I cannot claim to be a good friend of Goa Gil. I did not see him enough for that, but he certainly was friendly with me. In the late 80’s and early 90’s he invited me and my wife several times in his house in Anjuna, where he and his lovely wife Ariane spoiled us with great food, magic nights of jamming and great talks.
I remember one day in the early 90’s when in Goa all psychedelic trance parties were forbidden under pressure of the USA. In an Indian newspaper there was a large article by the governor of Goa, who pleaded that all hippies should leave. He thought that
1) We were scumbags.
2) We were a bad example for local youth.
3) Our parties were morally despicable.
4) Goa had enough poor people.
5) If the hippies would be kicked out the rich tourists would visit the beautiful beaches of Goa.
I personally thought the governor had a point, but Goa Gil had the self-esteem and courage to invite himself to the offices of the governor. The day before we were thinking of reasons why this powerful man was wrong.
1) We were honourable people at the fore front of a new culture.
2) We were a good example. We expanded our minds by traveling. We learned so much more from the world than most of our contemporaries. We had such a good relationship with the Goan people that we called them our family, more even than our biological families in the West.
3) Our trance parties were the revival of the rituals of the earliest cultures on earth. They are intrinsically good.
4) The average hippie spends about 1000% a more month than a Goan person.
5) Beware what you wish for. Without the hippies, Goa is just another exploited beach in the world full of drunk tourists that leave an enormous ecological ravage.
6) Why would Goa be the only place in the world where Goa-Trance music is not allowed to be played?
With these arguments he set of to the governor. A miracle happened: Goa Gil was allowed to organise a couple of parties! He had done the impossible. We enjoyed them a lot. We danced the dust of the dancefloor. We were so happy. It was a golden time. Everyone who was there agrees about that.
Thanks Gil. You were one of the good guys. Love for Ariane.