Margao's Konkani stalwart, Soter Barreto, no more. (By Cedric da Costa, Fb)

[Frederick Noronha]

By Cedric da Costa

Deeply mourn the passing away of Mr Soter Barreto, famed Konkani writer from Margao.
Condolences to my schoolmate Roque Barreto, his Mother, Sister and Fly.
His rich contribution to Konkani, especially his poems which were included in school level Konkani text books were loveable and got young minds to like the language.
May the departed soul rest in eternal peace and the Almighty grant strength and grace to the fly to bear the loss.                                :- Cedric da Costa, Margao

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[Eugene Correia]

I read a few articles by him. However, I don't know of his background, ie was he a journalist.

Sad to know the one more Konkani writer is gone, depleting the pool of Konkani writers. RIP.

Eugene

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[augusto pinto]

The death of Soter Barreto is a sad loss to the world of Konkani. He worked tirelessly as an activist of the language for much of his life. When I met him at his Margao home, I discovered he was a very kind, soft-spoken person, a true gentleman in every sense.

He was born in 1944 and after his B. A. he did a laboratory technician course and joined the health department. He worked there 39 years till he retired. 

He started writing in Konkani in 1962 for Felicio Cardozo's 'Goencho Sad' and later 'Sot', 'Loksad', 'Divtti' 'Novem Goem' and so on. (For more details check the Konkani article below which appeared in Gulab, I think.) 

I had translated several of his poems and stories. He was really good technically, and he'd match his subjects to his form beautifully. 

May his soul rest in peace. 

Augusto 

Soter Barretochi Sahityik Jinn 

Soter Renato N. da P. Barreto hancho zolm Moddganv Saxtt hangasor 22 Abril 1944 hea disak zalo. Tachem xikxonn, mullavem ani modheamik, Purtugezintlean Licevachem 5vem vors meren zalem. Uprant B.A. (Bombay University) podvi. Proyog-xallechem khas proxikxonn (Laboratory Technician Course) gheun Gõy sorkarachea Bholaiki Khateant 39 vorsam vavurlo.

1962 vorsa savn Konknnintlean borovop suru kelem, survatek sorgest Feliciobab Cardoso hanchea “Goencho Sad”hea satalleacher (1962-63), uprant tancheach “Sot” hea disalleacher. Magir Loksad satallem.  Uprant Divtti ani Novem Goem hea disalleancher. Punn chodd borop kelam tem Pa. Freddy J da Costa hanchea Gulab hea mhoinalleacher. Toxench bab Fausto da Costa hanchea The Goan Review hea masikacher.  Hem soglem Romi lipintlean zalam. Nagri lipintleanui zaitem borop uzvaddak ailam tem Sunaparant disalleant ani Jaag masikacher. Toxench Konkan Times, Umalle heai masikancher . Hea soglea thollancher nibondh, lekh, kotha, kovita, khas khellancher lekh oxem borop to korit aila.  Tachem borop Nibond ani Kovita sahitya Akademin chapplolea panch doskanchea kallant ektthaun venchik toren uzvaddoilolea sahitya-pustokamni aspavlam. Tachea Kovita ani kothanche jhele rokhddech uzvadda yeunche asat. Akashvannicherui tachem zaitem borop vitrailam.

Konkani Bhasha Mandal hacho to sorchittnnis zaun gela, tosoch Akhil Bharat Konkani Borovpianchie Porixhodecho sorchittnnis. 

Tachea vantteak onek puroskar labhleat: 2007 vorsacho Konknni Bhasha Mandal (KBM) Seva Puroskar, 2008 vorsacho Gulab Masik Ut’tom’ Borovpi Puroskar, 2009 vorsacho KBM  Potrkarita Puroskar, 2011 vorsacho Goa Konkani Akademi Shenoy Goembab Seva Puroskar, 2013 vorsa Gõy sorkarachea Kala ani Sanskruti Vibhagacho Sahitya Puroskar. 

