4 comments about Traditional African Names.

1. Until the publication of this book, it has been extremely difficult to find any primer that collects and defines the meanings of African names in English. Africa is a continent with thousands of cultures, traditions and languages. Names are part and parcel of the enriched African tradition. Unlike other parts of the world, virtually every African indigenous name has a distinct meaning or connotation. African personal names run into the thousands, if not millions. Therefore, it would be next to impossible to compile a comprehensive thesaurus of all these names, let alone their synonyms. The book compiles about 6000 names from key central, eastern and southern African countries, such as Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Although the compilation of African names is not entirely a new phenomenon, what distinguishes this book from previous ones is its simplicity in name descriptions and definitions. This volume looks at the in-depth meaning of indigenous as well as adopted African names. African personal names have multitudinous functions such as the association of one's occupation, habits and personality. Many African names emanate from one's ancestry through clan, ethnic/tribal or religious affiliation. Names can also be named as the result of ancient wars and conquests. Since most of these names emanate from the "Bantuphone" region of east, central and southern Africa, it is not uncommon for many of these names to have a similar meaning albeit different pronounciations. A word such as Muntu connotes a person, but actually is derived from the ancestry of people in this region. It is therefore least surprising that the word, "ntu" is common amongst most ethnic groups in the region. For example, a word such as "Gahungu" which denotes a small or young boy, has a similar connotation amongsts the Hutu, Tutsi, as well as the Twa ethnic groups of Rwanda and Burundi. The author also includes new African words that have been adopted from Western political as well as cultural contexts. For example, the word, "Democracy" in most African contexts is pronounced as, "Demokrasi." Like other African names given to people during a certain historical phenomenon, this word has been given to some newborns born during the current democratic struggle on the continent. The alphabetical listings of these names as well as its well-prepared index will be very helpful to those that are not familiar with African appellations. This book is highly recommended for scholars and students of African anthropology, linguistics, literature, history, politics as well as those in the African/Black diaspora that are very interested in learning more about African culture.



2. "'A thorough exposure of African name meanings encourages and stimulates people of both African and non-African descent into feeling comfortable about taking on such names.' ...such as Sindushwa (I cannot be surpassed); Mbarushimana (God is on my side); Nkurunziza (Good news). ...Okot (Born during the rainy season). ...This is a fascinating book. ...it certainly brings home the fact, of which I was previously unaware, that the uses and the choices of names have quite different connotations and expectations in different societies." (Sheila Allcock, University of Oxford, in "African Research & Documentation" No. 85, 2001).

   "Some examples are 'Libbila (m): setting sun; [name] given to one born at sunset'; 'Kimenyi (m): the one who knows a lot'; 'Shumpa (f): a name given to a child who is troublesome'; 'Baliza (f/m): they cause to weep [or mourn, or cry].' The 6000 [name] examples [in the book] are fascinating to read, and will most certainly open up a new area in the field of nomenclature. In addition, an interesting index will lead the user to specific works found in the definitions, such as lakes, plants, gardens, and food. This is an impressive volume and should fill a void in the area of etymology. It is highly recommended." (Carol Willsey Bell in "C&RL News," May 2000, pp.428-429).




3. "...the topic [of personal African names] is sufficiently rarely treated as to merit close attention. ...[The book's] introduction is a splendidly informative essay. In it [Musere] explores the origins of African names. Just as we have many names revealing the activities of our ancestors, such as Archer, Fisher, Smith, Taylor and many others, the same applies to African names. [Musere] gives examples such as canoe builders, executioners, rain-makers and cattle-keepers. The reverence for human relationships is perpetuated in many names, while a variety of birds, animals, fish, trees and other natural phenomena are the bases for others. Africa has long been one of my favourite continents and I have numbered many Africans among friends. ...Musisi means "earthquake" and...Bukenya means someone who acts ungraciously or reluctantly. ...Musere's book is packed with information and it is easy to consult. It is equipped with a useful index, so you can be directed to all those names derived, say from eating and harvesting, lakes and
   roads, trees, witchcraft and a host of other topics and activities." K.C. Harrison, Founder President, Commonwealth Library Association in "Languages and Literature" Reference Reviews 14/5 [2000] 29-36.



