>Ser Amantio di Nicolao at 03:26, 15 July 2021

2021-07-15T03:26:09Z

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[[File:Bust_of_Luís_de_Menezes_Bragança.jpg|thumb|right|Bust of Luís de Menezes Bragança in Margao's Municipal Garden]]'''Luís de Menezes Bragança''' ([[Konkani language|Konkani]]: लुईझ दॆ मॆनॆज़ॆस ब्रागान्सा; 15 January 1878 – 10 July 1938), alternatively spelled as '''Luís de Menezes Braganza''', was a prominent Indian journalist, writer, politician and [[Anti-imperialism|anti-colonial]] activist from [[Goa]]. He was one of the few Goan aristocrats who actively opposed the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese colonisation of Goa]].<ref>{{harvnb|Abram|2003|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sEhJBfbhTAAC&pg=PA183#v=onepage&q&f=false 183]}}</ref> During his lifetime, Menezes Bragança was widely hailed around the [[Lusosphere]] ([[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] speaking world) as ''"O Maior de todos"'' ("The Greatest of all [Goans]")<ref>{{harvnb|da Cruz|1974|p=127}}</ref> and in the [[India|Indian mainland]] as "The [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Tilak]] of Goa".<ref name="Vaz1">{{harvnb|Vaz|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=7DJLxYBYA-YC&pg=PA180#v=onepage&q&f=false 180]}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Luís de Menezes Bragança was born as Luís de Menezes on 15 January 1878 in [[Chandor]], [[Salcette]], to a ''[[Roman Catholic Kshatriya|Chardo]]'' family.<ref name="Vaz1"/><ref>{{harvnb|Couto|2004|p=145}}</ref> His mother hailed from the illustrious Bragança clan of the same village.<ref name="Oliv"/> Later on in life, his maternal grandfather Francis Xavier Bragança who had no sons, nominated Luís, his eldest grandson as his heir. Luís then adopted his maternal surname as his own surname and subsequently became Luís de Menezes Bragança.<ref name="Oliv"/> This was contrary to Portuguese custom, whereby the maternal surname is typically followed by the paternal surname.<ref name="Oliv">{{harvnb|Hiddleston|2007|loc=|Ref=luis}}</ref> He did his primary education at the [[Rachol Seminary]] and then at the ''Lyceum'' in [[Panjim]].<ref name="Vaz1"/> Although raised a [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]], Menezes Bragança later became an agnostic.<ref name="Vaz2"/>

== The Menezes Braganza house ==
[[File:Menezes Braganza House at Chandor, Goa Photo Peter Benaion.jpg|thumb|Menezes Braganza House at Chandor, Goa]]The Menezes Braganza Pereira house is located at the Chandor village in Goa. It is known to be more than 350 years old and is situated near the church square in Chandor. This mansion is the most exquisite heritage house in the countryside, the biggest in Goa and also has a Portuguese style facade. It is a museum of chandeliers, painting, porcelain, crystal, period furniture and other antique items.
According to family history, in the 17th century A.F.S. Braganza Pereira was representing Goa under the Portuguese government as a vice consul general in Spain. He was gifted the land by the king of Portugal, Don Luiz on which the mansion is now located. Later after a few generations, the house was divided into two equal halves as it was inherited by two sisters in the family. It was named after their
husbands - ''Menezes Branganza'' (west wing) and ''Braganza Pereira'' (east wing) and is still inhabited by descendants of the two families.
The Portuguese style outer facade that gives entry to both wings of the mansion with 24 windows is the longest in Goa. The house made up of laterite has a garden with mosaic seats, tables and fountains. A nail of St. Francis Xavier is held by the Petite Chapel that is still used in the Braganza Periera House. Two chairs bearing the coat of arms gifted by the Portuguese king are there in the huge ballroom.
Aurea is the only living member of the fourteenth generation and Allan, Andre are the sixteenth generation of this house.