Konknnintlean borovpachi mull prernna mhollear tacho bapuy Vavraddeabncho Ixtt ani Airtarachem Vachop him saptallim neman haddttalo. Kednam-i Dor Mhoineachi Rotti.  Aitarachem Vachop Pa. Caetano Lobo sompadit kortalo ani Dom Bosco Sonstha uzvaddaitali. Tem lhan bhurgeank pixem laitalem karonn tacher veongchitram (cartoons), kannio, vinodi lekh,  humannim bi chhapun yetalim.  Haka lagun Konknni vachpachi goddi lagli. Tachea ghorantuch prathmik xalla choltali. Dekhun iskolachea bankar bosche adinch to vachunk borounk xikil’lo. Tacho vhoddlo bhav Konknni romanxi haddttalo, chodd korun Reginald Fernandes hachio; tio to ratinchio rati foddun vachtalo. Nimannem Konknnintlean borounk laglo to Felicio babak lagon.

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[Xavier Cota]

Soter was a true-blood lover of Konkani & Goa. An erudite scholar, who was fluent in written and spoken Konkani, Portuguese & English he kept a low profile. His friendship with Konkani stalwart Felicio Cardoso induced him to study and serve Konkani as a reader, writer, translator & activist.  He believed in giving his all for the cause & asking nothing for himself in return. Above all he was an upright & humane person. His death is a great loss for Konkani and for Goa.

My condolences to his family. May his noble soul rest in peace.

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[augusto pinto]

Poems by Soter Barreto

Translated from the Konkani by Augusto Pinto

1.

The Patranv's Gripe

The Patranv says

"Don't unneccesarily shout

Don't flare up

Don't create

Commotion.

Speak calmly

Show compassion."

The Patranv

Got up that morning

Ate an omlette

Of four eggs

Had bread

With butter and jam

And drank

A glass of milk.

The workers

Are still hungry.

(Patranv is a Konkani word derived from the Portuguese Patrão meaning boss)

2.

Fingernails

The mother, poor thing

Never had fingernails

As she endured widowhood.

She wore those nails out

Slaving 

For them.

They on the other hand

Spent all their lives

Doing nothing else 

But polishing their fingernails

Colourfully!

3.

I Can't Sleep 

Are you angry?

No! No! Listen!!

I swear

I never had a clue

As to how to 

Make love to you

How to wink at you

How to caress your hair

What shampoo

Or powder 

Or cream to give you

Where to take you

For ice-cream

Or how to hug you

How to seduce you 

With sweet talk 

I had no clue

How to do all this

Still I can't 

Let go the sight of you

Why I ask? Why?

It's been a month now

When I think of you 

At night

I can’t sleep.

4

Holy be your name 

O God 

Holy be your name 

In the temple 

In the masjid 

In the church 

In the gurudwara 

Whether the supplicant

Is Ram

Is Rahim

Is Rosario

Is Ranjit 

O God

Holy be your name 

Holy be your name.

5

The Minister's Nose

The people of the land 

Their torches alit

Are roaming hither and thither 

Hunting for his nose

Lost 

After he became minister.

A Fever Rages

I'm hungry 

No food 

Thirsty 

No water 

There's a fireplace

No firewood 

A farmer 

With no fields

A plough 

But no bulls

I've no path

To walk 

No night

To sleep 

No day 

To wake to

I've a fever 

No kanji to nourish me

To buy poison 

I've no money 

For my pyre 

Or my coffin 

There's not a tree

In sight.

6

My Kaxtti

He came

And photographed 

My kaxtti.

My red kaxtti

Became world famous

My kaxtti

Went on Exhibition

And won prizes

All of which he pocketed.

But I’ve

Still remained a mere kaxttikar!

(The kaxtti is a traditional Goan loincloth, usually of red coloured material. It is seldom used nowadays except by poor elderly rural folk.)

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[Jeanne Hromnik]

Beautiful.

Thank you, Augusto. You have brought so much wealth to impoverished mono language speakers.

Jeanne 

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