Astad Still Hopping One of the most famous traditional/modern dancers out there today is Astad Deboo from Bombay. This fellow always seems to be at the forefront of innovation, and he seems to be dancing up a storm just about every year in the USA. In the 9 August 2002 issue of the newspaper India Abroad, there is an account of his hearing-impaired troupe performing at the Deaf Way II Festival under the aegis of Gallaudet University at Washington, D.C. Now 56 years of age, Mr. Deboo seems to be actively participating in contemporary dance, and proudly involved in teaching and encouraging young dancers. Enter 'Astad Deboo' in a Google search to check for his monumental list of activities and accomplishments. - RFD
Disappointment About this time last year (2002), after a long period of thundering silence following query after query, I finally made contact with one of our Indian-origin namesakes living in the USA. I was hoping this might be the connection to someone on the subcontinent, and the beginning of a flood of some of that Indian information we've long been looking for. My hopes were high after receiving a tantalizing reply stating "…I am most interested in connecting with other Deboos in the world… My father who is 80 years old brought us a family tree that goes back…5 to 6 hundred years…" At last, I figured, we'll really have a good, strong India Section for this newsletter. Even with the pressure of our current publication deadline, I just can't seem to keep the communication working both ways. Somehow, the thundering silence has descended once again. I really don't know why. However, always optimistic and on the lookout for the unexpected, we'll keep hoping and trying. I truly believe that "de aanhouder wint" - persistence rewards. And in the meantime, we'll keep our article from Issue 4 posted (below). - RFD
Parsi History In previous issues, we featured the accomplishments of well-know Deboo dancers and actors from India. The Internet lists many Deboo individuals living in or near Bombay, a majority seemingly members of the Zoroastrian religion. Unfortunately, we have not yet made contact with a resident Indian namesake, and we know very little about the origin and history of the name on the sub-continent. However, there are many excellent reference websites, and our readers are encouraged to learn about our Indian namesakes, their genealogy, social history, and particularly to help us determine the origin of Deboo in that country. We would appreciate assistance in answering such questions. Porus Homi Havewala has written a concise essay “Who are the Zoroastrians” with links to other good reference sites (see: www.members.ozemail.com.au/~zarathus/zor33). Originally from pre-Islamic Persia/Iran, and commonly known as Parsis, our Indian namesakes share a rich and long history of migration, religious persecution, and artistic/ academic/commercial success with our European line. Parsis migrated to India about 1000 years ago. Few in number – less than 140,000 – they have contributed greatly to the cultural and social fabric of this country of more than one billion souls. A recent book “Parsis – The Zoroastrians of India” (by Sooni Taraporevala), provides a good portrait of today’s Indian community. We will keep this Section open for any late contributions about Deboo in India. - RFD |
