Emancipatory discourse in the names of children of the present generation: Some attempts of balancing power relations with special reference to Tshivenḓa naming practices

Abstract

In most African cultures children are given names by the elders, especially by grandmothers. This task is assigned to them as they are seen as custodians of culture, history and heritage. They in turn have over the years used the power bestowed upon them to make critical statements to their children or any other person they disagree with through the names that they give to the family’s new-born children. For this reason, there have been silent wars in families and communities. These silent feuds have been difficult to deal with, as any challenge to the elders or their way of doing things is a challenge to tradition, and challenging traditions has historically been unheard of or frowned upon amongst Africans in general. This article intends to demonstrate that, whereas in some cases the elders have continued to give names to their grandchildren which are not so favourable to their parents, over the years parents themselves have used subtle diplomacy to do it on their own instead. The names are, therefore, free from the usual conflicts, quarrels and disagreements that they themselves had to contend with even when all these conflicts have nothing to do with them. They have in the main also tried to pacify the elders or parents by naming their children after their own great-grandparents and other ancestors in order to build bridges.

Bevrydingsdiskoers in die name van die kinders van die huidige geslag: ’n Paar pogings om magsverhoudings te balanseer met spesiale verwysing na Tshivenḓa naamgewingspraktyke. In die meeste Afrikakulture word kinders name gegee deur senior lede van die familie, meestal die grootmoeders. Hierdie taak word deur hulle verrig omdat hulle gesien word as draers van die kultuur, geskiedenis en nalatenskap. Op hulle beurt het hulle deur die jare die mag wat aan hulle toegeken is, gebruik om kritiese stellings teenoor hulle kinders of enige ander persoon waarvan hulle verskil, te maak, deur name wat hulle aan pasgeborenes toeken. Om hierdie rede was daar voortdurend konfliksituasies binne families en gemeenskappe wat moeilike situasies geskep het. Enige poging wat aangewend is om van senior familielede te verskil, is beskou as ’n aanslag op tradisie, as ongehoord en is dus op neergesien in Afrikagemeenskappe. Hierdie referaat het ten doel om te demonstreer dat nieteenstaande die feit dat grootouers in sommige gevalle steeds voortgaan met naamgewing aan kleinkinders sonder die goedkeuring van die ouers, hul kinders tog op eie stoom voortgaan om hierdie praktyk met subtiele diplomasie toe te pas. Name wat hedendaags gekies word is daarom vry van die gebruiklike konflik, twis en verskille waarmee ouers as kinders moes saamleef terwyl hul self gewoonlik niks daarmee te doen gehad het nie. Kinders wend oor die algemeen ’n poging aan om brûe tussen generasies te bou deur hulle kinders na groot-grootouers asook na geslagte verder terug, te vernoem.