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Dada
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Posted: Monday May 28th, 2007 16:45 |
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I know that this topic has been mentioned before, but it would be good to get a fresh perspective.
Please click on the following and listen for the 1st 5 Minutes:
WHAT'S IN A NAME
How far to you agree with his comments?
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comfortandjoy
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Posted: Monday May 28th, 2007 18:59 |
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The answer to the question in the thread title: the reason the majority of African-Americans and Caribbeans use their ancestor's slavemasters names, is because they do not know what their real names are.
Why did you think it was?
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Dada
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Posted: Monday May 28th, 2007 21:32 |
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I am leaning towards the position of the link I posted.
When Slaves were freed many of them gave up work on Plantations, to take control of their own life, without making the connection of the name given to them.
Where as the Slaves who sided with the British in the American war of Independance, in the hope of gaining freedoom would change their names; One calling himself "British Freedom" for example.
So as I mentioned, I am leaning towards the position of the Link I posted
Last edited on Monday May 28th, 2007 21:46 by Dada
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comfortandjoy
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Posted: Monday May 28th, 2007 21:45 |
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So?
Can you expand a little on the reasons you think so many African people do not carry their correct names?
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Dada
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Posted: Tuesday May 29th, 2007 11:36 |
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I dont know the reasons.
Listening to the Interview of Malcom X was for me thought provoking.
Yes if I saw Norweigen or Swede with Blond hair and Blue Eyes called Kwame Boteng or Olu Adeyemi, I would immediately think there is a story behind this Man's name and heritage. I would think it odd.
Like wise as Malcom X said, an Asian or Oriental man had a name called John Bull I would think it odd intriguing even. And once more I would assume some sort of a story behind the name.
In Africa, or West Africa name are not limited to the Christain Saints for the first name and ones Job in the second:
Mark Thatcher
John Smith
Paul Farmer
In an Ghanaian example one could always use the first name based on the Day one was born. As many people from the Caribbean came from Ghana. It would not be difficult to adopt.
And Surnames are not always attributed to the Father of the child in African countries.
However, I find it interesting that the link with Slavery for many people in the Diasporia stops short at their own Name. We may talk about our thoughts regarding the Slave trade but many still use the name of the person who enslaved them.
As Bob Marley once mentioned:
"Free your self from mental slavery"
I would think that breaking the link between ones ancestors slave master and ones self is a small step to take.
Another link worth listening to:
Malcom X: "Who are You?" Last edited on Tuesday May 29th, 2007 11:55 by Dada
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rok der boat
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Posted: Tuesday May 29th, 2007 15:54 |
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MALCOLM X a great man
Last edited on Tuesday May 29th, 2007 15:54 by rok der boat
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Dada
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Posted: Tuesday May 29th, 2007 23:56 |
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Naming of an Yoruba Child
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girlfromthenc
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Posted: Wednesday May 30th, 2007 00:44 |
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I can't speak for any other peoples outside the USA, but its been documented/talked about for quite a while in the AA community how families, after the Emanipation Proclamation, kept their "slave names" in hopes of having a BETTER CHANCE at finding long lost love ones that had been seperated earlier! I don't know where all there strange theories are coming from. Depending on how long the family had been in the US, I'm sure a lot of them didn't even know the African name or the mother or grandmother's African name to even try to re-name themselves.
Anyway, I'm planning on naming my firstborn son my father's first name simpy in honor of him. Its European (Nathaniel), however it makes more sense to name him after someone I admire and respect more than in one else in this world than some "african name" i pulled out of an English dictionary.
Alot of people/families do this now. They aren't naming their children after Europeans at all. They do it in pure respect for family or a recent ancestor they want to acknowledge who just so happento have an English sounding name.
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Bredder Tukoma
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 12:39 |
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What Ive never undertood is why some West Africans in particular have European surnames. Im not talking Liberia either. Nigeria and Ghana in particular. After all under colonialism they were not under direct pressure to strip their names and given new ones. Direct pressure as in physical brutality.
Apart from the obvious attack on African culture by Europeans in Africa/ one can only assume that the process was a 'concious' choice.
Last edited on Friday June 1st, 2007 12:46 by Bredder Tukoma
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Dada
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 12:51 |
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On some occasions, during colonial times around 18th, the Europeans used to have Afican wives, when they had children they would carry thier fathers surnames as a mark of status.
Along the West Coast of Africa, you will come across Afrians with mispelt European Surnames and this is partly due to mispronnoucation of the European name, but written phonetically.
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stick-upKid
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 13:02 |
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Bredder Tukoma wrote: What Ive never undertood is why some West Africans in particular have European surnames. Im not talking Liberia either. Nigeria and Ghana in particular. After all under colonialism they were not under direct pressure to strip their names and given new ones. Direct pressure as in physical brutality.
Apart from the obvious attack on African culture by Europeans in Africa/ one can only assume that the process was a 'concious' choice.
