GOA: Bishop Filipe Neri's family -- Part I of III
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Dear Pat and Clare,
Today I am sending you the first part of Unitas which starts with the title
below.....
The remaining parts will be sent to you later.........
God bless both of you
Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas
-----------------------------------------
I
UNITAS
COMPILED BY FR NASCIMENTO .J. MASCARENHAS, SALIGAO
II
Dedicated to
Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrao (Auxiliary Bishop) -- On the occasion of the
6th anniversary of his consecration (10th April, 1994 - 2000) as Bishop.
III
FOREWORD
This small Booklet has been a labour of love and it took me some time to
put all my efforts in order. However I will not claim it as an authoritative
study. It is only a launching pad for future research.
The Friendship I developed with the Ferrao clan of Santer-Xette Aldona and
especially with his Lordship, Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrao, Auxiliary
Bishop, seemed to give birth to "UNITAS", word borrowed from his motto "May they
all be one".
This work would not have seen the light of the day if I did not get the
help of the members of the Ferrao Family. Hence I am very grateful to Mrs
Palmira Nazare Ferrao, Mr Ludovico Pinto Ferrao, Mr Col. Apolinario PintoFerrao,
Mrs Verodina Ferrao e D'Souza, Miss Maria Elena Ferrao, MrDaniel Ferrao and
Mrs Lucia Eneta de Souza. For the geneological part, though half done,
they furnished relevant data for future up-dating. To Ms Maria Elena Ferrao, Mrs
Verodina Ferrao e Souza my hearty thanks for their encouragent and support.
Infact the cover design is befitingly done by Mrs Verodina.
Miss Annie Moraes from Aldona has typed the manuscript very diligently,
my 'Deu borem Korum' to her.
To the readers of the Ferrao family may 'Unitas' help to keep them in
touch with their revered clan.
Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas
10-4-2000
CONTENTS
1. Dedication ..... II
Foreward ......III
2. Ferroes De Aldona
3. The "Ferrao" Diocesan Priests
4. Appendix
List of Abbreviations
B.O ...................................................... Boletim Oficial
Col ................................................... Colado (fixed)
C.P ................................................... Curia Patriarcal
Confirm ........................................... Confirmed
C.R ................................................... Carta Regia
(regal letter)
C.T ...............................................
Competitive Test (Concurso)
Dev ................................................... Devassa
DG .................................. Decree of the Government/Despacho
do Governo.
Directory ............................................... Directory of
the Archdiocese of Goa
Disp ............................................... Dispatch
Dt ............................................... Dated
Encom ................. Encomendado ( one that could be removed from
service).
L of p or L p ........ Letter of Presentation (Carta de apresentacao)
Mon ......................................... Monimenta Goana
Ecclesiastica
No ........................................ Number
O Crente ........................................ Crente
Or. Cat ........................................ Oriente Catolico
Of ........................................ Oficio
Of.Gaz ...................................Oficial Gazette
Or.port or O.P ..........................Oriente Portugues
Port or P ................................ .Portaria (appointment)
Prov or Provs ........................... Provision or Provisions
t.c. ...................................... took charge.
2. FERROES DE ALDONA
Going through the records of the two Comunidades de Aldona, that is
Comunidade Fraternal de Aldona and the Comunidade de Boa Esperanca de Aldona, we find
that in both these Communities we have Ferrao clans in the 3rd Vangodd.
However the records indicate that they are 2 distinct communities. Fraternal
have members belonging to 12 vangodds except the 2nd vangodd which has ceased to
exist since long. The Boa Esperanca is constituted of 6 vangodds.
The Ferrao clan of the Faternal Communidade belongs to the brahmin caste
whereas the Ferrao's clan of the Boa Esperanca Communidade belong to the sudra
class.
Here I will dwell on the Ferrao Family of the Communidade Faternal de Aldona
to which Bishop Filipe Neri Ferrao's clan belongs to i.e. the 3rd Vangodd or
Voto, from time immemorial.
