Yoruba Names
OBAFEMI ORIGUNWA, MA
Thank you very much for your reply to the letter on Yoruba Language. My name
is Obafemi Origunwa. I too am a descendent of those who were snatched away
many generations ago. I had struggled with my "slave name" for as long as I
could remember. It just never seemed to fit, you know?
So, when I was expecting my first child, I felt strongly compelled to
resolve the problem once and for all by legally correcting my name and
passing it on to my children. I am very pleased by the decision. My family
struggled with it at first, you know? They joked that the children would
not know how to spell their names and things like that.
I don't know if you'll experience that but if you do, it helps to remember
that they love you. It's just hard to change. Gradually, however, they will.
And as they do, you'll have the stength, as well as the patience to deal
with other people's difficulty with your child's African name. People will
continually try to make him Wilfred or Samuel or things like that. But I
always tell people - looking them directly in the eye, without reservation,
devoid of the slightest tinge of anger - "If my mother, who gave birth to me
over thirty years ago, can call me Femi and call my son Dayo, then certainly
you can, too."
These are just some of the psychological trappings of restoring one's
indigenous character. Few people ever mention these things in texts, but
they are very significant in the identity reforming process.
As far as acually selecting a name, their are several levels to take into
consideration. First, in Yorubaland, like many other parts of Africa, a
child is not traditionally named in the hospital. Once he is born, mother
and child are pretty much sequestered, only to be seen by immediate family
members. Then, on the 7th day for a girl and the 9th day for a boy, there is
a community celebration in which the child is presented to the community. At
that time the child's name is revealed in a very ceremonious fashion.
Concerning the names themselves, first there are "names from heaven." These
names accompany a child who is born under special circumstances. For
example, my second son is named Ojo (oh-JOH). It is a title presented to
children born under difficult circumstances. In my son's case, he had the
umbilical cord wrapped around his neck several times. Thanks to God, he was
up for the challenge and suffered absolutely no damage.
Other children are born "in the caul" or the amnionic sack. A boy born this
way is called Salako (sa-la-KO) and a girl is called Talabi (tah-lah-BI).
Both names roughly translate to someone drapped in white cloth, like the
Arch Divinity of Yorubaland, Obatala. These are examples of "names from
heaven."
Then, there is an abiso name - a given name. This is a name that the father
or the senior male in the family will choose. It will be based upon the
situation that the child is coming into, as well as the character of that
particular child. It represents a prayer for the child and the family.
Perhaps the parents have been fighting and the father prays that "the child
will resolve the fight." Or maybe the around the time of the child's birth,
the mother gets a promotion at work, so they will call him "the child is
born into prosperity."
Of course, the names are in Yoruba, not English, but there are so many names
that encyclopedic books have been written on the subject. My intention is
just to give you an idea of the process of indigenous Yoruba naming
practices. A name is a vibration. It invokes a particular force that
resonates with the person's character and the essence. It calls certain
faculties into motion. More importantly, the sound is not always as
important as the meaning. This is hard to warm up to from any cultural
perspective. But as you grow with the name and learn more about it and see
it manifest in the child's character, you'll love the sound more and more.
It will be sweet music to your soul.
There are two more types of names, but I think that have gone on long
enough, right? I hope that this helps. If you have any other questions,
please contact me. In the meantime, there is a book by Modupe Oduyoye called
Yoruba names. It's small, but definitive. Best of wishes and congratulations
on you baby!!!
Sincerely,
Femi
Visit my homepage at:
http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/DharmaDr/origunwa/index.html
Happiness is thinking freely,
feeling deeply
and enjoying simply.
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