The Goan
Pioneers
By J. Christie D'Souza,
Editor of the 1955 Goan Institute Golden
Jubilee Brochure
Goa, to many a westerner, is a land of
mystery. Its situation is rather assumed than known. To some it
only exists because they meet Goans wherever they go, be it England or
Portugal, America or Japan, Australia or Africa, Oxford or Rome.
Goa is a picturesque little country on the
west coast of India, situated midway between Karachi and Cape Comorin, about
150 miles south of Bombay. Its greatest length is 60 miles, with a
breadth of 40 miles. Its total area is 1,300 square miles and has a
population of about 625,000 souls.
Goa is a land of natural beauty-bounded by
stretches of sea, alternating with a vista of swaying palms, hills and valleys,
green fields and bleak by-paths. It is a land where churches and chapels,
priests and crosses flourish. The religious fervor of the Goans has made
more than one observer echo that Goa is “the Rome of the East” where lie
incorrupt the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier for the last four centuries.
Consequently Goa has been the scene of Pilgrimages and miracles up to
this day.
Goa, where the soft accent of the people
blend harmoniously with the strumming of their violins and guitars is a land of
beauty, peace and plenty. The tall spires of the mighty churches in Goa
beckon with dumb eloquence all eyes to gaze heavenwards. The sweet chimes
of the village church bells at the Angelus time are the signals for all heads
to bow down in prayer, that brings in its trail upon the sleepy villages an
ineffable peace which is broken here and there by the recital of the rosary in
every home.
To the weary sailor, Goa is a land of
shelter, to the missionary, a land of peace and promise; to the politicians a
land of hope and dreams; while to the Goan himself it is a land overflowing
with milk and honey, human kindness and sympathy, land of honest life and
happiness, free from strife and jealousy.
When the Portuguese landed in Goa four
centuries ago, they came with a sword in one hand and a cross in the other, and
found both their missions very fruitful. Vasco da Gama landed in India in
1498 accompanied by several priests. He was followed in 1550 by Cabral,
the discoverer of Brazil, who brought with him many Franciscans, followed by
various other missionaries. Goans were converted to Christianity and then
followed the evolution of the Goan race. They assimilated all that was
best of western civilization, retaining however, their heritage of Asian
characteristics. Though Kipling has said that “East is East and West is
West and never the twain shall meet” the Goan has disproved this to a great
extent. And today the Goan, all over the world is known for his
hospitality and his sportsmanship, his love for music and religion, and above
all for his honesty and respect for Law and Order.
GOAN EMIGRATION TO BRITISH INDIA
Bombay Island and Bassein belonged to the
Portuguese before the British came to India and therefore it is quite easy to
understand how Goans emigrated to that famous port of Bombay and the suburbs
which later were seceded to the British as part of a dowry to an English king
who married a Portuguese princess.
The introduction of English-teaching schools
in Goa further encouraged the emigration. One seminary student from
southern India studying in Bombay was forced to give up his career and seek
refuge in Goa. A friend recommended to him the waters of the hot springs
for cure of the serious skin disease from which he was suffering and this
remedy eventually proved successful. In recognition of this favor, the
young ecclesiastic decided to settle there and founded the first
English-teaching School in Goa. In loving memory of its founder, this
school, to the day is popularly known as FATHER LYONS SCHOOL OF ARPORA, which
was flourished form year to year, and has sent forth worthy sons all over the
world, many of whom hold responsible posts in Government and Railway services
in India and elsewhere. This school was followed by others and it came to
pass that more and more students took up to learning English rather than
Portuguese. Lucrative positions were offered to Goans as other Indians
were not so keen on Government service. Adventurous young men seeing
their compatriots faring well followed their footsteps and migrated to the
various parts of the British Empire.
Here I am inclined to record, not with little
pride, the names of the famous Goan emigrants of gold. Karachi has
produced Cincinatus Abreo, Deputy Collector of Customs and the founder in
British India of the first Goan Colony which is rightly named after him.
Mr. Edward Raymond, the first Goan Judicial Commissioner in Sind, has
given many children in the service of God. His eldest son, Dr. L.
Raymond, D.D., D.C.L., D.Ph., is now a Bishop. Mr. C. M. Lobo, B.A.,
LL.B., is another Goan who also rose to the post of Chief Justice in Sind; and
Mr. M. Misquita, a landlord and a great benefactor of the Goan community, had
the honor of being the first Goan Mayor of Karachi, the then third largest city
in India.
Bombay has similarly had illustrious sons,
prominent among them being Dr. Viegas, Dr. Colaco, Dr. Alban D’Souza, and Dr.
Ubald Mascarenhas, all of whom have been Mayors of the premier city in India,
not forgetting politician Leandro Mascarenhas and Leopold Gama. Principal
Correa Alphonso was the first Indian to be elected as Vice-President of the
Oxford Union and would have been automatically President the following year had
he not returned to India.
Dr. Sir Augustus D’Souza held the post of the
Director of Medical Services in the United Provinces and Dr. Gama had been in a
similar capacity in the Bombay Presidency. Other towns have had their illustrious
sons and among the younger generation Dr. Valerian Gracias, D.D., D.Ph.,
D.C.L., is the first Goan Cardinal and Archbishop in Bombay, a product of St.