== Journalistic career ==
By the age of twenty, Menezes Bragança had gained a reputation as a fine writer in the Portuguese language.<ref name="Vaz1"/> On 22 January 1900, together with another Goan writer Messias Gomes he co-founded ''[[O Heraldo]]'' (The Herald), which was the first Portuguese language daily in Goa.<ref name="Vaz1"/> His columns in the newspaper were typified by satirical wit, wherein he would attack the Portuguese government and reactionary thinking from Hindu and Catholic intellectuals.<ref name="Vaz1"/> Menezes Bragança was a strong believer in [[secularism]] and propounded the ideals of a [[Secular state|Secular republic]] in his columns, prior to the formation of the [[Portuguese First Republic]] on 5 October 1910.<ref name="Borges">{{harvnb|Stubbe|Borges|2000|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=diISslZgIAkC&pg=PA209#v=onepage&q&f=false 209]}}</ref>

In 1911, he founded ''O Debate'' (The Debate), of which he was the principal editor until 1921.<ref name="Vaz1"/> During this period, he also strove to awaken the political consciousness and cultural identity of the Goan people.<ref name="Vaz1"/> Menezes Bragança was a regular contributor to ''Pracasha'' (Light), a Konkani language weekly wherein he wrote in great length on subjects such as freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom from oppression.<ref name="Vaz1"/> His writings provided a great deal of information about the [[Indian independence movement]] to the Goan public, and as such, was avidly read by them for news about the Indian mainland.<ref name="Vaz1"/> On 1 December 1919, Menezes Bragança founded another Portuguese language daily ''[[Diário de Noite]]'' (The Evening News). Like ''O Debate'', this daily also had a wide Goan readership and dealt with the events in the Indian mainland as well as Goan cultural issues.<ref>{{harvnb|Das|1995|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sqBjpV9OzcsC&pg=PA543#v=onepage&q&f=false 543]}}</ref>

== Activism ==
{{rquote|right|It suffices for me that Konkani is our mother tongue and that no other will do for us as a mother tongue, however much we may learn them for culture's sake or for business' sake.| Quote from his essay, ''Why Konkani?'' (1914)<ref name="Culture"/>}}

Menezes Bragança was a staunch advocate for the cause of Konkani. In 1914, he began a campaign in defence of the language in ''O Heraldo'', urging its development.<ref name="Culture">{{harvnb|Gupta|2006|p=100}}</ref> In this, he received the wide support of the Goan intelligentsia.<ref>{{harvnb|da Cruz|1974|p=166}}</ref> He advocated the impartation of primary school education in Konkani, and blamed the Portuguese authorities' preoccupation with denationalisation of the Goan people for its failure to encourage the language.<ref name="Desai">{{harvnb|Desai|2000|p=}}</ref> Menezes Bragança championed the cause of the less privileged sections of Goan society.<ref>{{harvnb|Bradnock|Bradnock|2002|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=pWAnvOJD1qwC&pg=PA181#v=onepage&q&f=false 181]}}</ref> In 1933, with the coming to power of the ''[[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo]]'' regime headed by [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] in Portugal, he placed himself at the head of the anti-colonialist movement in Goa.<ref name="Vaz1"/> After the promulgation of the racist [[Portuguese Colonial Act]] in 1930, he proposed a resolution at the Legislative council in Panjim on 3 July of the same year.<ref name="Oliv"/> The resolution upheld the right of self-determination for Goans from the Portuguese rule, and was duly adopted.<ref name="Vaz2"/> Menezes Bragança was the first person to call for an independent Goa and as such, was generally hailed as the "father of Goan unrest".<ref>{{harvnb|Esteves|1986|p=43}}</ref> His brother-in-law [[Tristão de Bragança Cunha]] was also a prominent [[Indian nationalism|Indian nationalist]].<ref name="Oliv"/>

== Associations ==
Menezes Bragança held many high positions in various organisations during his lifetime. He was elected President of the Municipality of [[Tiswadi|Ilhas]], leader of the elected Opposition in the Government Council and Legislative Assembly, President of the Provincial Congress of Goa (1921) and Portuguese India's delegate to the Colonial Conference held in [[Lisbon]] in 1924.<ref name="Vaz2"/> He was a member of an eminent elite cultural organisation, ''Instituto Vasco da Gama''.<ref name="Vaz2"/>

== Works ==
Menezes Bragança was a prolific author of books.<ref name="Vaz2">{{harvnb|Vaz|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=7DJLxYBYA-YC&pg=PA181#v=onepage&q&f=false 181]}}</ref> Some of his most notable works are ''Life of St. Luís de Gonzaga, Model and Protector of Youth'' (1893), ''The Neuter School'' (1914), ''The Comunidades and the Cult'' (1914), ''The Castes'' (1915), ''An Open Letter to Dr. Afonso Costa'' (1916), ''A Rev. Master Flayed'' (1916), ''India and her Problems'' (1924), ''Tourism in Goa ''(1927), ''Letter to an innocent'' (1927), and ''About an Idea'' (1928).<ref>{{harvnb|da Cruz|1974|p=137}}</ref>

