SALUTING THE FLAGS & STANDING TO ATTENTION

SALUTING THE FLAGS

 STANDING TO ATTENTION

(A True Tale of Circumstance)

Born in Bombay in 1947, 7 January. The British were still in India. India was yet to get its Independence from Great Britain. Independence for Felicio would eventually come 7 months and 3 weeks later. Due to economic situation prevailing at the time my family had to relocate to Goa in 1951. Goa was under Portuguese rule.

My earliest memories of hearing the Portuguese national anthem was in 1953 when I was about 6 years of age studying English as well as Portuguese in the village Primary School. Sometime after that I heard the Portuguese national anthem on radio – Emisora de Goa.

Then went to high school where the Portuguese national anthem was printed on the last page of the school calendar. I had to memorize and sing the anthem at the compulsory Mocidade Portuguesa, at the school drill and at all school functions until 1961 when Goa was taken over by the Indian Government.

In the interim period I traveled from Goa to Bombay (now Mumbai) on a 'Documento para Viagem' (Document of Travel - not exactly a passport).

I waved out to the Indian Army soldiers in their turbans as they drove through our village of Guirim in Bardez, perched on the tanks, armoured vehicles and jeeps, creating a huge cloud of dust as they rumbled along, proceeding on the unpaved road from Mapsa to Betim on the banks of the river Mandovi.

Our school calendar’s last page was soon replaced by the Indian national anthem to which I stood to attention and sang at the National Cadet Corps until 2^nd of September 1967 when I boarded a steamer to work in Dubai.

Five days of sailing on the high seas meant ‘No National Anthem’ of any kind. The BI steamship ‘Sirdhana’ of British India Steam Navigation Co. was one of the last in the line-up of steamships to sail the seas, leaving Ballard Pier on 2nd September 1967.

Dubai was one of the Trucial States of Oman – a British Protectorate. Approaching anchorage at offshore location in Dubai on 2nd September 1967, via Karachi and Muscat, the wind-towers appeared to be like sky-scrapers in the distance.

The RAF Base band at Sharjah raised the British and the T.O.S. (Trucial Oman Scouts) flags side by side and I stood up in reverence until 1971 when the United Arab Emirates were formed.

I waved out to the UAE Army Parade and stood up during functions when the UAE National anthem was sung or played.

In the years that followed I had to memorize and sing the Canadian national anthem at the swearing-in ceremony.

Anthems:     Portugal        Herois do Mar.

                    India              Jana Gana Mana

                    British           God Save the Queen

       UAE              Ishy Bilady

                    Canada          O Canada

1.  In India under the British: 7 months and 1 week (oblivious to any anthem)

2.  No Anthem: 5 days in international waters

3.  In Goa under Portuguese rule: ‘a subject of the Portuguese Overseas Province’ as the Portuguese liked to call it: 8 years.

4.  Independent Indian in Goa: 5 years

5.  Indian outside Goa: 8 years.

6.  Indian citizen and expatriate worker in Dubai: 31 years

7.  Landed immigrant in Canada: 5 years

8.  Canadian Citizen: 10 years

9.  Independent, tired and retired - Ad Infinitum.

It's been a long and nostalgic journey indeed. But what's an anthem? Besides being compositions with patriotic lyrics, up-beat marches, or hymns in a particular style, I have sung, saluted and stood up to attention and shown respect to them as they were played, and listened to the world anthems whilst watching the Olympics. But on the lighter side, if I ever decide to go to Mars, and if the Martians have an anthem, it will be my 6th.