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Daman Day 2013 – Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DAMAN, January 30th 2013: 2nd of February, the historical date (02.02.1559) when Damão first came to be, has been celebrated worldwide by Damanenses as ‘Dia de Damão’ (Daman Day) for centuries.

The festival is a celebration of the unique culture of the people of Daman and includes musical festivals, food festivals, traditional/folk dance performances, art & craft displays and various competitions that encourage artistic expressions of their culture.

The essence is celebration of all that is inherently old-world, ‘Damão’ – the sights, the sounds, the senses and the ‘saudades.’ The mandate – “Feel, think, breathe, live, eat and drink, to Damão!”

The celebrations begin in August, along with World Goa Day celebrations, in countries like the UK, US, UAE, Canada, and Holland among others, and culminate on Daman Day on the 2nd of February which is celebrated in Daman, Macau and Portugal.

The theme for Daman Day 2013 is “Viva Damao! Raise a toast to traditional Damanense cuisine!” The theme comprises a title and a subtitle. While the title, “Viva Damão” is permanent, the subtitle changes every year. The themes in the last few years have been:

2012: “Viva Damão! 100% Música Portuguesa!”

2011: “Viva Damão! Proud to be Damanense!”

2010: “Viva Damão! Eu falo Português!”

2009: “Viva Damão! Come, Discover Daman!”

2008: “Viva Damão! Keep the culture alive!”

Daman Day is a self-financed initiative of the Damanenses under the aegis of World Goa Day and its founder, UK-based Rene Barreto. Each participating country has a ‘Country Coordinator’ who is in constant touch with the Daman-based ‘Overall Coordinator’ and founder, Noel Gama.

Beginning last year, the organisers in Daman, teamed up with the Daman Municipal Council (DMC) to celebrate the event jointly as the council has already been sponsoring the traditional annual mass commemorating the feast of Our Lady of Purification and N S das Candeias every February 2nd at the DMC Square.

The event launches with high mass in honour of the patroness of the city, Our Lady of Purification at 6pm, followed by a cultural program showcasing Damanense folklore which will include a play in Portuguese, Damanense folklore and traditional Portuguese and Damanense dance performances by local artists and musicians.

More information can be found at www.Discover-Daman.com

Noel Gama
Overall Coordinator – Daman Day (Dia de Damao)

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Saudades! Folk Memories of Damão

The book every Damanense has always wished someone would write for them!
 
Saudades! Folk Memories of Damão! 
A memoir about the folksy past of Damão (Daman), a little-known,  former Portuguese enclave on the western shore of India
 
While Viva Damao! The Insider’s Guide to the Indo-Portuguese Culture, Customs & Etiquette of Daman is a travel guide for non-Damanenses, Saudades! Folk Memories of Damão is a nostalgia-infused trip down memory lane – a keepsake for Damanenses and lovers of the Damão we love most.

 

Saudades! Folk Memories of Damão will be a co-authored memoir featuring only B&W pics of the last decade of the P’guese era in Damão (Daman).
 
Started as a Blog2Book project launched by the late Pedro Cabral Adão, former Consul General of Portugal on 10th June 2006 in Daman, the memoir format seems to suit it best.
 

For a detailed view of the clusters of blogs that make up the chapters of the book, visit www.noelgama.com.

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Viva Damao – the book

I’m 90% done with the research for my book, “Viva Damao: The Indo Portuguese Subculture of Daman.”

Now begins the writing part of the project – should take three months; and another two months to pass through my editing.

Here’s a mock-up of the hard cover version:

 
And the soft cover version:                                     
 
 
Draft of Back Cover:
 
 
 
Become a fan of the book on Facebook – Click here!
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Win a copy (ebook) of “Culture Wise INDIA”

Win a copy of my new book, “Culture Wise INDIA” (Survival Books Ltd, UK) – it’s easy… visit the following url and enter your name and email address:

http://www.howtotellagreatstory.com/contest.html

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Culture Wise INDIA debuts in Portugal!


Dr. Adelino Costa probably is the first person in Portugal to buy a copy of my book, “Culture Wise INDIA!”

Here’s what he has to say…

Caro Noel,
 
Recebi hoje o teu livro que tinha encomendado. Provavelmente é o primeiro que chega a Portugal. Está muito bonito, muito bem ilustrado e é muito informativo.

Parabéns.

Adelino Costa
Portugal

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Dr. Costa has been a good friend and mentor for a decade. We first met in 1999 when he visited Daman when he was the Director of Fundação Oriente in Goa and have kept in touch since.

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Culture Wise INDIA: The Essential Guide to Culture, Customs & Business Etiquette


I’ve just received a copy of my book, “Culture Wise INDIA: The Essential Guide to Culture, Customs & Business Etiquette” from my publisher, Survival Books Ltd., UK!

The book probably makes me:

1. The first Damanense writer living in Daman, to author a book post Liberation;

2. The first Damanense writer to author a book in recent times given that Antonio Muniz was a Goan;

3. The first Damanense writer ever to write a book on a topic other than Daman:)

But loyal as I am to Goa, Daman & Diu, I’ve mentioned how and why the culture in this former Portuguese colony is different from the rest of India.

The book can be ordered on Amazon.com or by copy-pasting this url into your browser: http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Wise-India-Essential-Etiquette/dp/1905303475

Viva!

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