== Death ==
Towards the final years of his life, Menezes Bragança was persecuted by the ''Estado Novo'' regime for his outspoken criticism of their government.<ref name="Oliv"/> His demand for the granting of autonomy to Goa was refused, and his newspapers were shut down by order of Salazar.<ref name="Oliv"/> He died on 10 July 1938 in Chandor. Fearing an outbreak of nationalist protests in Goa, the Portuguese government stationed troops at his grave to prevent any homage from being paid to his memory.<ref name="Vaz2"/>

==Legacy==
[[File:Institute Menezes Braganza at Panjim (Photo Ruby Goes).jpg|thumb|Institute Menezes Braganza at Panjim]][[File:Institute Menezes Braganza (formerly Vasco da Gama) (100404970).jpg|thumb|right|Institute Menezes Braganza (formerly Vasco da Gama), an interior view.]]At his 25th death anniversary in 1963, the ''Instituto Vasco da Gama'' was renamed by its management to ''[[Institute Menezes Braganza]]'' in honour of his memory.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomas|2009|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZxY69WvM5o0C&pg=PA114#v=onepage&q&f=false 114]}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Correia-Afonso|1978|p=7}}</ref> A bust of Bragança exists in the Institute.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/myriad-events-lined-up-to-mark-imb-milestone/article5357173.ece |title = Myriad events lined up to mark IMB milestone|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 16 November 2013}}</ref> Another bust of him is located in the [[Margao]] Municipal Garden.<ref>http://www.vacationsindia.com/goa/margao.html</ref>

Professor [[Dr.]] Sushila Sawant Mendes has published a book entitled, "Luis de Menezes Bragança: Nationalism, Secularism and free-thought in Portuguese Goa".<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.heraldgoa.in/Opinions/From-freethinking-to-nationalism/76140.html |title = Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegoan.net/Goa/Goenkar/Documenting-60-years-of-history/09087.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-06-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614014751/http://www.thegoan.net/Goa/Goenkar/Documenting-60-years-of-history/09087.html |archive-date=14 June 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> This book is based on the doctoral thesis of Mendes, awarded to her by the Goa University in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegoan.net/The-Great-Goan-Weekend/She/Such-a-long-journey-Reviving-Menezes-Bragan%C3%A7a/04583.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-06-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614014755/http://www.thegoan.net/The-Great-Goan-Weekend/She/Such-a-long-journey-Reviving-Menezes-Bragan%C3%A7a/04583.html |archive-date=14 June 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== Citations ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin|2}}
*{{Cite book
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|title=South India
|publisher=Rough Guides
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*{{Cite book
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|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=pWAnvOJD1qwC
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|format=[[Portable Document Format|PDF]], 36 [[Kilobyte|KB]]
|title=The Denationalisation of Goans: An Insight into the Construction of Cultural Identity
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|work=[[The Hindu]]
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|ref=luis
|access-date=19 April 2011
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|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/64AKUyAo2?url=http://hindu.com/fline/fl2406/stories/20070406000506500.htm
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{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
*{{Cite book
|last3=Pereira
|first3=Policarpo
|last2=Sar Dessai
|first2=Venctexa V.
|last1=Dempo
|first1=Voicunta Sinai
|title=Menezes Braganza: biographical sketch
|publisher=S.N. publishers
|year=1972
}}
{{refend}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Braganca, Luis de Menezes}}
[[Category:Indian male journalists]]
[[Category:Journalists from Goa]]
[[Category:Goa liberation activists]]
[[Category:1878 births]]
[[Category:1938 deaths]]
[[Category:Colonial Goa]]
[[Category:Former Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:History of Goa]]
[[Category:Indian agnostics]]
[[Category:Goa politicians]]
[[Category:Portuguese-language writers]]
[[Category:Portuguese people of Goan descent]]
[[Category:Portuguese politicians of Indian descent]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:People from South Goa district]]

Luís de Menezes Bragança - Revision history

>Ser Amantio di Nicolao at 03:26, 15 July 2021