“‘Indian’ doesn’t exclude me”: An interview with Eunice de Souza

Abstract

As poet, anthologist, journalist and teacher, Eunice de Souza has imprinted the Bombay reader’s consciousness over several decades with her concise and strong creative expression. In this interview undertaken at her residence in Santa Cruz in 2011 and 2015, the poet talks about her early years in Pune and Bombay, her dark childhood after the early loss of her father, and the impact it had on her work. Eunice de Souza also discusses the role of small presses in creating a space for writers, and her own point of view as a woman as well as a poet in English – and the way these are connected, in turn, to questions of national identity.

Keywords:

• Indian women’s poetry
• small presses
• Bombay artists
• St Xavier’s College

Acknowledgment

The photograph of Eunice de Souza is reproduced with permission from Madhu Kapparath.

Notes

1. Angelo da Fonseca (1902–67), an artist from Goa, India.

2. A festival of Indian classical music held in St Xavier’s College every January.

3. Gangubai Hangal (1913–2009), famous Hindustani classical singer who is known for the mastery of the musical genre of khayal.

4. Ustad Nasir Zahiruddin and Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin, brothers and Hindustani classical singers in the musical genre of dhrupad.

5. The pre-eminent tabla player in India.

6. First published in Fix (de Souza 1979).

7. Melanie Silgardo (b. 1956), poet, student of Eunice de Souza in Bombay; founder member (along with Rahul D’Gama Rose and Santan Rodrigues) of Newground Press in 1978; editor at Virago Press.

8. See the pages of the little magazine in this special issue of the Journal of Postcolonial Writing.

9. First published in Fix (de Souza 1979).

10. First published in Fix (de Souza 1979).

11. First published in Fix (de Souza 1979).

12. Marathi and Hindi word which means “That’s it”.