An account of the Topasses, their religious Ceremonies, Priests, and Customs.
There are a certain Christian people to be found in this country of Malabar, and throughout the extensive coasts of India, called Topasses, who cannot be reckoned as belonging exactly either to the Europeans or the natives, but from a third class. They are a mixed race: some are sprung from Portuguese settlers and slaves, whose children have intermarried with blacks: but the greater part are the offspring of enfranchised Portuguese slaves. With these we must also reckon freed slaves of all races; including Christian slaves, who are chiefly of the Romish persuasion. Their number is daily on the increase. These people have a very good opinion of themselves, and if they possess a little money know how to make a fine show with it. They like to class themselves with the Portuguese, whom they call, our people (Teur nossa genti), though these, owing to their native pride, despise them even more than we do, always styling them Negroes or Blacks. The Topasses however are no whit discouraged by this treatment and not only give themselves Portuguese names, but are in the habit of choosing those that belong to the noblest Portuguese and Spanish families. They affect very haughty airs, and teach their children always to address them as “My Lord my father.” (Senhor mei Pai.)
The name Topas is curious. It is supposed to be derived from two Portuguese words, Tu Pai (thou boy) because the Portuguese in early times, having taught their language to the slaves born in their house, made use of them as interpreters in dealing with the natives, and were in the habit of saying “Tu Pai falla aquel” or “you boy say so and so.” There seems to be a glimpse of truth in this account; for they still call the oldest and most respected slaves “Pai.”
Others refer this word to kocpaj, which in the Malabar language signifies a coat; for they wear coat, shirt and breaches, like the Europeans, as likewise a hat, in sign of their freedom, and the more wealthy among them wear shoes and stockings, though more generally they go barefoot. Formerly, when the Company first obtained possession of this place, there was a rule that none of the Topasses might wear shoes and stockings, or that at any rate they must pay something to the Diacony (or charity fund) for the privilege of so doing. But this rule has fallen into disuse, as has also the tax that was paid for carrying a cane. But in my opinion the origin of this name must not be ascribed to kocpaj (coat), but rather to Toepay (interpreter); because the race served as interpreters between the people of Malabar and the Christians; and to this day the same office is exercised by many of them, and is esteemed a very honourable profession.
There are a great many of these Topasses to be met with in Malabar, especially on the sea coast, and in the neighbourhood of the European forts and settlements. Several are to be found in the city of Cochin, and its environs where they follow various trades, as bakers, cabinet makers, carpenters, shoemakers and in short all callings which furnish the necessaries of life. In the country they are often agricultural labourers. During the war they were employed by the Company as letter carriers. They are not to be found in our forts, except that of Chetwa where a company of them is stationed, the majority of the garrison however being European. They are more employed by the English who are usually deficient in European hands.
So bigotted are the Topasses to their religion, which is Romish, that it is a work of impossibility to convert them. Their superstition exceeds even that of the Portuguese and Spaniards, otherwise the most bigotted of Papists. In accordance with the general custom of their church, they have several brotherhoods, as those of the Rosary, the Conception, &c. On Good Friday they repair in crowds to their churches, and flagellate themselves with scourges made of rope, until the blood runs down. The ends of these scourges are knotted with lumps of wax and bits of broken glass stuck in, to make the strokes more painful. Before applying them, they raise their courage by swallowing huge drafts of Arrack, till they get intoxicated, and in a very unfit state for entering on divine service. St. John the Baptist’s Day, June 24th, is an occasion of great hilarity. The little children are then dressed up in garlands and green boughs. On the previous evening, called St. John’s eve, they let off grand fireworks in honour of the Saint. (The Dutch at Cochin sometimes indulge in the same display, but they do it merely for a pastime.) On Good Friday, they appoint some one to represent Our Lord, and lead him outside the Church carrying the cross in a sort of dramatic show. When ill, as a means for recovering their health, they make vows to the Holy cross, dressing it with flowers, and burning lamps before it all night. These crosses are set up in the public roads as well as in the Churches. Some of them are held to possess miraculous powers, though since the arrival of the Dutch heretics it is granted that their efficacy has very much diminished. At the beginning of the rainy season in June, a priest goes round to every house, sprinkling it with holy water to keep off evil spirits. They have a hundred other superstitions, not worth mentioning.
