandes (1871–1941).{{cite news {{cquote|Adeus Korchu Vellu Paulu("The Farewell Hour is here") Adeus korchu vellu paulo.The time of farewell is now here Ai mhojem kalliz rê fapsota.Oh! my heart begins to fear (Repeat previous two lines) Dispediru korchea vellar,At this moment of saying farewell, Ho sonvsar naka-so disota.In this world I no longer wish to dwell. (Repeat previous two lines) Goan Catholics have also played an important role in Bollywood music. (See Goans in Hindi film music composition) ==Organisations==

Goenkaranchi Ekvot is a registered organisation of Goan Catholics residing in Delhi. The Goan Overseas Association in Toronto, ==Notable Goan Catholics==