4. This detailed book that contains 6000 heavily interpreted personal names is likely the biggest book collection of African personal names. Just as with his other books on names, written quite recently, Musere goes into dedicated detail in showing aspects like the origin of the name and the meanings (which can be one or many). A lot of the names are shown to be associated with aspects like proverbs, significant occurences and traditions. African names are shown to be unique in that analyzing them provides a wealth of information concerning cultural practice, migration, and assimilation. This is a study and naming guide that gives detailed examples of God/ Goddess, war, natural phenomena, and season related personal names. Many are examples of names that depict the behavioral characteristics, physiological or physical condition of the newborn. Indeed many African names illustrate the state of mind of the namer, states of bereavement or jubilation, and so forth. This book is heavily referenced and indexed unlike most other books on African names.

No comments about Twilight of Majesty: The Reigns of the Mamluk Sultans Al-Ashraf Qaytbay and Qansuh Al-Ghawri in Egypt (Occasional Papers, No. 4).

No comments about Power and the Praise Poem: South African Voices in History (Carter G. Woodson Institute Series in Black Studies).

No comments about Kinshasa.

No comments about The Long Island Sound: A History of Its People, Places, and Environment.

1 comments about Dictionary of African Names Vol.1: Meanings, Pronunciations and Origin.

1. i think this book is very cultural.i like reading and learning new things every day now i know african names.From your daughter oyin

2 comments about A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors (Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your African American Ancestors).

1. The volumes in Betterway's "Genealogist's Guide" series have been genrally excellent in leading researchers through the special problems, situations, and resources connected with non-Anglo-European-male ancestors. Anyone, even an otherwise experienced family historian, who has attempted to develop a black lineage more than three or four generations back in the United States knows the historical and social problems involved often are considerable - but they aren't insurmountable, as the authors show. Smith, a Houston librarian with legal training, learned early of the reluctance of his elderly relatives to discuss the "slave days" and of the tendency of black genealogists to end their quest with the 1870 census. He begins with the basics, the stuff we all learned (or should have) in the first year of research, but slants it toward the necessities of African-American history, including the need to deal with frequent name-changes, "consulting the elders," and evaluating family stories (both of which are especially important here). Likewise, in reading the federal census schedules, one must understand what was meant, both officially and locally, by "colored" and "mulatto," the definitions of which changed over time. Military service records, an important resource in most white pedigrees, are more problematic for black lineages before World War II. Church records are proportionately more important. Smith gives considerable space to the use of white (i.e., slaveholding) family records in tracing black families, and to the proper use of the federal census slave schedules -- subjects few of us have much experience with. Finally, he relates all this through three extended cases drawn from his own family research which exemplify the techniques and adjusted mind-sets he explained earlier. They're well written, carefully worked out, and inspirational as well as informative, and are worth the price of admission by themselves.



2. This book is so informative that I have also given it as a gift. The case studies were great. I was able to conduct more systematic research after reading this book.

5 comments about The African Book of Names: 5,000+ Common and Uncommon Names from the African Continent.

1. The African Book of Names gives you a lot more than any other name book I have seen. Parents and grandparents can find names that speak to the hope for babies: Anika (goodness has come), or Selema (be nice and fair to all). Those determined to succeed despite odds against them might choose a names such as Kenfun (one who has brought prosperity) or Nyatanyi (the one who finds the way). Behavior or appearance could also suggest names. For example, Yozi (the one with the big sleepy eyes), Mashavu (little baby with chubby cheeks), Neema (peaceful), or Etana (robust and strong child).
   
   In addition, anyone seeking re-connection with their African roots can find names for themselves, their pets, their homes, and their businesses. For example, this book gave me my new name Nothango (watchwoman on the wall; one who forms a buffer against the enemy) that summarizes my work as a human rights advocate. When my new puppy disappeared and then reappeared, I was so grateful to see him again safe that I named him Tangi (thank you).
   
   Dr Askhari Johnson Hodari, author of this book, is a practitioner of Black and Africana Studies, and you can feel her passion for Africa and for African names throughout this book. She shares her own adoption of an African name as an adult, and explains why people of African descent have returned to their roots to name themselves and their children. You could decide to choose a name based on the day of birth, circumstances of birth, location of birth, or the spiritual concepts important to you. If you want to conduct an Eight Bowl Naming Ceremony, you will find all the guidance you need in this book.
   
