By Selma Carvalho
The liberal narrative has always been the story of the voiceless and the vulnerable. As such, it demands there is an oppressor and an oppressed, the villainous and the victim. Those of us, who don the liberal mantle, are bound by an unspoken code of ethics to be faithful to the narrative; for one thing, it assures us of a loyal audience among our peers, and it makes for the more compelling story. Who wants to engage in a conversation where there are no heroes, no victims, no sense of liberal moral outrage?
But what if history doesn’t always unfold that way? What if history is at times collaborative instead of confrontational, where collective good is not immediately evident and evolution necessarily demands the destruction of ideologies which are no longer relevant?
One emerging narrative is that of the Gawda community. Living as tribal clans in various parts of Goa, the community has largely been voiceless. So, we can only be supportive, when at last, it is finding a voice. I don’t claim to have profound knowledge of the issues confronting this community, but neither am I completely ignorant of their lives. As a child, I watched them pray faithfully, sitting on the floor of the village church. The few pews, at the back of that whitewashed baroque church, had been donated by the landed classes (my grandfather amongst them), and these families laid claim to them. So every Sunday, the Gawda sat, literally at our feet, their heads bent in uncomprehending benediction before an indifferent God.
Who can deny the humiliation this community has faced? They clustered around the church square living in small huts. Marriage to a Gawda was inconceivable although sexual liaisons did take place. They led socially segregated lives, subject to all the abuse people (social, economic and political) face when they are different from the mainstream and the dominant. This then, is part of their historical narrative which will find voice in art, literature and political franchise.
In the recounting of our tales however, we don’t have to create a grievance narrative perpetuating a sense of victimhood. Grievance narratives by their very nature need an arch villain, and in the case of the Gawda community, Gawda activists seem to have decided that arch villain is going to be the Catholic Church. Accusations made by activists through various platforms (websites, articlesand at the recently concluded Goa Arts and Literary Festival) point a finger at the church, as being instrumental in destroying their culture and conniving with upper castes in the usurpation of land. I quote from one such activist, Joao Fernandes: ‘In any civilization, the elite section of society always tries to imposeits culture on everyone. So also is the case with organised religiousinstitutions. They try to impose their religious practices on less powerfulreligious institutions. The elite assert superior status for their cultureand religion with the claim that their culture and religion come from Godwhile that of the tribal and downtrodden come from the devil. And with thisbelief the former attack and destroy the later. However, in reality, thetribal culture is far superior as it is in close association with nature.”
Thanks to effective spin doctoring by India’s left leaning activists, we are led to believe that tribal cultures are somehow pristine but under assault from capitalism and modernity.That, left to themselves, they will be leading morally upright, bountiful lives, while being conscientious guardians of the environment. In reality, tribal communities feature low on almost every quality of life indicator: health, education and employment. In addition, generally, tribal communities are afflicted by alcoholism, domestic violence, gender inequality and a high rate of infant mortality.
A proper assessment of the church’s role would reveal that it has been at the forefront in bringing education to the Gawda community. Thanks to church schools, it has transformed an agricultural society into one that is literate and employed in diverse sectors. It is now almost impossible to distinguish the Gawda community from non-Gawda populations. This sense of inclusion is due to the dedicated efforts of the church. The Gawda is an integral part of prayer groups, committees, the fabrica, choirs, sporting events and local theatre sponsored by the church. All this has been crucial to assimilation.
Why accuse the church of destroying a culture? A process of transformation necessarily means leaving behind cultural practices which are of little use to modern societies. Their memory maybe recorded and commemorated but their daily practice is irrelevant. Cultures are not static, they are in a constant state of evolution. People have an instinctive urge to embrace the new in their pursuit of progress. The role of the church is to be applauded not lamented. (ENDS)
Source: The Goan, January 17, 2015
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