not nameless
written by Jardene Waya , August 29, 2007

A great piece Atandi. True emancipation comes after breaking the shackles of the mind.

I guess too that most folk are in total agreement with you on the importance of our own names for all the reasons including those of culture, history, pride and so on.

The Uhuru generation, i.e kids born after independence showed quite clearly that in naming their own kids they would break with tradition and use their own names, rejecting the imported ones.

There is a far more important reason, I think, for us to carry our names with pride. It is because they fit. It goes with what you say about rhythm and rhyme. Our names identify us uniquely and one can immediately tell where a person is from. Our names take on our personalities and give them stature.

Reading your list of names above I am reminded of my own childhood hero A great man whose name spread fear across Southern Africa sending his enemies trembling as they tried to escape him. Whenever I heard his name mentioned I would reach for my dictionary and open it at the word Colossus which gave one meaning thus:

... a person of exceptional importance and reputation [syn: behemoth,
giant, heavyweight, titan]

In time I left my childhood dreams and realised that my man had lost his lustre. His name and charisma had attracted me to him and I had loved him from afar

Can you guess the name of this once giant.

bila shaka
written by emmo opoti , August 29, 2007

I was recently watching a movie from South Africa, In My Country. Samuel L Jackson plays a reporter from the Washington Post gone to cover the Truth and Reconciliation hearings. Now during the hearings, an old black man took a whole minute saying his name as he did the whole begot, begot, begot back to when his ancestors first came into South Africa.

I do not have nearly a good enough memory but I like Atandi would not mind too much if we all stuck with traditional names. The question is though, what will they mean to us? Don't the names themselves exist in some context?

full of meaning
written by John Ongeri , August 29, 2007

Our names are important and full of meaning. Children may be named for seasons or to denote other exceptional events that took place. We also name children after fearless warriors, hunters or leaders. Doing a little research shows that place-names were also interconnected with given names.

Do you notice how our system of naming was so complex and had such specialised coding that This modern thing called identity theft would not be possible.

Ms Waya, give us another clue; was your great hero of the 18th, 19th or 20th century?

Renewal
written by Nowa , August 29, 2007

African socities have always been close to the rhythms of nature.

In my society the naming of children after their ancestors signified a renewal...the person had been born again. The cycle of nature follows birth, growth, death and rebirth. A strong bond in nature connects the living with their departed ancestors.

name not shame
written by Churchill Kinyua\'imata , August 29, 2007

The author may not be fully aware that some of us have moved on. No,we are not children of the continent now. Our horizons are broader. I am a global villager equally at home in Washington, Wundanyi or Witwatersrand.

I have no idea why my parents chose my name at the baptism but I am happy and very proud of it. In my turn I have baptised my sons good strong christian names because I want them to cherish the biblical ideals on which we have raised them. My eldest, Peter is so named because he is the man of the house in my absence. John is good, clean and kind hearted. I know that they are both fully aware of the traditions of the past but most of that is history now.

We are living in a modern Kenya and I am not ashamed to carry a foreign name. I am also not ashamed to say that I never listen to those vernacular service radios. I dress in modern western styles and I find African, Indian and Chinese dishes equally appealing. I am a Pragmatic Nationalist who believes there is no room for narrow cultural practices of a bygone age. The sooner we all realise that the quicker we will all shun tribalism and unite.

...
written by bwonwong\'a , August 29, 2007

a name wont give you a culture. thats ignorance of the highest order. identity goes deeper than a name and changing a name wont get you your history back. sad.

what\'s in a name
written by Amina , August 29, 2007

My name is arabic for trustworthy and faithful. I believe I possess these qualities, but not because of my name. These are attributes I have grown to learn from my family and mentors.

On the other hand, there is a beauty in something authentically you. Even the English names we call foreign have meaning.

Churchill what makes a name Christian? If was to convert to Christianity today, can I still keep Amina? Or do I have to take a "Christian name?"

Jardene-- the name of your mentor, pretty please?

Nkosi ya Makosi
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Greetings Jardene. First of all, thank you very much for your soul calming comments. they are much appreciated. It is true, our our names fit us perfectly and we can carry them uniquely because they are ours. Names carry a lot of power in them, culture as well. They give one a sense of belonging and pride. I do hope that in a near future, we will follow the example of Swaziland and put off using foreign names....holding on to Afrikan names...

