World Daman Day ‘09

World Daman Day - In Daman!!

World Daman Day 2009 was celebrated in Daman on the 30th of August, after the Sunday mass from 7pm to 10pm in the Parish Hall in Big Daman.

L2R: Mrs MDG Rocha, (Country Coordinator - India), Mrs. Margarida Mendonca, Mrs. Maria Antonia Fernandes, Mrs. Wellarmina Noronha, Mr. Orlando Miranda, Mr. Gabriel Guedes, Mr. Jason Fernandes, Dr. Ivan Vaz, Mr. Basilio Fonseca.

Mr. Gabriel Guedes makes his Welcome speech and reads out the special message of Dr. Adelino Da Costa (Portugal) as well as those from WDD-09 Country Coordinators.

WDD-09 had a bigger turnout than WDD-08!

The Portuguese traditional dance troupe, Caravel performs!

This is the moment that stole the show!!

Take a bow, take a bow, wow-wow-wow-wow-wow!!!

Portuguese play, Duas Vizinhas - written and directed by Mrs. MDG Rocha, group leader of Caravel.

The toddy tapper has been part of our folklore for ages! Paintings of Damanense sunsets will either have the silhouette of the toddy tapper climbing down the palm tree (Kaajoori) or will have our (old) lighthouse.

Damanense poet, Hermenegildo Lopes, reads out a few of his Portuguese poems - he has written over 80 poems in Portuguese - all in praise of his beloved Damao!

One keyboardist and seven guitarists played the instrumental version of the all-time favourite, “Portuguese Medley.”

Piping hot Damanense food just arriving from a number of kitchens across town! Damanenses insisted that the local TV Channel reporters sampled each and every item on display - they willingly obliged though they had to rush back to the studio for the evening’s telecast.

And the official drink for WDD-09 - Benslor - courtesy, Prof. Antonio Azavedo. The local TV channel captured this too!

After dinner... dancing...

And more dancing... already people were demanding more such get-togethers and a BIGGER event for WDD-10!

Like WDD-08, WDD-09 is unique in that it’s an event by Damanenses for Damanenses - it’s not the usual robotic performance for visiting dignitaries:) The show was cent per cent participative - besides, ‘all were invited!!’

This is the best part of any Damanese party - after the party!! This is when you just do your own thing! Look at my 8-year old son, Noe... barely started walking in July 08... look at him go!