“WHAT’S in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”, so wrote Shakespeare. Without disagreeing with this axiom, but certainly stretching its elasticity, I marvel at how names can move and motivate the bearers to live to the promise of their meanings.
This is not to justify the death-wish plot in TS Elliot’s Murder in the Cathedral. But consider for a moment the recent beatification of Benedict Daswa as Blessed Benedict Daswa by the Roman Catholic Church at the Vatican, witnessed in Limpopo.
The very name Benedict etymologically means blessed . This great Christian man must have surely grown up to live up to the full meaning of his name.
OR Tambo had as his Xhosa name, Kheizana. Certainly he was named after the German Kaiser, William II of World War 1, at the time of his birth.
Tambo’s history needs no retelling. What influence did this name have on his political moulding?
I’m also intrigued by his clan names . The idiomatic meaning is a hard nut to crack.
One of his contemporaries was the well-known Kaizer Matanzima . He also was a leader in his own right with the motto, you lead or you follow or get the hell out of the way.
He too, was shaped by the meaning of his name, taken from the same German Kaiser. Interestingly he claimed acquaintance with both OR Tambo and Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela , the latter being his cousin.
In Fort Hare papers dating back to 1994, I found myself writing a eulogy on Mandela’s presidential inauguration and translating the meaning of Rolihlahla to be “crowd-puller”.
This was before Tat’uMandela himself translated Rolihlahla in Long Walk to Freedom to mean “troublemaker”. Whatever the appropriate translation, the import is the same – it implores the bearer to organise against an unfair system.
What of Biko’s name, Bantu?
It speaks for itself – a people’s man. No wonder the country has been busy in Limpopo this month with the beatification of Daswa and in King William’s Town with commemorating Biko’s death on September 12 1977.
Biko probably liked people more than his own emancipation. Wherever he went large crowds of youth gathered around him. This propelled Donald Woods, the then editor of the Daily Dispatch, to write, in announcing his death “sikhahlela indoda yamadoda ”.
The Xhosa name of Biko’s namesake, Bantubonke Holomisa is extended to all-people. He too has made a name for himself and is currently the leader of the United Democratic Movement. He is known for a disguised humility and servanthood to all.
He features in social, educational, ecclesiastical and sporting initiatives. Indeed, he is a father to all the children.
Was this a parents’ prophesy or did he mean to live up to his name?
Chris Hani’s real names were Martin Tembisile and as the Bible teaches us, he kept his covenant with God to the last day.
Those who worked with him tell us he always fulfilled his promises to both his principals and those entrusted to him.
I write this article particularly for the youth, to encourage them to take cognisance of the names they were baptised with and to endeavour to fulfil their parents’ wishes.
Writing a sonnet in the anthology Igama Lam, I remarked “Igama ngumnqweno wabazali/Icamagushelo nesinikezelo kuLowo wasidalayo/Sakuphikisana nokuliqulathileyo, sithath’izikhali/ Sicel’umngeni kubazali; ndawonye nowazinikelayo .”
Parents too, are exhorted by priests to meditate on the names they give their children at their baptism.
Without passing judgment, one notices a trend today, bordering on fashion, of giving a child so short a name as to render it meaningless.
When a child is named Enza , for instance, what would he seriously see as his challenge, except if he extrapolates his name to Enzokuhle .
Nor do names that are puns help. Unambiguity should be a guiding principle. I remember my elder brother whose name was Fulinzima. A negative meaning is “reap hardships”, whereas a positive meaning is “heavy cloud”. It is a majestic name reserved for kings. Fortunately, he imbibed the latter meaning.
Children honour thy father and mother – so admonishes the Old Testament’s fifth commandment, “so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth”.
Professor Theodore Mncedisi Jordan was on staff at the University of Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu University, where he taught and supervised accountancy students. He now researches indigenous cultures. Theodore is from Theus “God” and adorus “to adore”. Mncedisi means helper
Tambo, Madiba, Biko, Hani testify to power of a name
This is not to justify the death-wish plot in TS Elliot’s Murder in the Cathedral. But consider for a moment the recent beatification of Benedict Daswa as Blessed Benedict Daswa by the Roman Catholic Church at the Vatican, witnessed in Limpopo.
The very name Benedict etymologically means blessed . This great Christian man must have surely grown up to live up to the full meaning of his name.
OR Tambo had as his Xhosa name, Kheizana. Certainly he was named after the German Kaiser, William II of World War 1, at the time of his birth.
Tambo’s history needs no retelling. What influence did this name have on his political moulding?
I’m also intrigued by his clan names . The idiomatic meaning is a hard nut to crack.
One of his contemporaries was the well-known Kaizer Matanzima . He also was a leader in his own right with the motto, you lead or you follow or get the hell out of the way.
He too, was shaped by the meaning of his name, taken from the same German Kaiser. Interestingly he claimed acquaintance with both OR Tambo and Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela , the latter being his cousin.
In Fort Hare papers dating back to 1994, I found myself writing a eulogy on Mandela’s presidential inauguration and translating the meaning of Rolihlahla to be “crowd-puller”.
This was before Tat’uMandela himself translated Rolihlahla in Long Walk to Freedom to mean “troublemaker”. Whatever the appropriate translation, the import is the same – it implores the bearer to organise against an unfair system.
What of Biko’s name, Bantu?
It speaks for itself – a people’s man. No wonder the country has been busy in Limpopo this month with the beatification of Daswa and in King William’s Town with commemorating Biko’s death on September 12 1977.
Biko probably liked people more than his own emancipation. Wherever he went large crowds of youth gathered around him. This propelled Donald Woods, the then editor of the Daily Dispatch, to write, in announcing his death “sikhahlela indoda yamadoda ”.
The Xhosa name of Biko’s namesake, Bantubonke Holomisa is extended to all-people. He too has made a name for himself and is currently the leader of the United Democratic Movement. He is known for a disguised humility and servanthood to all.
He features in social, educational, ecclesiastical and sporting initiatives. Indeed, he is a father to all the children.
Was this a parents’ prophesy or did he mean to live up to his name?
Chris Hani’s real names were Martin Tembisile and as the Bible teaches us, he kept his covenant with God to the last day.
Those who worked with him tell us he always fulfilled his promises to both his principals and those entrusted to him.
I write this article particularly for the youth, to encourage them to take cognisance of the names they were baptised with and to endeavour to fulfil their parents’ wishes.
Writing a sonnet in the anthology Igama Lam, I remarked “Igama ngumnqweno wabazali/Icamagushelo nesinikezelo kuLowo wasidalayo/Sakuphikisana nokuliqulathileyo, sithath’izikhali/ Sicel’umngeni kubazali; ndawonye nowazinikelayo .”
Parents too, are exhorted by priests to meditate on the names they give their children at their baptism.
Without passing judgment, one notices a trend today, bordering on fashion, of giving a child so short a name as to render it meaningless.
When a child is named Enza , for instance, what would he seriously see as his challenge, except if he extrapolates his name to Enzokuhle .
Nor do names that are puns help. Unambiguity should be a guiding principle. I remember my elder brother whose name was Fulinzima. A negative meaning is “reap hardships”, whereas a positive meaning is “heavy cloud”. It is a majestic name reserved for kings. Fortunately, he imbibed the latter meaning.
Children honour thy father and mother – so admonishes the Old Testament’s fifth commandment, “so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth”.
Professor Theodore Mncedisi Jordan was on staff at the University of Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu University, where he taught and supervised accountancy students. He now researches indigenous cultures. Theodore is from Theus “God” and adorus “to adore”. Mncedisi means helper
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