Yvonne Vaz Ezdani; Bayingyi; Portuguese; mixed-race Burmese; Goa

Goan Homes: A Lamentation

Goan Homes: A Lamentation

By Yvonne Vaz Ezdani

Issue no 17

The sun has just waved a glorious goodbye, leaving lingering light for my path. I latch the gate behind me as I step out on my evening walk. Clusters of crimson bougainvillea slipping over our white-washed garden wall make me stop to let the beauty soak in. More warmth, as passersby smile and friendly neighbours wave from balcãoes as I walk on.

The Bayingyi People of Burma

The Bayingyi People of Burma

By Yvonne Vaz Ezdani

Issue no. 7

She told me she came from the Bayingyi community, descendants of the Portuguese, many of whom had come from Goa several hundreds of years ago, and had settled in the Valley of the Mu River area where she lived. She also described the place as a colony of Catholics.