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Many africans with Euro names were repariated freed slaves i.e. Liberians, Sierra Leonians etc.
Some enslaved people returned to the Lagos area (of Nigeria), hence people with european surnames like Obafemi Martins.
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The Watcher
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 13:31 |
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Bredder Tukoma wrote: What Ive never undertood is why some West Africans in particular have European surnames. Im not talking Liberia either. Nigeria and Ghana in particular. After all under colonialism they were not under direct pressure to strip their names and given new ones. Direct pressure as in physical brutality.
Apart from the obvious attack on African culture by Europeans in Africa/ one can only assume that the process was a 'concious' choice.
Though there were some who did take it up under choice, usually through missionaries and church, remember that the churches also had orphanages by the dozen and they'd just name kids. Obviously this doesn't account for the large amount of western names but then... there aren't THAT many really.
Hmm going back to the church thing I remember here in the UK in my RC school they'd always ask the African kids what their "CHRISTIAN" name was. If the register showed an Adetunde for example the teachers would ask for a name like David or James to call that kid by.
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Bredder Tukoma
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Posted: Friday June 1st, 2007 15:40 |
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I once went school with a continental brother who upon reaching 14/15 decided that we should call him Tony. I wont mention his original name as its a small world.
I think alot of Africans are under pressure to adopt European Christian/first names/ normally if I meet one informally I will ask him his real name. Done this to my colleague the other day and he seemed embarassed to tell me what it was and its meaning. Its sad.
Africans are not unique in this however as a lot of Chinese do the same too.
Last edited on Friday June 1st, 2007 15:40 by Bredder Tukoma
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girlfromthenc
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Posted: Saturday June 2nd, 2007 09:59 |
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Bredder Tukoma wrote: What Ive never undertood is why some West Africans in particular have European surnames. Im not talking Liberia either. Nigeria and Ghana in particular. After all under colonialism they were not under direct pressure to strip their names and given new ones. Direct pressure as in physical brutality.
Apart from the obvious attack on African culture by Europeans in Africa/ one can only assume that the process was a 'concious' choice.
I think its a concious choice as well. If you go to a country such as Nigeria for example, it seems like if a few million people or so were the descendants of interrimarriage between british men and Nigerian women (or even the missionary conversions), and the country has over 150 million people all together, after hundreds of years of marrying other Nigerians the British names should all but dissapear!!! In places like America or the Carribean they can't disappear because the person you're marrying (even if they're black too) will have a European name, but that is not the case in Africa.
A couple of months ago I was watching a special on Blood diamonds and they interviewed a lot of actual victims from liberia and Sierra Leone. A lot of the people talking had not only European last names, but first names as well. Yet they spoke their tribal language, which I found rather strange .
The CIA factsheet has the Americo-Liberian population (descendants of the freed slaves) at 2.5%. I don't know that much about Liberia but maybe this is an understatement. I've always assumed that there numbers were realtively low to the other ethnic groups there.
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Breadfruit
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Posted: Saturday June 2nd, 2007 17:17 |
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Africans who had their names changed thru the European Slave Trade, had this done thru the force of European colonialism. Europeans then extended this colonialism into Africa.
The result of this violence to Africans has been that many Africans no longer see the importance of Africans having African names.
I have met Africans in Diaspora named after Fairy tale characters - Africans from the continent named after European imperalists who killed or exploited nations of our people.
Why call an African Winston, Nelson, Alfonso, Elizabeth or Victoria unless your African mind has become lost in the journey that is HISstory??
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Agape
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Posted: Sunday June 3rd, 2007 18:44 |
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Breadfruit wrote: Africans who had their names changed thru the European Slave Trade, had this done thru the force of European colonialism. Europeans then extended this colonialism into Africa.
The result of this violence to Africans has been that many Africans no longer see the importance of Africans having African names.
I have met Africans in Diaspora named after Fairy tale characters man you have to be joking LOL - Africans from the continent named after European imperalists who killed or exploited nations of our people.
Why call an African Winston, Nelson, Alfonso, Elizabeth or Victoria unless your African mind has become lost in the journey that is HISstory??
its easier to get jobs to be Michael as opposed to Adeyemi/Oluwale, I have alot of Africans with surnames like Lawson, Roberts and Willaims.
I knew a girl called Nickeisha who changed it to Nicky to sound less ethnic.
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Dada
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Posted: Sunday June 3rd, 2007 22:19 |
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Agape,
yes it seems that an angloized name is a passport to better employment and opportunities. Yet on reflection, how many Asian have I seen in good positions and professions who have altered their names to an Anglo form?
It's rare, Indian call centres the exeception.
It would appear that while Whites used to be very hostile to the Asian community, their is an unchecked acknowledgement or acceptance of their Asian names over and above those of African names.
This is down the the unchecked perception we as a people and community have left. I believe that a movement to reclaim our heritage and names would be a good thing in this BiCentary year.
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