Easter eggs to hatch universal fraternity

http://bit.ly/1WEUr5W
Teotonio R. de Souza
It is too early to pronounce that Easter manifesto has failed. Two millenia are too
short a span of time in the wide spectrum of human evolution since the Paleolithic
when the early phases of human species made their appearence leading to a slow
transition of hominids to humans. That was nearly 100 millenia ago.
The human diaspora moved incredibly far and fast despite the rudimentary
technological aids at the disposal of the few thousand primitive world migrants. The
diaspora was certainly provoked by needs of survival, further complicated by
climatic changes and lack of food in all seasons. It may have all started as
migrating families leaving the cradle of humanity, the Great East African Rift, which
had turned dangerous with its unstable plate tectonics, causing dreadfully active
volcanic and seismic activity.
The migrant families or clans were probably separated along the way by internal
dissentions and by external threats, predominant among them being the natural
hazzards. My own search for deep ancestry through DNA testing revealed that my
paternal and maternal ancestors initiated their journey from Sudan-Ethiopia border
zone around 60,000 and 80, 000 years ago.
Their journey with long and very long stops took them through what we now know
as Egypt, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, before entering India and moving down till
Goa. It is very likely that many stayed behind at different stages while others moved
forward in different directions to the East and West, including towards Italy, Greece
and continental Europe. Not very different from what the Middle Eastern refugees
are doing these days.
Their common origins and links are currently being traced with the help of
Genographic projects. A Switzerland-based Goan from Aldona, Bernardo Elvino de
Sousa, has published his The last Prabhu (2011) giving us a glimpse of these
primitive migrations that concerned some early settlers of Goa, establishing
themselves as ganvkars of his home village.
According to Bernardo de Sousa, whom I allowed access to my DNA tests, we
shared a common ancestor about 90 generations ago, or roughly 2000 years ago.
Beyond this exciting and happy revelation about our deep ancestral relationship,
there remain several issues that need to be clarified. In the meantime we a led to
conclude that DNA testing does not provide ready answers to all identity
constructions that have surged over time.

Why did some cousins become Prabhus of 4th vangodd in Aldona and Kamat of
5th vangodd in Moir? Besides, the occupational difference determined the family
surname? We can also find Sousas from Aldona registered as Calvenkar in the
Zonn ( share of revenue surplus among primitive settlers or ganvkar) registers of
Moir. Calvenkar were known to be experts in building bunds and sluice gates that
were essential for maintaining khazan lands that were administered or supervised
by the Kamat. It seems to be very likely that the family proximity allowed an
ongoing collaboration.
Delving in the process of identity building, social identity theorists deffend that in
order to increase our self-image we enhance the status of the group to which we
belong. We divide the world into them (out-group) and us (in-group) based
through a process of social categorization. In Goa we hear about Niz Goenkar
and Ghantti or bhaile.
Those who believe that the groups to which they belong have evolved continuously
over time, perceive their communities as a source of well-being and stability. But
those who feel their groups may have evolved discontinuously over time, fear that
their group may lose out over time and labour to preserve their group at all costs.
The recent political move to seek special status for Goa reflects such a tendency of
those who feel threatened by newcomers.
Re-working social identities according to political space and time is an old hat, worn
since long before the nation states and modern nationalism came into existence.
Collaborators and traitors within social groups are as old as humanity, and it is
generally unpleasant to recall such cases closer to our life-experiences.
The Biblical story about Cain and Abel, the sons of the first legendary human
couple, are a good illustration of feuds and mutual antagonisms, most probably
representing the rivalry between pre-historic nomadic pastoralists and the settlers
or land-grabbers.
Progressive discovery of new tools (technologies of our times) always fuelled new
rivalries among social groups, leading eventually to formation of new identities.
Exogamic marriages sought partners from outside close family kin sought to avoid
conflicts for mutual benefit. That explains why marriage rules were always central
to any social group and were enforced through religious sanctions and social tabus.
The Easter festivity was central to Jewish community and it is so to the Christians
across the globe. It commemorated the Passover for the Jews who had survived
the exile and slavery in Egypt. For the Christians it recalls the Ressurection, or
victory of Jesus for his cause, after he fell victim to Roman imperial power and its
Jewish collaborators.

The Easter eggs symbolise source of new life that overcomes all forms of
oppression and death as a reward for solidarity until death. for a solidarity that
embraces all fellow humans bound by a universal fraternity, breaking out of any
sectarian shells. One who dies for others lives forever in the minds and hearts of
the community, while those who live for themselves are dead before they die.