Earlier in 1958, things had come to a head in Notting Hill. Unemployment, disillusionment, boredom and the summer heat proved to be all the trigger it needed for a trifling incident at a pub to turn into a riot of "nigger hunting", vandalising and burning homes. The clashes between the mostly West Indian population and a working class White population were dismissed as delinquent adolescent behaviour by the media, but the seeds of hate were liberally sprinkled on fertile soil. They left an indelible mark on British politics where the race card played well and played often got results. In 1964, Conservative MP Peter Griffiths campaigned in Smethwick for the general election with the slogan: "If you want a nigger for a neighbour, vote Labour." He won.

Dr Edward Raymond D'Sa who first came to the UK from Kenya as a student shares an honest moment with me. He suspects Goans muddled through, not wanting to be seen complaining. They pretended that racism happened to Indians and not Goans. They found consolation in church attendance and endless dances. When discrimination was not overt it existed in its subtler shades. One Goan remembers being called for an interview because of his European sounding name but when he got to the offices, there was a visible look of disappointment on the face of the interviewer to discover he was Asian.

Amidst a sense of fear and threat to the British national identity, there emerged the British sense of justice and fair play and found its voice in the liberal press and Labour party politics. Then Labour Home Secretary, Roy Jenkins, in a 1966 speech, radically altered the commonly held notions of assimilation, urging that integration need not be "a flattening process of assimilation but equal opportunity, accompanied by cultural diversity in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance."

Goans found a different type of segregation in the United Kingdom; that of class. White British saw Asians as replacements for working class British. Asians found themselves pigeon-holed, their expectations and aspirations for their children as future accountants and doctors, laughed at as being ridiculous and unrealistic. Asians for their part, had visions of their children going to school in propah blazers and ties, becoming members of country clubs, living in chocolate-box cottages with rose gardens, but in reality they lived cheek by jowl in run-down, crowded city centres, with working class British; a wide chasm persisting between expectation and reality. Getting job references to start a career was difficult. Their qualifications were either worthless or discredited altogether.

Eventually, what greatly aided Goans was Britain's much touted welfare system in housing and health-care. Some even managed to arrange for housing through the welfare system before they arrived in the UK. They were confusing times, turbulent times setting the stage for what it meant to be British in the 20th century and through it all, the newly arrived East African Goans were struggling to find their own feet, let alone their own voice.

Mother of dead British teen testifies in India
30 Jul: Metro (Canada), - A visibly upset Fiona MacKeown told the court that police initially tried to convince her that her daughter drowned... The next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2, when MacKeown will be cross-examined by the defence... 350 words. Click here.

Scarlett Keeling's mother comes face-to-face with accused men
30 Jul: Daily Mail (UK). The mother of murdered British teenager Scarlett Keeling will today come face-to-face with the two men accused of raping and murdering her daughter... 441 words + photos. Click here.

Mother of Scarlett Keeling wants trial to help tourists
30 Jul: BBC. Fiona MacKeown says she hopes the trial into the death of her daughter will encourage tourists to seek justice... she said she hoped the case would make Goa a better place for visitors... The trial is expected to continue for the rest of the year... 306 words. Click here.

Sat 7 Aug. G.O.A. 'World Cup' Football Tournament at HSBC Sports Ground, Lennard Road, New Beckenham, BR3 1QW. Age Groups: 18+ 6-a-side (maximum 8 players per team). Cost - £50 per team (that's only £6.25 per player). Any individual or team wishing to participate in this annual tournament, please contact Blasco Junior Goes on 07946432747 or blasco_jnr_goes@hotmail.com Closing date for applications - Friday 30 July 2010.

Sun. 22 Aug. G.O.A. Annual Sports Festival. Archbishop Lanfranc School. Make it a "Fun Day for all the family" by participating in the various events. Contact: Fidelis D'Mello 020 - 8698 9678.

Sat. 28 Aug. World Goa Dance - Vegas Variety by Goan Ohana Leicester Dreams. At "The Venue", off Britannia Way, 928A Melton Road, Thurmaston, LE4 8GR. Live band by "Bravo" from London. 7:00pm-1:00am. Dress Code: Stars, Stripes & Cards. Prizes Galore. Price including Meal: Adults £12.00, 11-16 yrs-£5.00, Under 10 Free. Please book early to avoid disappointment. Contact: Clara 0116 2767336, Victor 0116 2555891, Joyce 0116 2664202. For flyer with details click here.

Sat. 28 Aug. From 5 p.m. till late. Grand Charity Dance (organised by Ivy and Edward Alvares) to raise funds for Roseleen DeSouza (photo) of Mombasa. Venue: Shirley High School Hall, Shirley Church Road, Croydon, CR0 5EF. Music by 'Electric Dreams'. Licensed Bar. Snacks & Meal Included. £14.00 per head. Children over 12 -16 years - £7. Tickets available from: Edward & Ivy 01923 443288; Amelia Gomes 0208 861 2073; Eusebio Pinto 0208 304 9089; Tony Luis 01689 602074; Victor & Melba 01784 242912; Daisy/Ronnie 01923 673828; Tony Joe/Zemira 01895 259947; Flavio/Bernie Gracias 0208 723 1322. Donation to Edward / Ivy Alvares. For details of the Roseleen DeSouza Appeal click here.

Mon. 30 Aug. [Bank Holiday]. Come celebrate the 10th Anniversary of World Goa Day with a Goan Pilgrimage-Picnic at The Friars, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7BX. Rosary at 10:30 and Mass at 11am followed by Benediction. Then a picnic, in the grounds with games, sing songs, a Konkani speaking session, workshops, bingo, line-dancing and more. Sheltered facilities also available. Organised transport to and from Aylesford to cover North, South, East and West London. Contact: Lara Pereira; Tel: 07792 446 486; lara.pereira@btinternet.com or Fiona Lobo; Tel: 07796 238 009; fiona.lobo@blueyonder.co.uk For the flyer, click here.

For Later Events see http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/forthcoming.php

MAGAZINE PROGRAMME: Woman's Hour. BBC Radio Four (0104)
Friday 30th Jul. 10:00 to 10:45. Celebration of 21 years of Tamasha, bringing contemporary work of Asian influence to the British stage.

DOCUMENTARY: Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends. Dave (111)
Friday 30th Jul. 11:00 to 12:00. India: In search of enlightenment, Louis travels to India. He tries meditation, talks to guru Swami G and finally meets a genuine spiritual phenomenon.

TRAVEL: Planet Food. Travel Channel (251)
Friday 30th Jul. Goa. Angela May journeys to the Western Coast of India to sample the cuisine and culture of the thriving melting pot that is Goa.

CONSUMER: Cash in the Attic. BBC 1 (101)
Monday 2nd Aug. 11:30 to 12:15. Debra Yurica teaches pilates and her husband Surari who teaches yoga want to move to India and open a retreat and bed and breakfast for travellers.

ARTS: Freedom's Daughter. BBC Radio 7 (0131)
Monday 2nd Aug. 15:45 to 16:00. The touching correspondence between the young Indira Gandhi and her father Nehru. Episode 1 of 5. Subsequent parts are on Tues to Fri, at the same time this week.

DOCUMENTARY: Heir Hunters. BBC 1 London (101)
Wednesday 4th Aug. 09:15 to 10:00. Spinster Lily Fernandez who died alone in Sidcup in 2001 actually owned two properties, leading the team to India… Click here.