And in answer to you questions, I know your once great hero....his name you had to pronounce with great honor and respect....Shaka kaSenzangakhona Isizulu....Nkosi ya Makosi (kING OF kINGS)...Ndlovu-nkulu (great elephant)...commander and organizer of the 80,000 warriors and King of the Zulu nation

remain well,
Atandi Anyona

Unconscious Meaning
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Greetings to you emmo, and thank you for taking your time to reply. The question you ask has made home in my mind time and time again....MEANING. Someone told me that culture never dies, it just manifests itself in different ways. Let me tell you something....some things are so much engraved in you that even if you do not know from where they sprout, you still do them.

Now, traditionally, there is hair braiding, ear and nose piercing, hair coloring, dancing, religious beliefs and practices, wearing of amulets such as bangles and necklaces and so on. Now, we carry on these practices in our present day whether or not we put meaning into them. This is because they still find function one way or the other...be it beauty or fashion...whether or not these were the initial meanings. Therefore, let our names work for us....they give us self/national pride as well as a sense uniqueness, even if for some of them we still cannot find the original meaning.


If you get the time, look for a movie called RIZE and I hope you get to see what am trying to say with regards to a practice/ tradition never dying even though the meaning is not truly known.

Remain well

african?
written by emmo opoti , August 30, 2007

Atandi,
First of all for a name to have cultural significance it must be relevant to the bearer's culture. I posit therefore that there is not such a thing as an African name. If I named my son Mandela, the name would be just as alien as if I named him Churchill.

My question about context persists unanswered. Let's say I name my child after some great Kenyan warrior of the 18th Century - Lwanda Magere. As he bears this name what does it mean to my son? Does it instill in him a sense of courage, does it teach him about a great Luo who waged war on the Nandi? How useful is this name to him?

I am aware for example, of the campaign among African Americans to take on African names. Like Amiri Baraka ( formerly LeRoi Jones) or Molefi Asante ( Arthur Lee Smith Jr) ( such names take on a vigorous significance being as they are symbols of manumission, of the desire to free oneself from the cultural and mental bonds of slavery.

Now, in the modern world, where the African is often a more pious Muslim than the Arab, and a more zealous Christian than the Roman it is difficult to argue for example that a name like Thaddeus has no meaning. I find in fact that your average African parent is likely to put a great deal of thought into whatever name he chooses to bless his child with. Priests are also often advisers, counselling for example against such appellations as Naboth or Ananias.

...
written by emmo opoti , August 30, 2007

My suggestion would be that the modern individual be free to decide their identity. Even as we insist on banding all black people under the banner of African, many of us are African in nothing but blood; a sore fact which suggests given the cognacy of humanity) that we are more closely related to the British than we are to our ancestors from the 19th Century.

Rebirth
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Greetings Nowa. Just wanted to add something with regards to rebirth.I know some societies bring back the spirit of a passed away relative by naming a child after them such that there is a continuity in life. This keeps the persons memory and spirit forever in our minds for his name passes on from generation to generation.

His- Story
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Hello Churchill. First of all, thankyou for the strong response.
I think it is a wise step to have pride in the foreign name that your parents gave you and also of the Christian names you have placed on your sons. After all, its all about love, as long as that flows in your family and yourself as well, names are but an added taste.

However, every man is granted self-mind so here goes mine.
From your response, you tend to associate the name of each of your sons with the various attributes...from "kind" to "being the man of the house". I am beyond conviction that in you culture, you will find names that give the same sort of attributes...a wide range indeed; from pure to dedicated, from wise to responsible...a wide range indeed....names in your own back yard.

In addition, if you do chase the legacy of these great men, who deed great things, be they the disciples of the Savior or prophets of the Maker......there are many in your culture/ heritage/ history as well. They exist in every coagulation of people of whatever race, color or creed. Nonetheless, if you continue to let this history, which I rather prefer calling our-story, if you let it be that "bygone", I am again beyond conviction that you will never find these men /names that are so engraved that heritage which you deem your own... Alas, after a while, all the names of your sons sons will be but foreign....for they will have no history of a name from the roots from which they sprang.

