The value of the cultures of individuals is undisputed and is confirmed by various empirical experiments. Tradition defines the make-up of societies. This consists of their belief devices, norms, ideals, values and ethics. This makes it less difficult to protect the superior cultural gems of a people today from just one generation to the other. As element of the culture of a people today, the naming craze is part of the beautiful lifestyle of an ethnic culture.
Names have the historic episode of several societies. In Ghana, names are right joined to historic functions in the lives of the men and women or sometimes certain families. To illustrate, quite a few kids born in Ghana on the Wednesday 6th March 1957 when the region obtained their independence from British rule ended up referred to as ‘Kwaku Ghana’ (Kwaku- the identify of a male little one born on Wednesday) or ‘Akua Ghana’ (Akua- the name of a woman kid born on Wednesday) to recall this iconic second in the history of the Ghanaian persons.
Ordinarily, folks are named soon after the occasion as a type of remembrance. A kid is known as ‘Nkyiridwo Kojo’ (A male child born on Monday when the Nkyiridwo festival was commemorated). This name links the person to his area of descent, therefore, Essumeja in the Ashanti Region of Ghana which is the host local community for the ‘Nkyiridwo’ (the tabooed Monday) pageant. Some men and women were being named following individual societal or countrywide happenings. For instance, quite a few people that skilled the famine sting in Ghana in 1983 named their family users born in the 12 months just after this unforgettable episode in their life. Examples of this kind of names involve ‘Abrafi Kom’ (You arrived household in the time period of famine). Curiously, individuals who had been born just when foodstuff grew to become considerable ended up also called ‘Kofi Kumkom’ (‘Kofi’-A male baby who is born on a Friday, ‘Kumkom’- who killed the famine or starvation).
Also, the ordeal or very good times that properly depict the scenario a family was suffering from at the eve of one’s start is specified as names. For occasion, a boy or girl is called ‘Antobere’ (Failed to expertise the discomfort) when the little one arrived to love the excellent situations of the family members and did not encounter their weak and unfortunate times. A little one may possibly be named ‘Abebrese’ (Untold or rigorous agony) simply because the mothers and fathers went as a result of incredibly tough periods financially. It could also be as a result of the beginning pains the little one brought to the mom for the duration of his or her conception till s/he was ultimately shipped.
Additionally, to keep in mind the unique trade or societal duty assigned to unique family members in the culture, their obligation is typically connected to their supplied names. For instance, associates of a household from which spiritualists or common monks and priestesses that presents the conventional spiritual providers in Ghana are born are presented surnames ‘Akom’ (conventional priestly responsibility).
Additionally, several men and women are named after their household ancestors just to retain their ancestry lineage and reminiscences. A lot of Ghanaian mother and father in some cases name their youngsters soon after the names of great personalities whose shining examples are really worth imitating. The strong belief is that names replicate the attitudes of their bearers. Nevertheless this is not always legitimate, it cushions the bearer to stroll the deserving route of the first owner of the identify. In fact, names are repositories of the historic and cultural heritage of persons and exert a large impact on their bearers.