Patrick’s High School, Karachi, which so far has given three other Bishops,
namely, Dr. L. Raymond, Dr. Edwin Pinto, and Dr. Michael Rodrigues, led by the
first saintly vocation of Fr. Vincent Lobo, B.A., LL.B. and followed later by
numerous vocations in the vineyard of Christ.
I would be doing injustice if I were to omit
names of those Goans who have been recognized not only in Goa, but on the
European continent for their brilliant career. Who has not heard of
Francis Luis Gomes, the famous author; or Abbe de Faria, the founder of
Hypnotism; of Venerable Jose Vaz, the Apostle of Ceylon; of Padre Agnelo, a
miracle worker; of Dr. Froilano D; Mello, the famous Bacteriologist of the
French Academy; of Capitao C. D’Souza of Mozambique military fame and a host of
others.
These and others have made history of the
Goan race an though some of us in this dark continent follow humbler
occupations, it cannot be denied that Goans have set an example to the African
races by their good behavior, their piety and brotherly love and above all
conscientious work which has gained them admiration and affection from Europeans,
Indians and Africans alike. In the pioneering days there was not much
field for professional people and those few who had came to live a missionary
life and undoubtedly some of them have identified themselves with the progress
of the Colony and recognition of their services has been awarded in various
ways. Dr. Rosendo Ribeiro, O.B.E., was the first doctor to detect bubonic
plague in Nairobi. Dr. Alexander D’Souza, father of Goan education in
East Africa, and Dr. Edward Dias and others have made a mark in this country,
while among officials Mr. D’Costa, M.B.E., Mr. Rego and Mr. P. Lobo have done
their bit in Uganda. Mr. R. A. Oliver, Mr. C. F. Gama, Mr. F. L. Gracias,
M.B.E., Mr. Jos A. D’Souza and several others have contributed their share in Kenya
and a few others in Tanganyika. In Zanzibar, Goans have held key
positions and Dr. Albuquerque’s services cannot be forgotten. In the
commercial community there was one who by dint of toil and labor had become a
business magnate in Uganda that is the late Mr. Norman Godinho whose charities
extended far and wide. The Goan School in Kampala was donated by
him.
GOAN EMIGRATION INTO BRITISH EAST AFRICA
Before the Portuguese came to Goa, they had
well established themselves along the eastern coast of Africa right from Lamu
down to Beira including Zanzibar. Many Goans had accompanied the
Portuguese and had established trade with the Arabs and later had settled in
Zanzibar. This induced others to follow and in course of time crossed the
narrow seas on to the Mombasa Island which then belonged to the Sultan of
Zanzibar. It is not known exactly when the first Goan arrived in East
Africa but the first settlement was established prior to 1880, for it is known
that one Dr. Noronha was a medical officer in the service of the Sultan of
Zanzibar before 1880 and Dr. August Braz De Souza was the Portuguese Consul
General on that island during 1885. When the British East Africa Company
was granted a Royal Charter in 1880 many more Goans were taken into the service
of this Corporation. There were at least three Goans employed with the
Imperial Company since its inception, namely Mr. A. A. Fernandes. During
1895 the Company surrendered its Charter and most of the Goan employees were
absorbed in the various Government Departments, Mr. Castellino in the Treasury,
Mr. Lobo in the Public Works Department and Mr. Napoloeon D’Souza in the
Secretariat. On the 8th of August 1896, the first rail of the New Uganda
Railway was laid at Kilindini, Mombasa, and the railhead was pushed forward
steadily into the interior. Mr. Whitehouse was brought from India as the
first Chief Engineer who in turn procured many Goans from Karachi through
Messrs. Jevanjee & Co. who had an establishment there. Similarly
Messrs. Nazareth Bros. Imported many more Goans to assist them in their
flourishing trade. Gradually more Goans entered British East Africa and
traveled interior with the advancing Railway, though many having traveled on
foot had preceded them and settled in Uganda. Many had to undergo trials
and tribulations and some of them still narrate the stories of the lions of
Tsavo, where some morning they woke up to find one or two companions or coolies
missing. During 1899 the railhead reached Nairobi and the same year the Provincial
Headquarters which was at Machakos till then with Mr. Lewis Sequeira as Head
Clerk, moved into Nairobi. In Nairobi the Goan population consisted
mostly of Railway employees with a few form Government Administration, as the
seat of Government was till at Mombasa. Quite a few merchants who had
established themselves at Mombasa, had opened their branches in Nairobi and a
major portion of trade passed through the hands of th merchants, such as Souza
Junior & Sons, C. P. V. Rodrigues & Sons, M.R R. D’Souza & Co.,
Knowles, the Photographer, The Nairobi Bakery and several other businesses.
When the Government Headquarters were moved
from Mombasa to Nairobi in 1905, the Goan population had increased considerably
numbering nearly 200 souls. They had firmly established themselves in
trade and commerce and manned all Government organizations and Railway
Administration, thus participating in laying the foundation of the British
Colony which today we call KENYA - OUR COUNTRY OF ADOPTION.
"J Christie D'Souza's 1955 GI Golden Jubilee Brochure"
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