Many of their priests are Europeans; but the vicars of their churches are mostly Topasses, and are not admitted to any higher dignity in the church; the Dutch call them parish priests. They are not eligible even to this office unless they possess property to the value of a hundred rix-dollars, for the clerical revenues being insufficient for their support they must help to maintain themselves out of their own funds. They are mostly very illiterate, of Latin they know no more than enables them to perform mass. I was once told by one of them with whom I was conversing about the adoration of the Saints, that he could justify the doctrine by the adoration of the golden calf? This I willingly conceded him. Another coming to visit a church or parish, was asked by the Commandant, who first existed, Christ or the Christians? and in his simplicity made answer, the latter.
But indeed most of the priests ordained at Goa are not much better. One of the Dominican parish priests, a white European, being advanced in years was waited on by one of our visitors of the sick, who, knowing no other language, began to converse with him in Dutch. The priest remarked “I understand the Latin you are speaking very well, but I don’t know it quite well enough to make answer in it.”
The Topasses have many customs widely different from ours, and which they have probably learnt mostly from the Portuguese. At the birth of a child the women keep on singing to it, or it would be considered unlucky. They have many peculiar marriage customs. The marriage is more commonly arranged by the parents than by the children, and it happens not unfrequently that the bridegroom has never previously seen the bride: within the company’s jurisdiction the ceremony of betrothal takes place in the city, and must be conducted before the Committee of matrimonial affairs. The pair do not go thither together, but the bride goes alone, accompanied by an old woman, usually her mother if she is living; next follow several of her nearest male relatives and friends. Then the bridegroom arrives with a party of friends carrying shoes and stockings, and perhaps a sword, if he chooses to pay for it; which money, as also that which is paid for the somereel of the bride, goes to the poor. The appearance of the bride is somewhat strange. She walks generally very lame, being quite unused to the slippers which she now wears for the first time. Besides the tunic and the coloured cloth, in which articles of clothing her dress resembles that of the mixed races (Mysticen); she wears a silken veil, red or green, thrown over her shoulder from behind, and falling in front below the waist. Besides this, the bride is adorned with many gold chains and bracelets. On her head she wears a crown, within the circlet of which her hair is gathered into a knot, and from which several little chains depend. Hair pins set with various coloured stones are set in the plaits of her hair. The marriage ceremony is performed in the Romish church, with a license from the Commandant. When the bridal pair reach the door of their house on their return from church, they are sprinkled with rose-water, and then follows a marriage feast, when the guests eat in good earnest, being generally a hungry set.
When a husband and wife go out together they never walk side by side, as we do, but the husband walks first and the wife follows. I have observed this custom also sometimes among the Portuguese here. When a Topass dies within the city, his body is laid on a kind of litter covered with a cloth on which a large cross is embroidered, and is then carried out of the city, to be laid in consecrated ground in the island of Vypeen. When Topasses are in mourning they not only wear black coats, but wear them inside out (having no lining to them) and let their beards grow.
They are idle as well as proud, and will seldom work as long as they have any money. Hence there are few wealthy men among them. They are naturally fonder of the Portuguese than of the Dutch, though the former abandoned them shamefully to our mercy when the city changed hands. The unanimity of religion, the resemblance of names, and the notion that they are sprung from the same stock, make these poor creatures cling to their former masters; and I have no doubt that in the event of a war they would side with the Portuguese rather than with us, although at present they are under our protection, and are shielded by the Company against any pretensions on the part of the Heathen, who have no jurisdiction over them, for when they commit crimes, they must be delivered up to the Company and punished according to our law.
This is all that is worth noting about the Topasses; and I hope this description will give you satisfaction.