One tale that is always passed down from father to son,(just like memberships to the clubs in question) is how Clube Nacional wasestablished in 1912, by the elite of Panjim, to rival Clube Vasco da Gama , towhich they were denied entry. This same rumour has it that the emergence of aclub of their own was necessary, since Clube Vasco da Gama catered solely tothe Portuguese.
“Having established this need, the founders of the club puttogether an association in 1912 under Portaria Numero (Gazette Number) 377, andhad themselves registered. Sadly, as early club records cannot be traced, thefirst president remains a mystery, as do his co-founders,” says Fransisco A deNoronha, the Vice-President of the club.
The atmosphere that Clube Nacional once boasted of wasiconic. The dance floor of the club is long, but surprisingly uneven. Anotherroom that runs adjacent to the dance floor serves as a bar and snack counter.The seating here would be occupied early by bygone generations so as to avoidthe disappointment of missing out of a good spot. Yet, in current times, itacts more as venue for sales of sarees and household items that irk themembers, who see it as a violation of their once ‘sacred’ space.
Tracing back through the annals of history, currentpresident Tony Dias explains the main events that the club is associated with,and how they came about. “The first Mando Festival in Goa was held in 1962. Itwas the brainchild of then president Bernardo Fernandes, father of iconic Goanmusician Remo. A few years later, the first ‘Red and Black Dance’ was organisedin the 1970’s. It was almost as if the club was on a roll, as after that, theclub put together their Tango Tango Float, which served as a huge part in thefirst ever carnival parade in Goa in 1974. This is something that will berevived in 2013,” he says with pride.
Yet, with all said and done, this same legendary venue didnot see its centennial celebrations take place within its premises. When askedwhy, de Noronha explains, “We wished to restore the club to its state of formerglory, which it rightfully deserves, yet, we could not come to an agreementwith the owners of the property. Therefore, in the best interests of the event,we decided that it would make greater sense to host it at the TaleigaoCommunity Centre.”
Zito de Gouveia Pinto, a resident of Panjim, shares aninteresting anecdote about the dances at Clube Nacional, saying, “As theconcept of dating did not exist in the olden days, club events served as anexcellent opportunity for eligible bachelors and young ladies torendezvous. Most of these meetings wereset up by parents of the youth of the time. However, the older women acted aschaperones, and reported any activities that they considered ‘untoward’ to theparents. In this fashion, marriages would be ‘made or broken’ at ClubeNacional.”
Tomas Menezes, a long standing ‘socio’ or member of theclub, relives his teenage years as he says, “After a while, the band would playslower numbers. Couples that were courting saw this as an opportunity to beclose to one another. The end acrossfrom the band, near Doctor Rajadyaksha’s Clinic was a meeting place for thosewho sought to cover up their love affair. However, this would backfire in a way,as that same corner was renowned as a location for lovers. A note was alwaysmade of who danced with whom, and therefore, couples seen dancing there wouldstand out.”
While the powers that be lament their inability to preservethe physical structure of their club, they will do all in their power topreserve the club’s essence by maintaining and reviving their characteristicevents. “Take for instance the New Year’s Ball. It is till date the only streetdance in the state. For that matter, we organise Saudades, which is aPortuguese theme night and Goemchim Laram, which in the same vein is a Konkanitheme night. We are the only club that is so proactive in keeping our heritagealive,” says Dias.
