by Victor Mathias

Melbourne, Jan 23: Catholics of Mangalorean origin have settled down in Melbourne over the last 35 years or so. Quite a few of them have arrived just in the last five years. And during all these years they have seen the formation of many Associations among the people of other Indian communities - like Anglo-Indians, Goans, Kannadigas, Marathis etc. In fact, one could find as many as perhaps half a dozen Anglo-Indian Associations in Melbourne alone. There are two Goan Associations. There are perhaps as many as 40 Associations serving the needs of many Indian origin communities. But for some unfortunate reasons, the Mangalorean Konkan origin Catholics never managed to have something of their own. That is until now.
 
With the initiatives of a few committed souls, a very first meeting is planned for the 28th of January 2006, at the residence of Bert Naik in Kew. Bert, a resident in Melbourne for many years, has been fairly active in the community affairs for quite some time. Some years ago he was elected as the General Secretary of the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria, the peak body of about 25 Indian community organisations in the state of Victoria. Readers may remember reading an article written by his daughter, Cheryl, on depression which appeared on the Daijiworld website a couple of months ago.
 
In a matter of just three weeks of networking, nearly sixty families of Mangalorean Konkan origin have shown overwhelming support for the concept of forming the group. And why wouldn't they? After all, the Mangalorean origin Catholics have a unique culture, and it is in the mind of every parent to pass on this uniqueness to their children. We, the Mangalorean Catholics, have always been proud of our heritage. Our next generation in Melbourne can now have a chance to appreciate it better.
 
Dilraj Sequeira, the only son of the well-known Konkani poet J B Sequeira and a chef by profession, is another person who is committed to providing his support to make the initiative a success. Dilraj, currently a resident of Melbourne, is particularly mindful of the difficulties of the new arrivals.
 
He said, "It's a privilege to be a part of this Association. I am looking forward to wholeheartedly supporting this cause. By being part of this set-up, I know our kids will certainly learn something about our great culture and traditions that we could not bring with us when we came to live in Melbourne, the most liveable city in the world..".
 
One of the major aims of the group is to provide opportunities to the members to develop confidence by participating in activities that will promote self-development. The group plans to network with other ethnic organisations to create a greater sense of community spirit, especially among the young.
 
Contacts:
bertnaik@yahoo.com.au
dilrajsequeira@yahoo.com
vicmath_2000@yahoo.com.au