You are a global citizen....I commend that. As you learn and interact with the different cultures...be they indian, Afrikan, Chinese or otherwise, as you partake of their elegant dress and tasty food, do not forget to take a lesson or two of they way in which their babes they name.....I do think they tend to dig them out from their cultural bank.. their own heritage.....do also try that. ...what one man can do, another can easily replicate..its all learning from and about other cultures. And them from who you proudly borrow names, why don't the return the favor and borrow yours as well?

Finally, since the bible is a vital foundation in your response, when time gives you a chance, do dig of its history, I mean Our-story....you will find that the Savior had a Hebrew name...YESHUA....very different in meaning from Jesus....the Hebrews in His time were also men of Color....more close in tradition to our own culture. Therefore, if you really want to borrow names from the Bible, do get the Original names..be they Hebrew, Aramaic or Kemetic; take my word, they definitely were not in the Queens tongue.

But at the end, I have to say again, it is all about love, everything else is a side-step.


Remain well

of Culture & Expression
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Naming is but one of the many tributaries of cultural expression. It rests among dancing, worshiping, art, industry and so on. A name won't give you a culture, but it will sure help you in expressing one.

With regards to your thoughts on name, identity and history, I do kindly beg to differ. A name is part of your identity. It may or may not reflect your physical characteristics or your disposition, but at times, people are named exactly by them. Makena...a name given to a child who is always happy and smiling. Whether or not this child lives up to quench this meaning is uncertain...but when he/she was a child, it sure was her identity.

With reference to history, I know names do carry with them a lot of history as to why they came to being. I got first hand information from a very close relative of why her sisters came to be called they way they are called...take my word, its history at its best. Jonh Ongeri who also responded to this article touched on that....please take a look.

Meaning
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Greetings Amina. I do agree, a name does not make you and you can chose to live up to its meaning or not.

I do also concur that English names do have meaning. For the English are also a nation, a community who also express their culture through name.

My point was that it is more that likely you will find names with the meaning you are looking for right in your own heritage.....that name that is authentically you. However, it is up to the person in subject to do what they feel comfortable.

Be Free to Choose
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

I totally agree, it is up to the modern individual to decide of identity...names inclusive. My motivation was to try and induce a thought of why names from your own heritage play fair game...very fair game indeed.

Ad for who we are more closely related to, would be, argue and debate full fold that we are more closely related to the American and Asian Indian by a factor of infinity than we are to the British. To me, comparing our relation to our ancestors and to the British is to much of an illusion

But let me say, I do totally respect your opinion though I present mine as well.

...
written by emmo opoti , August 30, 2007

Atandi,
No need to add the justifying suffix. The entirety of our culture from our religion, dress, economic systems, social systems, social values, prejudices, political and government arrangements, and so on are derived from the British. That was why I said we are more closely related to them culturally than we are to our ancestors or to Native Americans or Asian Indians.

...
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Ommo,
Naming you child Mandela and Churchill are paradoxic analogies I believe. If we are to extend our historical boundaries, we will find un-mined knowledge. Let me play on your example. Mandela is a first Afrikan, then Bantu ( I am Bantu and understand Southern Languages since these people came from the same place then migrated south- you find astounding similarities). So before we cross great waters to fish names, can we not get the close ones first. If you take time to talk with some folks from the South, you will be surprised at the similarity of your cultures even though the way they are expressed may differ....now Churchill....we are as similar as the raven is to the Leopard.


As for your second paragraph, I find it hard to answer in words. I just see it making so much sense calling your son Luanda Magere than Nepoleon. Maybe it is just that fear that at one time we will be so alienated that......we will lose part of who we are. Next will come our food....for our dressing is long gone, then our languages....which has started its march to extinction, then our mode of conduct, for our believes are following any wind that flows from the west....and so on..... the scientist call this process Systemic Die-back.

Truth be told, the paragraph detailing the Afrikan of Diasphora taking up their would-have-been Afrikan names is part foundation of the article "These Cannot be Your Names". I do believe that by taking up these alien names, you are unconsciously setting alight a fire to your drying identity; and as it is, identity & culture never cease crossing paths.

At to why the Afrikan is "more pious Muslim than the Arab and Christian than the Roman" is quite understandable and rational depending on how much history you know. To say the truth, especially for Christianity, I am not at all surprised.....it makes total sense; the explanation I will live for another day.