THE MEMBERS OF THE THIRD VANGOD
The book entitled "Matricula dos Joneiros da Comunidade de Faternal de
Aldona" of the year 1967 in the archives of the "Administracao das Comunidade de
Bardez, Mapusa gives the surnames of the 3rd Vangod (or vangor) on page 5 and
5v as follows :
AFONSO - Matias Antonio Joao Afonso son of Antonio Francisco, now at S.
Matias Ilhas.
FERRAO 1) Fausto Viriato do Rosario Pinto Ferrao, son of
Francisco Rosario .. Santer-Xette
2) Jose Silvestre Zeferino Ferrao ......... Santer-Xette
3) Mauricio Caridade Ferrao, son of
Antonio Ferrao ...Santer-Xette
4) Augusto Octaviano do Rosario
Pinto Ferrao ... Santer-Xette
5) Apolinario Xavier do Rosario
Pinto Ferrao ...Santer-Xette
6) Flavio Ludovico do Rosario
Pinto Ferrao .. Santer-Xette
7) Edmundo Alfred Ferrao
son of Crescencio .. Africa
8) Carlos Anastasio Clemente
Ferrao, son of the same .. Africa
9) Cedric Crescencio Ferrao
son of Carlos ... Africa
10) Clevic Cristovao Ferrao,
son of Carlos ... Santer-Xette.
11) Daniel Jeronimo Ferrao ....Santer-Xette
12) Raimundo Mark Ferrao. ... Santer-Xette
13) Sebastiao Ferrao, son of Joaquim ... Santer-Xette
14) Agostinho Lourenco Tome Ferrao,
son of Lucio ... Aldona
15) Octaviano Rosario Ferrao, son of
Agostinho Lourenco. ..... Aldona
16) Antonio Ferrao. ..... Aldona.
LOURENCO - Antonio Francisco Gregorio Lourenco
LOBO - Ricardo Hilario Lobo.
ROCHA - Leopoldo Francisco da Rocha ...... Quitula.
THE CHRISTIAN DESCENDANTS
It is worth to go far back to the Registers of the 16th and 17th centuries
of the Mazanias as well as the Comunidades to ascertain facts. Till the year
1600 the registers were signed by the ganvkars of the 12 vangods of Aldona,
some in Goykanadi Script others in Roman Script. The Ms 8000 of the Tombo de
Aldona existing in the Historical Archives of Goa, Panjim, gives the names of
some christians found mentioned in the texts whose Hindu surnames or names of
their immediate Hindu ancestors could be ascertained.
1. Manuel Sequeira son of Naresh Naik.
2. Jeronimo Souza, son of Anant Prabhu.
3. Paulo Lima, son of Mhalap Naik.
4. Miguel Rodrigues , son of Bhane Prabhu.
5. Francisco Gomes, son of Naresh Kamath.
6. Manuel Pinto, son of Vithal Prabhu.
7. Manuel Pinto, son of Naresh Prabhu.
8. Francisco Ferrao, son of Ramu Kamath (Kamti)
9. Bernardino de Azavedo, son of Roulu Kamath.
10. Manuel Pinto, son of Ra Prabhu. (3).
The document of September 22, 1595 as well as those of December 5, 1600;
December 7, 1600; December 9,1600; December 11,1600; December 12, 1600;
December 13,1600; December 14, 1600; December 17, 1600; December 20, 1600;
January 2, 1601; February 7, 1601; Feb, 16, 1601; April 9,1601; April 12,1601;
May 7, 1601; July 5, 1601; August 6, 1601; September 3 and September 10,1601,
record in its deliberations, the names of the 12 ganvkars (4). Mr Lourenco
Ferrao figures prominently there. He probably was among the first ones to be
converted to Christianity in 1569 and must have learnt enough Roman Script and
Portuguese to sign the later records from 6th December 1602 in Roman Script.
(vide Document No. 27). However the document does not give his hindu
father's name buttradition in Aldona says that Ferrao (now belonging to Fraternal)
descend from Kamath (Kamti or Camotim) clan. This tradition is not baseless
but it has historical evidence in the records of Bhagvoti (Bhagavati) Temple
at Candola, Ponda (5) wherein it is stated that the first three Vangods
(vangors) have the names KAMATH (6) The Ms 8000 refered above says: Francisco
Ferrao is the son of Ramu Kamath.
