MARGAO
An air of excitement pervades in the historic village of Cuncolim with the commencement of the new academic year, but for a different reason.
The long-drawn struggle by Cuncolkars to include the historic 1583 Cuncolim revolt in the school history textbooks seemed to have been succeeded. For, it’s just a matter of days, locals say, that the history of the valiant fight of the Chieftains of Cuncolim against the Portuguese, considered by Cuncolkars as the country’s first war of Independence against colonial rule, will finally find a mention in the history books of Std XI in the current academic year.
A delegation of Cuncolim Chieftains Memorial Committee led by President Oscar Martins and Prof Vijaikukar Kopre Desai had called on Chairman of Goa Board, Bagirath Sheyte a day ago to congratulate him on the Board’s decision to include the Cuncolim history in the history books of Std XI this year.
“When we called on the Goa Board Chairman, he told the delegation that the history books of Std XI with a Chapter on Cuncolim history has gone for printing. The history books of Std XI will soon hit the stands in the next couple of days with the history of Cuncolim. This is a proud moment for every Cuncolkar in particular and the people of Goa in general,” Martins said.
He added: “The Std XI history books have gone for printing and we are all happy that the book contains a chapter on Cuncolim history. It will be just a matter of days before the Cuncolim history is taught to the students.”
Cuncolim MLA and Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao echoed similar sentiments, saying he had raised the issue on the floor of the Assembly vis-à-vis the long-pending demand of the people of Cuncolim to include the Cuncolim revolt in the history books. Yuri said the Cuncolim history has been approved for inclusion in the history books after a nod from a panel of experts, including historians.
While a Chapter of Cuncolim history will find a mention in the Std XI textbooks this academic year, Yuri said the history of the village will also find a mention in the Std IX history books in the next academic year. He said he has already moved a proposal with the government to renovate and spruce up the Cuncolim Chieftain’s memorial befitting the monument.
The battle for the inclusion of the historic 1583 Cuncolim revolt began around two decades ago when Prof Verissimo Coutinho launched a movement under the banner of Cuncolim Chieftains Memorial Committee around 2000. The committee led by Prof Coutinho built a memorial in honour of the Cuncolim Chieftain’s who were massacred at the Assolna Fort in 1583 by the Portuguese to avenge the killings of the five Jesuit Priests at Cuncolim. The memorial was built as a tribute to the Chieftains, who had laid down their lives to protect their motherland and religion.
The very same year, Prof Coutinho and the committee made a fervent plea to the Goa government to fulfill the demand of Cuncolkars for the inclusion of the Cuncolim revolt in the text books. The demand had found favour with historians, freedom fighters and academicians, but successive governments only paid lip service to the issue, before the Pramod Sawant government accorded official status for the Chieftain’s Memorial Day commemorated on July 15 last year.
In fact, Chief Minister Sawant had assured the people on Chieftain’s Day at Cuncolim that the government would ensure that the history of Cuncolim revolt will be included in the history books in the current academic year.
“We thank the government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Goa Board Chairman Bhagirath Shetye and all those who lent their support and contributed their efforts to make our dream of inclusion of Cuncolim history in the school text books a reality,” Martins added.