   I missed having an index to allow me to look up meanings of African names I know. Nonetheless, you will want to return to The African Book of Names again and again, even if just to read the African proverbs that introduce each name theme. For example, under Heroism, you will find the Ghanaian Proverb, "The hero shows his courage in the battlefield, not in the house." You may also simply enjoy the significance of some meanings such, "People are equal; all people die and are buried in the ground."
   
   This book is well worth having on your bookshelf and sharing with your friends and family.



2. If you've ever wondered about the meaning of your name, desired to change your name, or agonized over choosing the perfect name for your precious little African prince or princess, there is a new resource that celebrates the naming ways of Africa. The African Book of Names: 5000 Common and Uncommon Names From The African Continent, by Askhari Johnson Hodari, Ph.D. is that resource.
   
   Hailed as "the most current and comprehensive book on the subject of African names," The African Book of Names examines and defines wonderful and mysterious names from 37 African countries and 70+ ethno-linguistic groups. Dr. Hodari's passion for her subject shines as she helps her readers choose names based on a variety of themes, including religion; birth order; physical and/or spiritual characteristics; beauty, courage, bravery - whatever is most important to the researcher at the time of the search. She even offers a checklist of do's and don't's to consider when choosing a name, and teaches her readers how to conduct their own African-centered naming ceremony.
   
   The African Book of Names is a necessary and timely resource, especially at this moment in history, when we with loving arms embrace our first African American Commander-in-Chief. Writers, researchers, adults seeking to re-invent themselves, parents in search of the perfect names for their newborns...even readers who simply want to know the meaning behind the glorious name of Barack Obama, will all benefit from this goldmine of information.
   
   Hats off to you, Dr. Hodari, and your wonderful contribution to African American literature.
   
   By Rita Lorraine Hubbard, Reviewer
   YA Books Central
   



3. A lot of writers use baby name books to help them find interesting and meaningful monikers for their characters, but this one belongs on the desk of any writer even considering including African or African-American characters in her work. It is quite simply the best-organized one I've ever encountered -- and believe me, I've thumbed through a lot of them.
   
   Or, to put it another way: when's the last time any of us saw a baby name book that was actually interesting enough to sit down and READ cover to cover?
   
   What makes it so much better than most? THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES is so intelligently put together, treating both the reader and the subject matter with respect. Unlike the vast majority of baby name books out there, it's not just a straightforward list of names and meanings -- which, let's face it, is fairly readily available on the Internet, if you're looking for only common names -- but a thoughtfully-constructed examination of the significance of naming in various African and African-American cultures.
   
   Yes, there are indeed lists, but such lists! Arranged by categories of meaning, the names are also presented by region of origin and circumstance under which a particular name might be applied. And we're not just talking about names that translate as Daisy or Strong One here -- names like the Azanian Nothango (one who forms a buffer against the enemy), the Ugandan Nangila (born while the parents were traveling around), and the Camaroonian Akam Bowho (one who does not have a problem) abound in this book.
   
   This is a powerful resource for writers, in short; I highly recommend it. You'll never run out of fascinating name choices.



4. As a native of Tuskegee, Alabama, I have long been fascinated with African history and culture. And throughout my life, I have had an array of friends and associates that proudly embraced their African roots in general and their African name(s) in particular. This is why I was ecstatic to discover Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari's uniquely crafted book featuring a priceless collection of over 5,000 familiar and unfamiliar names.
   
   Most impressive is the way "THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES" remarkably and ingeniously reflects the life, history, culture and spirit of Africa from all corners of the continent. I also love the way Dr. Hodari categorized her comprehensive list of authentic African names by roughly 200 diverse themes of life, mind, body and soul. And since I personally and spiritually strive to embody the "Fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23), I was overjoyed to see that the multitude of themes for African Names included: Love, Intimacy, and Affection; Joy and Happiness; Peace and Harmony; Gentleness; Goodness; Faith, Belief, and Spirituality and; Gentleness - among many more.
   
