THE GOAN SEAFARER – "Tarvotti"

In hundreds they went sea-faring and generations before them
As common sailors, cooks, pantry-men, butlers and chefs
They sweat as they toiled, faced storms, long nights and days at sea
Leaving anxious and loving folks behind, striving to make ends meet. Maybe a run of the Portuguese blood or mere taste for adventure
The Goan "Tarvoiti" paints a picture – one that’s larger than life
He starts with little, learns the hard way and finds little pleasures
No matter how long and how many ports, he gets back home for sure. He sheds his taste for beer and the prodigal returns to his feni,
Friends bee-line when family reunion ends and then the fiesta dawns
Afternoons of siesta in stupor and late evenings in animated chatter
Peace may soon be gone and the family prays for things to get better. Often six months of wait, and to Mumbai and back, for the return call
Some make it worth, tilling the field, fishing and playing the fiddle
And the money he earned and wisely saved builds homes and marriages
Happy kids, bejeweled wife and sly relations sing his praises. The old "tarvotti" ways are gone, they’re now almost a sophisticated lot
They thrive on a coalition of better knowledge and hospitality
Captains and Engineers, Radio Officers, Store-keepers and Pursers
Once the profession of the underdog, it’s the playground of achievers.
-Paul Rodricks.