My Name is Kenya

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Kenya Moore, languidly beautiful. I wonder why her parents named her after a country.

“What’s your name and what does it mean?”

“I know Miss, I know.”

“Put down your hand Precious. That’s your homework for next Friday.”

The teacher must give the class a week so that they can ask their parents. Kids can also stand before the family, and do a little presentation. Call it a try-out session, so that they are confident when they do it in class.

I wish I was a speck of dust that Friday to hear the different stories about names from different parts of the world. Most kids south of the Equator will answer to David, John, Peter, Paul, Abraham and Mary because of the bible. Because the British brought Christianity to ‘civilize’ the natives, kids will also have royal family names like James, Henry, William, Charles, Edward, Anne or Victoria.

But, the aim of the homework is not colonial names. It is to find out how kids are named in religious societies, certain cultures and family tradition. By family tradition, I mean being named after your father’s sister, or after your grandfather. In certain countries, there’s a prefix that tells you whether it’s a boy or girl. My name is No-nqaba. If I had been a boy, it will be Nqaba, without the no-. In Nigeria, someone whose name starts with ada- is a girl. Adaori. Adana. Adaeze. Adaego.

What country calls baby girls Colleen? What does Pedro mean in Spanish? Is it a common name? I think Pierre is a popular name in France, but I might be wrong. Nunavut is one of the three Canadian territories. I wouldn’t be able to ask for water if I go there, because I don’t speak Inuktitut. It would be interesting to know how they name their children.

Be that as it may, it’s important to avoid saying: “Don’t you have an English name?”

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger

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