Bridging many Wor(l)ds: Teaching
Languages and Literatures
to Undergraduate students in Post-colonial Goa
Dr. Brian Mendonça
brianlibra@gmail.com
Abstract
The most daunting task for a teacher of English
language and literatures in Goa today is possibly to inculcate in students an
awareness of their shared literary heritage. The non-inclusion of Goan
literature as one of the options in the CBCS of the Goa University, may only
exacerbate the general lackadaisical attitude of many under-grads to colonial
or post-colonial writings. Many are clueless of key texts across languages
spoken in Goa and which have shaped the fabric of the Goan consciousness
post-1950. A case in point is Pundalik Naik’s Acchev, written in 1977 and the first Konkani novel to be
translated into English in 2002. When you think of the novel form in Goa like Tivolem (1998) by Victor Rangel-Ribeiro,
Margaret Mascarenhas’ Skin (2001) or
Savia Veigas’ Tales from the Attic
(2007) set in Carmona you seldom think about whether Hindi, Marathi, Konkani or
Portuguese readers will enjoy reading them – since they are not available in
translations. This being the state of affairs how is it possible for cultures
in Goa to be nourished by the ‘fruit of a dialogue’ between languages?
Languages and their readers tend to end up in
ghettoes which need to be bridged. A brave beginning was made in 2012 with
Fundação Oriente’s flagship annual multilingual story-writing competition to
celebrate Goa’s cultural and linguistic diversity. The shortlisted stories are translated
from Hindi, Marathi, Konkani or Portuguese into English – making it accessible
to readers and students. Students must be encouraged to forge their own
literature rather than being content with the existing discourse. To entice the
digital natives of today, teaching should assume a multimedia approach to
language and literatures co-opting radio, film, field visits, and literature
festivals to aid learning. Faculty need to upgrade their understanding of Estado
da India and see language and literature in Goa as a by-product of history and
politics.
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IVth
International Symposium on ‘Goa: Cultures, Languages and Literatures,’ Goa,
India. 21-23 January 2019. Pix taken on 23 January 2019 at Conference Hall, Goa University, Taleigao, Goa.
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