Goan tiatr is the mirror of Goan society. No society existswithout violence. Hence all forms of violence are found in the Goan societytoo. Joao Agostinho Fernandes, the ‘Father of Tiatr’ highlighted these issuesover a hundred years ago.
Domestic violence is also known as ‘domestic abuse’ or‘spousal abuse’. It occurs when a family member attempts to physically orpsychologically dominate another member of the same family. The conflictbetween spouses, as well as harassment by a dominant member of the family toothers, also constitutes domestic violence.
In the beginning of the 20th century Joao AgostinhoFernandes wrote, directed and staged numerous plays on domestic violence.‘Dotichem Kestanv’ and ‘Bebdo’ are two such tiatrs of Mr. Fernandes. Othertiatrs such as ‘Divorce’ by Aristides Dias, in the 60s, ‘Mog, Kazar aniDivorce’ by M Boyer in the 70s, Minguel Rod’s ‘Ghorchem Kestanv’, A R Rocha’s‘Mog ani Krim’, C Alvares’s ‘Mhoji Vhoni’, Nelson Afonsos’s ‘Ghorabo’, RemieColaco’s ‘Ghorabeachem Sukh’, Prem Kumar’s ‘Dukh’ Souzalino’s ‘Tiklem Cheddum’,Rosefern’s ‘Arso’ in 1983, exposed effectively the cruel effect of domesticviolence on the family in particular and the whole society in general.
Violence due to class and caste discrimination between richand poor and landlords and tenants existed in the Goan scoiety. The tiatr‘Bhattkara’ by Joao Agostinho Fernandes was staged in 1904, ‘Odruxtti Jivit’written and directed by Joao Cardozo in 1957 and ‘Amchea Xetachi Pavnni’written and directed by Aleixinho de Candolim and staged in April 1962 wereplays which showcased violence lashed out by the landlords on the poor tenants.John Claro Fernandes in his tiatr ‘Puddtugez Kolvont’ showcased yet anotherform of violence in which the person in question is subjected to mental torturein his quest of fulfilling his/her artistic goal.
Sexual violence or sexual abuse is yet another form ofviolence which shatters the lives of victims of such violence. Goan society toohas experienced such nasty incidents. Accordingly they have been reflectedthrough the medium of Tiatr. ‘Kortub Avoichem’ written and directed by CAlvares way back in 1954, may be the first Konkani tiatr to show sexualviolence and its effects on the life of the victim. ‘Roddonaka’ written and directed by PrinceJacob, ‘Ghantt’ and ‘Tallnni’ written and directed by Roseferns alsohighlighted different aspects of rape and its effects on the victim vis-à-visthe social impact.
Goan culture is facing crisis because of (i) craze forwesternization and (ii) due to the influx of non-Goans into Goa. This is agreat threat to Goan identity. NelsonAfonso scripted and directed a Tiatr way back in the late 1960s namely ‘Almasdo outro Mundo’ highlighting the cultural invasion of Goa. Tomazinho Cardozo’s‘Mhonvall Vikh’ and ‘Goa Going Gone…?’ In the 1990s and in the recent pastRosefern’s ‘Goykara’ and ‘Ami Goykar Tumi Konn?’ all portray cultural violencewhich attempts to destroy the identity of Goans.
Political violence is yet another type of violence which wasinflicted on Goans – people struggling for Goa’s Liberation - by the thendictatorial regime of the Portuguese. Ultimately Goa was liberated on 19thDecember, 1961. After Liberation Goan politicians too started harassing thecommon man in the guise of democracy. The writers and directors of tiatrs toodid not lag behind to showcase this type of violence too. It was late Nelson Afonso, soon after theLiberation of Goa in the 1960s, portrayed the political violence in his tiatr‘Dr Salazar’. Tomazinho Cardozo wrote, directed and staged ‘Kanttech Kantte’ in1980 and Mike Metha’s ‘Goy Vikhlem Ghanttar’ which also showcased politicalviolence in Goa. .
Religious tiatrs based on the life of Jesus Christ portray alot of violence. ‘Sat Dukhi’, a tiatr written and directed by Souzalino wayback in the 1960s is one such example in which the agony, sufferings andcrucifixion of Jesus Christ was depicted. Every year during the Lent season such tiatrs are staged in the state ofGoa.
