Goan

North - "A fashionable lady of Portuguese descent ….. " - (Markus, RH); "….a small cuddly little plaything" (Patterson, RH)

Selma Carvalho 'A Goan Wedding in Zanzibar': In March 1896, the Zanzibar Gazette announced the engagement of Elvira de Sousa to James Martin. Elvira was 19, Martin was 39. She was the eldest daughter of Dr Augusto Bras de Sousa, who had arrived in Zanzibar in 1881. The wedding took place in April, 1896, at the British Agency, and was presided over by Arthur Hardinge the British consul-general. With both the bride and groom, well known in Zanzibar, the streets leading up to the Agency were decorated with palms and bunting. After the ceremony, the couple returned to the bride’s house, where ‘all Zanzibar assembled’ to congratulate them. Over 500 invitations had been sent out. The Sultan’s Goan band ‘played with a suitable fervour’. Martin and Elvira travelled to Fort Smith and Ngong in Kenya, where Martin introduced his bride to the small contingent of European colonists camped there as settlers and officials. On colonial maps of this era, this area is named ‘Martin’s camp’. Ngong Fort became Fort Elvira, named in honour of Elvira de Sousa. She entertained the Europeans playing the organ and singing in several languages. No one guessed that Elvira was Asian. Everyone remembered her as the Portuguese lady. In 1899, Elvira and Martin were stationed at Eldama Ravine, where they baptised their daughter Nina Eldama Martin. (Previously Elvira had lost a daughter named Magdalena). The ceremony was performed by Rev. Father Plunkett of Uganda who had arrived the previous day from Nandi and was on his way to the coast. Father Plunkett being quite the traditionalist, took this opportunity to solemnise Elvira and Martin’s marriage according to the rites of the Catholic Church.