They were fair-skinned and light-eyed, fluent in both Portuguese and Konkani. Were they European? “No”. Goan? “No.” they would vehemently assert. “We are of Portuguese origin.” They were the mistiços – part Goan, part Iberian. Much like the Anglo-Indians, Anglo-Burmese and burghers of Ceylon, they considered themselves separate and superior to the locals, while the latter held them in contempt. “The mistiços liked to be called “descendente” or “descending from the Portuguese”. The Goans remained unimpressed, though a few were genuinely so, like the ‘domiciled’ English of India.
Origin of the species
Says scholar Mariano Dias: “A paucity of ladies to service the gentry of Old Goa prompted 16th century Portuguese kings to ship out parentless girls, dubbed ‘Orfãs de Rei’ (King´s orphans). That’s how the early mixed-bloods came about. But, they were hardly enough girl-orphans to meet the demand of the teeming Portuguese. A lot of miscegenation occurred between Portuguese troops and European adventureres with Indian women of easy virtue (nautch girls of yore). Even in those times, mistiços were discriminated against by the official structures. The early Church is believed to have refused then admission into priesthood.”
Mistiços may have had their origins on the wrong side of the bed, but later they solemnized wedlock among themselves, taking on distinctive surnames like Pegado, Possolo and Vidigal.
Never more than a few thousand, they were largely employed in the colonial administration-police, customs, public works, navigation etc. Jobs assured, most of them didn’t take education seriously and lived merrily for the day.
Mixed bag
But it would be unfair to label the entire community as being “spoilt and irresponsible”. Many were well-educated and cultured. Dr. Germano Correia was the celebrated professor of the Goa Medical College, an intellectual giant with an impressive literary output. Vasco Ferreira Martins was the all-powerful Director of the Goa Fazenda (Revenue Department) whose administrative efficiency is remembered even today. Dr. Adolfo Costa was a leading medical doctor. And there were very many others.
Nasty
At the end of the spectrum was the notorious Casmiro Monteiro, boss of Police headquarters in the 50’s. Those were the years when a repressive Salazar sensed the breeze of independence blowing over Goa. An iron fist would descend at the merest whiff of Indian nationalism. Monteiro planted his spies in almost every town and village. They eavesdropped on conversations in buses, ferries, shops and bazaars. Innocent mentions of ‘Gandhi’, ‘Nehru’ or ‘India’ would instantly de reported and the speaker detained for questioning. Even a ‘namaste’ in jest could land the folded hands into scalding water.
Ilidio Costa (now President of the Clube de Tennis, Gaspar Dias), together with Ernesto Costa Frias, were arrested by Monteiro’s thugs in connection with bombings in several parts of Goa in 1956. Mr Costa was a member of the pro-independence Azad Gomantak Party. Monteiro fabricated a case on the grounds of young Mr. Costa’s family managing mines that used explosives. He was tortured for 4 months in the Panjim Quartel. “It was hell”, recalls Mr. Costa wryly. Beatings, 24-hours forced standing and other horrors. I’d rather not talk about it now.
“We were transferred and tried in the military Aguada Fort. The Portuguese judge hearing our case didn’t share Salazar’s colonial attitudes. But during the proceedings, he received a parcel bomb which blew off some of his fingers. He was flown to Portugal for repair and recuperation. meanwhile the trial was kept pending. On his return 2 years later he acquitted the accused for lack of eveidence.
One up for the Portuguese judge. Two down for Monteiro.
At Goa’s independence, almost all the descendentes followed the departing Portuguese to colonial jobs in Africa and the Asia. Today, some return as tourists, curious to visit their roots. They are welcomed.
The above article was contributed by Mark Pinto
