“VIVA DAMÃO!”
The imposing centuries-old monuments, customs and traditions have withstood the test of time - all 450 years of them...
... but it is the culture that breathes life into them...
An unique culture - a heady blend of Portuguese and Indian cultures - the Indo-Portuguese culture...
Multicultural, multilingual, multiracial... yet in beautiful melodic harmony
Let’s salute our unique cultural heritage... Viva Damão!
How WDD took shape
It all began when Rene Barreto, the founder of World Goa Day contacted Daman-based writer, Noël Gama, with an invitation to launch the first ever, WORLD DAMAN DAY along with World Goa Day on the 20th of August 2008.
Like World Goa Day, WORLD DAMAN DAY is a day for Damanenses all over the world to celebrate their great cultural heritage.
When Rene asked Noël whether the culture of Daman was similar to that of Diu, he replied:
"The culture of Daman has elements of both, Diu and Goa though more of Goa as Goa is perceived as the Big Brother of Daman & Diu.
However, Daman also has a subculture though mostly populated by the Catholics. I call this subculture, 'Damao.'
And, this subculture is even more Portuguese than the Indo-Portuguese culture of Goa!”
Noël’s forthcoming book, “Viva Damao! The Indo-Portuguese Subculture of Daman,” is a great portrayal of this.
© 2009 Noël Gama