A HISTORIC MEETING
The Register (assento) dated 18th September 1601, Document No 25 written in
Canaddi and translated into Portuguese in the 20th Century gives the names of
those present for the General Body Meeting. It states : " Besides Captain
of the Province of Bardes, Sr Manuel Priru (Pereira) the 12 members of the
Vangodds or votos were present as well as others. Nonetheless, I will state the
names of the 12 members and leave the reader to scan the Document No. 25 to
read the other names (7).
1st Visnu Camotim
2nd. Roulu Camotim.
3rd Lourenco Ferrao
4th Agostinho Souza
5th Anta Naique
6th Babu Camotim
7th Antonio Ferrao
8th Andre Belchor Sousa
9th Vitola Camotim
10th Paulo Lima.
11th Beguna Xette (Goldsmith) (8)
12th Ramu Porobo.
They deliberated during the meeting which was attended by a large gathering
as follows : " While regulating the Zon of the passed three years, with the
exclusion of the dead and absent Joneiros the age of the new zonkar of the
brahmin class should be 12 years and that of the chardo and sudra class should
also be 12 years" (9) This was the deliberate move and a bone of contention
which led for endless fights begining from 18th September 1601 to the year1925.
It also led in a murder of a ganvkar Mr. Caetano Soares on his way to
Ucassaim where a cross is built in remembrance of that fatal death. Even so, in
1925 the members got together and separated themselves into 2 Comunidades one
known as Fraternal of Brahmin class including goldsmiths and brahmin
culachamins and the other called Boa Esperanca of the chardo and sudra class.Both of
them maintain their ties with Sao Tome the Apostle as they have done with
deity Bhagvati during the Hindu era. They kept aside a certain, amount although
nominal for the religious cult.
THE "ADVENTICIOS"
During the long years of contention the sudras became members of the Village
and they succeeded in procuring part of the properties of that Comunidade and
constituting, a new commundiade. There had been attempts in the past to
amalgamate the 3 castes into one class but so far it has not been successful.
Generally, the number of Vangors of the Comunidade tallies with the number
of Vangors of the Mazania (10) of the concerned Village. In this case,
however the number of Vangors of the Mazanias reconstituted at Candola
(Khandola) is only seven instead of twelve and these Vangors not only
include those from the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins class but also those of the Daivadnea
Brahmin Classes. Sudras are also mentioned. The old documents refer to
the Gaunkars of Aldona with the surname 'Camotim' (Khamat) ; Porobo (Prabhu)
Naik and Shete (Goldsmith).
The Ganvkar brahmins admitted for their services adventicios (sudras and
Chardos called Kulacharins) during the year 1557 and following years of which
mention is made in the early documents of the first period of portuguese do -
mination. (12)
RULES AND REGULATIONS
It would be pertinent to state here the statutes : ' Portaria No 258 of 16th
February 1928 , Boletim Oficial No 35 of 1st May of the same year (13).
This document is known as the "Compromisso do Templo de Xri Bogovati Aldoncarina
e seus filiais de Candola".
Chapter I
Of the Temple and its Affiliates
Article 1 - The temple of Xri Bogovati Aldoncarina of Candola (Khandola )
was shifted to this place in the XVI century from Aldona. I n 1567 it was
first shifted to Mayem in the Taluka of Sanguelim and in 1669 with its affiliates
to Candola where it is found to-day.
The affiliates of the same temple are the following small temples.
1st - Dadd
2nd - Ravalnatha
3rd - Sidnata
4th - Xri Lokximi - Naraina (in the temple of Xri Bhagvati). And the
following Puruxas (Purushas).
1st Grama Purusha
2nd Ketria Purusha
3rd Ananta Purusha ; besides that of Colasso of Xri Santeri,
existing in the Sanctuary of Shri Bhagavati.
Chapter II
Article 2nd - The Mahajans of the temple belong to the following
classes.
1st- Gaud Saraswat << Brahmins>> known as Vaixnou of the
class of Vacista and Vats.
2nd - Porobo Zoixi (Brahmins) of the tribe of Kaushik
3rd - Goldsmiths or Sonar, known as Shet or Chatim.