Luo man
written by postillionage , August 30, 2007

Atandi seems to suffer from the scourge of Afrocentricism, hence the k in his African and so on.

On my part, giving my child a Xhosa name is likely to confuse him just as much as if I gave him a Giriama name. He would be much more likely to understand a name like Mordechai than he would a name like Mandela.

As you wage your struggle, try to eschew racist arguments that make all Africans into one. Are Ethiopians and Somalis also Africans under these rules? So I can call my child Menelik? Just because all our skin in black?

...
written by Marangu , August 30, 2007

Atandi:
I like your thinking, it is different, and it's probably an idea whose time has come. Further up you have emphasized the many commonalities we share with our brothers and sisters who splintered down south (or us up north). Only genuinely trying to understand the cultural and linguistic even physical similarities can we appreciate what you are on about. I am not sure I will soon have a Swazi or Ndebele or Xhosa name for me or for my kids. There should be many of our offsprings with the name Rohlihlahla Mandela, the man has earned it, only if we could pronounce it. Personally I think your heart is in the right place... keep going.

blessed be Atandi
written by churchill kinyua\'imata , August 30, 2007

I wrote my previous posting having assuming that the author was one of those mis-guided self-appointed cultural policemen wandering about imposing their views on everybody. Nothing could been further from the truth.

Atandi is simply blessed. I have never met anyone who places so much value on the views and experiences of others. I feel that you really care about this topic and I wish there were more like you. You are just real!

Atandi...I am proud of my name and I am glad that you respect that. My 2 boys, Peter and John are also very proud of their names but I will look into your suggestion about local names.

Amina...yours is truly a much sought after name. It has its roots in the word Imani which as you know is one of the key principles of christianity. If you were lucky to convert to my religion you could keep your version of that name or you could anglicize it into a sweet name: Faith. I believe the male version in your language is Saddique...is that true?

Let me finally reassure Mr Emmo that I am not alien here. In my church circle we have names like Washington, Spencer, Edison, Watson and Brad. It is just a matter of choice.

to all who asked
written by Jardene Waya , August 30, 2007

No, Atandi. His name was Savimbi.

sad ain't it?

???
written by opiyo , August 30, 2007

this arguement is refreshing. it would really be great to live in a world where you could run down to nyayo house and change around some letters on your documents and voila! new name new culture all your history back.....

being cross cultural i have and unending supply of traditional african names as well as a generous helping of catholic names(unfortunate)and lyrical nicknames. my african names dont make me feel more african, my catholic names dont make me feel any more catholic, my english names.....

i am an african because at creation my genes drew straws and it just happened. i remain such because i feel my culture resonate inside me even while i am removed from it and growing steadily away from it. i would love my children to be "african" but i'm not sure what that is.

perhaps what we turn out to be is what we are. nothing can grow in a vacum. the brit in Emmo must always have been there somewhere.

???

Whose Name
written by Atandi , August 30, 2007

Luo Man,
I did not know an Afrocentric disposition is deemed an ailment...a scourge you call it. If it be one, it is one I do gladly welcome to make home in this mind.

If you raise your child with the history and life of Mordechai, he will associate with him more, of Mandela, then Mandela will make sense to him more. Mandela is an Afrikan figure. I'm sure you will do your son good to tell him of Rohihlahla for it is a name he will come across one to many times. If you do so call him Mordechai, do please give justice by making sure he knows an Afrikan Mordechai.

Afrikan nations did interact a lot in the past for they found in themselves many commonalities as they do now. If you do call your child Menelik or Olorun, I would commend you with no with-holds.

Remain well

Thankyou
written by Atandi , August 31, 2007

It is comments like yours that fuel one's spirit to keep on keeping on.

Thankyou very much

Learning to Learn
written by Atandi , August 31, 2007

I can say today I have learned something new. A son of the soil said that it is better to try and fail than fail to try. I tried...you cannot blame a man for that. I do not understand why melancholy should trail a missed question; A child cannot learn how to walk unless he has felt the hardness of the floor.

Savimbi, I know have something to research on.

" There is but one coward on this earth; that man who dare not know."
__W.E.B.Du Bois