In African cultures naming a child map out ones destiny.In some African cultures the first-born is named after the paternal grandfather like in Zulu culture for example,if you are married. In some societies it has to do with class and status take for example the famous artist Beyoncé and her husband Jay-z named their first born Blue Ivy Carter, but what does this name mean?
According to Mthokozisi Ndlovu, Second year student in PR and Communication, at the University of Johannesburg believes “that a certain name suggest a certain standing in society, or in the family tree”. In Zulu culture when a baby turns three months a special Ceremony takes place called Imbeleko (the naming ceremony), where the child is introduced to the ancestors by name. During the Ceremony the toddler’s hair is cut for the first time and a sacrifice is made to the ancestors in the form of a white goat being slaughtered. The goat gallbladder is then pierced and the bile poured into the baby, this is to indicate that the goat is the child messenger to the ancestors. A piece of the goat skin is then cut out, to form a bracelet for the child which he/she will wear until it eventually falls out.
And i still dont understand why they (beyonce and jaz-z) named their child Blue.in SA there are many ceremonies that bieng done during/on arriving of the baby, it differs on the culture or on the surname.
ReplyDeleteI think naming a child after grandparent's name it applies in many cultures,for example, i'm named after my grandfather's name in Pedi culture.They also slaughtered a goat when i was born.
ReplyDeleteyou cannot expect beyonce and jay-z to follow the same rituals as south african,they are descended from america,maybe child naming is not realy a cultural thing for them
ReplyDeletei think naming your child after the grandparents it good becouse the child wont forget his/her roots.
ReplyDeleteNaming a child depend on the parent's choice it does'nt have to be a force.Because every one lives for him or her self.I don't think children have to be named by their grandparent. They have to have they own identity.
ReplyDeletewith the recent change in trends and most african citizens adapting the western way of living,particularly in south africa would you say that the are still people who follow the traditional way of naming a child or has the western lifestyle taken the value of traditon and norms from the south african society.
ReplyDeleteIn African cuture we do name our loved ones after our elders but i think all that is a myth names should come from parents heart and agreement. What will it happen if you born a baby boy and your elderly cycle member of the family was a woman- will they name the son with the woman's name? You see that wont work.
ReplyDeleteeven thought in some cases it is the best way to go it dose not mean we must always let culture in when naming a child
ReplyDeletei think is because americans don't really have culture that why mean of their names sometimes don;t even have meaning
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