Many years ago when on visit to the Continent, and more specifically the
south of France, I realized what really made Goa tick. Natural beauty exists
everywhere, with breathtaking landscapes all over. Even back home, when you
travel as close as even the North of Goa, in Maharashtra, you find better
beaches than what we possess. However, what is that special thing that makes Goa
as special as can be? Could that answer be far?
It is quite evident to the senses that what rules is the benign spirit of the
people of Goa, and this is something the world would pay anything for. The happy
strains of music and the spirited forms of dance are what please not only the
eyes but excite the spirit of the soul. And, quite surely, it is music that is
the binding factor that keeps this Goanness alive, something that we all crave
for, something that is deeply imbibed in our being.
As Goa evolves, it is hardly going to be surprising if much of the physical feel
of this place will take a completely different look if we are not in a position
to make this precise Goan spirit the corner stone of what we stand for. Music
has to be encouraged in a more organized manner, and with so many stalwarts in
the field, it is about time that they come under one roof and maybe start a
private university of music, which can be partially funded by the government and
the rest through private participation. It is only then that true representation
will be there for the musical genius that flows through the Goan vein.
Berkeley, the place that houses one of the world's most advanced music
universities, has long realized the importance of Asian influences in music of
today and as a consequence, the first couple of years in their 5 year curriculum
can be completed in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Surely, with the richness in our
music fabric, Goa could also be an international hub for music learning and
teaching. With our society so beautifully placed between the plusses of the West
and the East, it would be difficult to find something quite the equivalent
anywhere else in the world.
Undoubtedly, Goa is hot topic all over the world in general and India in
particular, and is now being viewed as the 9th metro in media parlance. With
such billing, it will not be long before the invasion that has just started,
will turn into a wave that might be a little difficult to handle. While one
cannot stop that and should not stop that, it is important that Goanness as we
all know it should be top of the agenda, and one of the ways to do it is to fuse
different cultures through music, with the central pillar being that very spirit
that not only we hold, but the rest of the world holds to, too, close to our
hearts. For the spirited sake of Goa!
Please visit www.heritagejazz.com
By Armando Gonsalves
Gonsalves Mansion,
Heritage Jazz Street,
Campal, Panjim,
Goa 403001
Read other Jazz Goa articles:
World Music Central
http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/20070109101404664