The Mangalorean’s last sigh
Tony D’Souza of the excellent The Konkans stopped by a bookstore last night in a small Boston suburb. He read a comic scene about DIY pig slaughter in a hardcore Chicago accent and the cadence of a poetry slam. He’s got his reading schtick down, more natural than most authors I’ve heard read.
The event was what you call intimate, which means it was held in a stockroom with a handful of Peace Corps alumni. D’Souza said the texture of his novel is biographical, but not the plot. His retired mom’s neighbors in Florida wanted to know whether she actually had an affair with her brother-in-law. ‘It’s fiction!’ she exclaimed.
The Konkans discusses the Goan Inquisition and deflates some Konkani myths about the Jesuits, St. Francis Xavier and Vasco da Gama. While researching Portuguese explorers, D’Souza became fascinated with how their tiny caravels, named after their melancholy whores, made their way across the kala pani and colonized western Africa. His next novel’s working title is The Voyage of the Rosa.
The author’s living like an indie rocker, crashing with friends and setting up most of his own readings in a college tour across America. We took the trolley back to Boston in the freezing night, had a beer and kissed off curry lit. If the lit fic audience has any taste, he’ll need an autopen for the next round of signings.
Here’s his book tour schedule from now until May 3rd.
on Friday, February 29th, 2008, 4:12 pm in Events, History, Literature, Photographs, Religion › 
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Curses, i missed the new york dates. Ah well, he doesnt appear as visually delicious as Jumpa L, so i’ll make do with the book :-)
Just a small quibble, if i may. From some names i read on his website, he appears to be goan, rather than mangalorean. Is that correct ?.
It’s true that many mangalorean christians are refugees from goa, but be warned that in certain back alleys in Bandra - Bandra Gym comes to mind - mixing the tribes up will get you a pasting, i’m telling you men !!!
He said his parents were from Mangalore. The book’s characters speak Konkani and Kannada. Beyond that I’m not sure.
I am sorry to say, I hated the book.
There are some blanket statments - i’m paraphrasing - “all konkans live in huts”, “konkan men do not know how to treat a woman”.
I was shocked at what was allowed to pass for a description of Indian history and culture that I hold very dear.
It feels opportunistic . Since he was already semi-famous with Whiteman i think his agent thought let’s throw a multi-culti one out while the going is good.
Deep down, i almost think Tony hates his being Indian.
In that case, i stand corrected about the boy.
and for the silver lining, another point to crow over those lousy goan-ese buggers !!!. one of us has written an actual book with real words, final settlement (once again) of the debate over intellectual superiority. More put-downs after i actually get to reading the book.
cheers
p.s may i apologize in advance to anyone who takes offense. i was just making a joke, re !!!!..
thanks Manish..his book sounds interesting…
I will try to read it..
Interracial marriages are always interesting..and for kids it is always confusing..
obama writes about that too in his book Dreams from my father..
Guys…let you know that Deepika Padukone is also a Konkani :)
Yes, Konkani is right.
Like Italian - language and people
Like French - language and people
Like Japanese - language and people
Where in heck did Tony come up with Konkans?
Jesus, the guy annoys me.
He coined it, it’s a superset. See comment.
Taking the opposite tact , to use a title/phrase/slang that was colloquial only to Catholic Konkani, would have resulted in more authenticity right off the bat by zeroing in on a sliver of India’s populace.
For example, at least in Goa, Catholics use the Portuguese derivative “kazaar” (like casamente) for wedding as opposed to “lagin” - which is used by a Hindu speaker and is closer to Marathi. Another is ‘iskol (from escuela) v/s shaala ” for school. There are many other examples .
A Mangalorean Catholic writer who brings up Goan Inquisition before the Captivity in Seringapatnam is a sellout. The attack on Portuguese Catholicism is not unexpected. It is bait for the audience of latte liberals.
This is a very good point, JF. I spent a great deal of time thinking about this, but I’m not sure I understand your opinion accurately. I’m a first generation Indian American of Mangalorean Catholic descent, btw. I haven’t read the book yet, but by the “attack on Portuguese Catholicism,” are you referring to it as an attack of the Portuguese or of the converts? It’s an interesting and valid take either way… (although Srirangapatnam is arguably less relevant to the story at hand, I’d venture to guess)
oops…fyi, i’m second gen, not first gen. and apparently very delirious at 3am PST.
He attacks the portuguese and the converts, a term I use reluctantly. Convert in India has political undertones. The portuguese konkani encounter is viewed in a purely materialist way as an encounter between the powerful conquerors and the natives. The religious and spiritual aspect is neglected. I think the encounter with Portuguese is the reason for the dynamism of the community.