MARGAO
The government’s decision to commemorate July 15, 1583, as the National War Memorial Day every year to mark the revolt against the Portuguese has rung in good news for the Cuncolim Chieftains Memorial Committee and Cuncolkars in general, who have been petitioning successive governments over the last two decades to include the historic event in the school curriculum.
The Cuncolim Chieftains Memorial Committee now feels that the day is now not far away when the 1583 Cuncolim revolt will find a mention in the school history books.
As Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the government’s decision from the platform of the 35th Statehood Day function on Monday that Goa will commemorate July 15 as National War Memorial Day, every year, Chieftains Memorial Committee Chairman Oscar Martins has hailed the government’s decision.
“This is indeed great news for every Cuncolkar, The Chief Minister in his speech has said that the Cuncolim revolt is the first-ever revolt against the Portuguese. But the Chieftains Memorial Committee is of the firm belief that the 1583 revolt is not just the first revolt against the Portuguese, but it was the first war for independence against colonial power in India. Hence, the revolt definitely deserves importance and recognition”.
The Cuncolim Chieftains Memorial Committee headed by Prof late Verissimo Coutinho had erected the Chieftains Memorial in the year 2000 to honour the ones who stood against the Portuguese and were treacherously massacred when attending peace talks with them at the Assolna Fort. The Portuguese had avenged the killings of the five Jesuit priests by the villagers of Cuncolim.
Credit goes to the village chieftains and the villagers of Cuncolim for having then launched the non-cooperation movement against the Portuguese by refusing to pay taxes.
“This non-cooperation movement was launched by the valiant people of Cuncolim centuries before Mahatma Gandhi had launched the non-cooperation movement for the country’s independence”, Martins added.
Sadly, successive governments have failed to fulfil the popular demand of the Chieftains Memorial Committee and the villagers for the inclusion of the revolt in the history books.
Every year, Cuncolkars commemorate the Chieftains days on July 15 in honour of the 16 chieftains – Calgo Naik alias Kalu, Moluco Naik alias Molu, Aga Naik alias Wagh, Santu Chattim alias Santu, Ramgaro alias Rama, Khampru Naik, Shabu Naik, Topi Naik, Jhang Naik, Polputto Naik, Bozro Naik, Shanta Sheth, Vithoba Naik, Yesu Naik, Gono Naik and Jivlo Naik. They were invited by the Portuguese to the Assolna Fort and massacred in retaliation for the killings of the five Jesuit priests by the villagers in 1583.