4th- Sudras known as Naique Camblis.
5th - Blacksmith or Mesta.
Article 2nd- The Mahazan (mazania) consists of the descendants of the
referred 5 classes constituting an association ; regulating and
administrating according to the general rules as well as special rules of the
present statutes compromisso) and the rules of Mazania.
" They are divided into seven "Vangors", the first three of persons
having the surname Khamat the fourth of those having that of Pandit, the fifth
of those having that of Zoixhi, the sixth of those having that of
Shet and the seventh of those having the surnames Naik, Kambli and Chari
(14).
Here I give the names of 3rd Vangodd of the Hindu times whose descendants
are still living and which has a relevance to the Ferrao class (brahmin) of
Santer-Xette, Aldona, as it appears in the "Catalogo of Mazanes of 1st May 1928,
No 35 (15)
Bargova Camotim Vaga de S. Pedro
Seguna Camotim Vaga de S. Pedro
Vamona Camotim Vaga de S. Pedro.
Purxotoma Camotim Vaga de S. Pedro
Ananta Camotim Aldoncar de Ribandar
Narana Camotim Aldoncar de Ribandar
Mucunda Camotim Aldoncar de Ribandar
Panduronga Camotim Aldoncar de Ribandar
Govinda Camotim Aldoncar de Ribandar.
The names of the rest of the members of other Vangodds both of the Mazania
and Comunidade will be dealt in the Appendix.
CONCLUSION
Just as the two Confrarias of Aldona amalgamated into one some years back
and is now called Confraria de Sao Tome it is an earnest desire that the two
Comunidades join together to form into one known as the Communidade de Sao
Tome, Will it happen ? Only time will tell.
Notes and References
1) Vide No 44/107 : 10, the Number of Inscription (matricula) Livrode
Matricula dos Joneiros da Communidade de Fraternal de Aldona, Ano 1967, P 5 x
5v.
2. Vide 2538/127 : 10 in the year 1964, op.cit.
3. GHANTKAR, Gajanana S.S in "History of Goa through Goykanadi" p,328,
1992.
4) GHANTKAR, GAJANANA S.S op. cit, pp 7 to 32 which includes Documents 2
to 24.
5) Shri Bhagvati hails from Aldona of Bardez. It was transferred to
Mahem of Sanquelim (now Bicholim) in 1567 and from there to Candola (Khandola,
Ponda) in 1609 (Vide Gomes Pereira, Rui: 'Hindu Temples and Derties', p 179.
(6) Gomes Pereira, Rui Op.cit p. 180
(7). Ghantkar, Gajanana S.S Op.cit .pp 32 to 40.
(8) According to the 'Bosquejo Historico dos Comunidades; the
Communidades of Aldona Village consisted of twelve Vangors one being of the goldsmith
class and all the rest of Brahmins. The Vangor of goldsmith, states the
same book was acquired by them from a Portuguese to whom it had been given
by a Viceroy, as a grace (Xavier F.N in Bosquejo Historico Vol II
(1801-1901) p. 419 - 421. Also see Gantcar, G.S.S, op.cit Doc 25, P32 - 40.
(9) The prescribed age for acquiring zon was 11 years complete for
brahmins and for Culacharins was after 19 years. For other details vide
Bosquejo Op.cit p. 420 - 421.
(10) Mazanias are associations of a religious nature consisting of the
founders of hindu temples or descendants. Comunidades are the agricultural
and welfare associations of the Ganvkars of the villages (Vide Gomes
Pereira, Rui Op.cit p.1)
(11) Gomes Pereira, Rui, Op.cit p.64
(12) Sa, Jose Maria de,Communidade de Aldona; Idade Para a Inscricao dos
Seus Componentes, Tip Minerva - Indiana, Nova- Goa P. 8
(13) This document is available in the Central Library Panjim, Goa
(14) Vide Gomes Pereira, Rui, 'Hindu Temples Op.cit .P. 180
(15) Vide ' Portaria No -258 of 16th Feb, 1928, Bol Of No 35 of 1st
May of the same year.
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Continued in Part II of III