Maja-A Yoruba Name

[Charles Temitope Adeyanju-Ogunkinle]

Dear sisters and brothers,

Kindly enlighten me on the gender of the following name: Maja (literally translated as 'don't fight'). Is this name masculine, feminine, or both (unisex)?  Thanks.

Charles Ogunkinle    

[Ropo Sekoni]

It is masculine. Women were not warriors in the pre-colonial phase of the Yoruba nation. But there is a rare name for girls: Adaramaja, but when Maja is at the beginning of the name, it is usually in relation to boys.

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From: afroe...@hotmail.com
To: yoruba...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Yoruba Affairs - Maja-A Yoruba Name
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 2015 19:59:08 -0400

Dear sisters and brothers,

Kindly enlighten me on the gender of the following name: Maja (literally translated as 'don't fight'). Is this name masculine, feminine, or both (unisex)?  Thanks.

Charles Ogunkinle    

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[Adeola James]

Thank you. This is enlightening.I am used to men being named 'Maja', but 'Adaramaja' as a girl's name is not very common.

Adeola James.

[Folu Ogundimu]

Maja may translate literally in English as "don't fight" but English literal translations often misinterpret the ontology of Yoruba terms. Maja, is best understood as 'peacemaker', I think. 

FO. 

Sent from my iPhone

[Folu Ogundimu]

Dear Sis,

I am forwarding your message to the group but I am having the same problem you had. My original post was rejected, perhaps it did post after all - since you saw it. But here we go again:

On Tue, Dec 8, 2015 at 4:55 AM, Oyeronke Oyewumi <oyeronke...@stonybrook.edu> wrote:

My broda,

Eku'jo meta o. I tried to join the conversation on names but it is not allowing me to post even though I am receiving mails. Could you help me post this. 

Thanks,

Ronke

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Oyeronke Oyewumi <oyeronke...@stonybrook.edu>
Date: Tue, Dec 8, 2015 at 11:37 AM
Subject: Re: Yoruba Affairs - Maja-A Yoruba Name
To: yorubaaffa...@googlegroups.com
Cc: yorubaaffairs <yoruba...@googlegroups.com>

Dear All,

A sociologist of gender and culture, I have just completed a study of Yoruba names, naming systems and practices. I have come to the conclusion that Yoruba names just like the kinship system and other socio-political institutions are not gendered. Both males and females are represented in ALL institutions!!! That is to say that Yoruba people give same names to both males and females--the names are unisex. Because the most important consideration historically was the circumstance of birth (ile laawo ka to somo loruko) pertains usually, to the family, community, mother or father it is not surprising that these "circumstance" is not gender-specific. Thus a name like Maja, though its prefix is missing cannot be said to be a male name for any reason. The meaning does not necessarily derive from the child. The Literal English translations should be taken with more than a pinch of salt--the name is already abbreviated. The most common Maja (today) is Adaramaja--a beautiful name --extols the beauty of peaceful existence.

If I may digress, one of the most fascinating things about newly -minted Yoruba names today, most of which are emanating from the Pentescostal Christian communities is that they have remained faithful to the Yoruba principle of  non-gendered names--they remain unisex. Some of those contemporary Christian names are Oluwadamilola, Oluwaferanmi, Iteoluwakishi, Oluwatitofunmi, Toluwanimofe. Apart from the constant refrain of Oluwa which has come to represent the Christian God in Yoruba discourses and practices, did you notice that the new generation Yoruba names  are progressively longer having more syllables and details about exactly what God has done for them!!!

The last three chapters of my book, What Gender is Motherhood: Changing Yoruba Ideals of Power, Procreation and Identity, which will be released tomorrow by Palgrave/Macmillan. Here's the link Link: http://amzn.com/1137538775

Ire O,

Oyeronke Oyewumi

On Mon, Dec 7, 2015 at 3:41 PM, Ropo Sekoni <rop...@msn.com> wrote:

It is masculine. Women were not warriors in the pre-colonial phase of the Yoruba nation. But there is a rare name for girls: Adaramaja, but when Maja is at the beginning of the name, it is usually in relation to boys.

---

From: afroe...@hotmail.com
To: yoruba...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Yoruba Affairs - Maja-A Yoruba Name
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 2015 19:59:08 -0400

Dear sisters and brothers,

Kindly enlighten me on the gender of the following name: Maja (literally translated as 'don't fight'). Is this name masculine, feminine, or both (unisex)?  Thanks.

Charles Ogunkinle    

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Folu F. Ogundimu, Ph.D.

Michigan State University
Email: ogun...@msu.edu
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