   Moreover, being a Success Expert, I was very delighted to see a section of African Names centered on Success and Achievement including Fuzu which means "To succeed; win" and Wini which means "A successful person". But whatever the personal, professional, spiritual, mental, emotional or sentimental theme you are searching for, you will no doubt find it in Hodari's book of African Names. The icing on the cake is the included 200-year naming calendar. Since African names will likely become more prominent in American history (for reasons related to Barack Obama), this book is a "must have" centerpiece and a "must read" masterpiece.



5. With the election of an African American President who obviously embraces his heritage both in his name and actions, more awareness has come to the way we choose names. But, the questioning didn't just begin. From as early as the 60's, some have personally asked what does my name say about me, my family, my beliefs and my heritage.
   
   In THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES: 5,000+ Common and Uncommon Names from the African Continent, Dr. Askhari Hodari takes readers through a brief history of how African Americans received their names in U.S. history. They are basically names associated with family names of slave owners. These names say nothing of our African roots like those associated with Jewish, Greek, and Italian cultures for instance. Dr. Hodari goes into detail about the African naming conventions, the do's and don'ts, the patterns and the ceremonies. According to Dr. Hodari, "African names link African people to the ethnic groups, a place, a time, or circumstance." She also indicates the African naming practices should give one the opportunity to learn more about the beliefs, culture, and philosophy of Africa. Just like in the Bible, your name says alot about you.
   
   Dr. Hodari provides a naming resource for a parent that is also a history lesson for anyone wanting to know more about the African naming practices. As much as this is a good source for the parents, it is also a great guide for those wishing to change their names to a more suitable African one. Unlike many of the other books of names, THE AFRICAN BOOK OF NAMES lists over 5,000 names by theme and in alphabetical order. Each name offers the pronunciation, the meaning, origin and gender. This is comprehensive a book of names and a guide to help you choose the right African name whether it be for a new birth or someone desiring to get closer to his/her African roots.
   
   Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
   of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

5 comments about In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past.

1. 
   The Broyard family (Anatole, Bliss, etc.) cannot honestly be called "African American" or "black." Gates has been pushing a forced black racial classification for mixed or part-black white people for a long time. It's better to spend your time reading: Legal History of the Color Line: The Rise And Triumph of the One-drop Rule or The Forgotten Cause of the Civil War: A New Look at the Slavery Issue.



2. A follow-up to the PBS documentary "African American Lives", Gates goes further into historical, genealogical, and genetic research with nineteen famous African Americans, finding new and interesting details of their ancestors, going past the Civil War and using DNA, their African roots. Many of his subjects are high-profile media figures--Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Tina Turner, Oprah Winfrey--others are exception members of their chosen careers - Mae Jemison, the first black astronaut, Benjamin Carson, head of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins University--and high-profile pastors--Peter Gomes and TD Jakes. There is a short biography of each, but the bulk of each chapter is on what Gates' research found regarding their families. Again and again, the point is made that how much slavery removed people's heritage, keeping them from knowing those ancestors that provide the "family history" you hand down to each new generation.



3. I found this collection of genealogies and family histories of 19 African Americans to be both fascinating and moving. The family histories explore many different aspects of African American history and the black experience in the US, always tying individual stories to broader historical themes in a way that was generally successful, if sometimes repetitive and often lacking in detail. Therefore, despite the criticisms outlined below, I think this is a valuable book, and would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in African American history or genealogy.
   
   That said, I was troubled by the factual errors and questionable interpretations that riddle the book. Gates is neither a historian nor a geneticist by training, so these lapses are perhaps unavoidable, but they detract from the book's overall impact. Perhaps most troubling is Gates's problematic use of DNA evidence. DNA evidence is particularly important in African American genealogy because it is almost always the only way descendants of slaves can find a direct, albeit generalized, connection to their African ancestry. But DNA test results are not as straightforward as Gates presents them. In the admixture test, for example, two siblings might have quite different results, despite having identical ancestors, because each sibling is the product of a different recombination of their parents' DNA. A brief section explaining exactly what DNA tests can and cannot tell us about our ancestry, and more careful wording when describing DNA test results, would have improved the book.
   
   The book also contains several factual errors. Among the ones I found: the 1870 census doesn't list birthdays or family relationships (it lists ages, and family relationships were not recorded until the 1880 census) (p. 8); Harris County, Georgia, is on the Alabama border, not "near the South Carolina border" (p. 198); and the slave schedules in the federal census were made in 1850 and 1860, not 1840 and 1850 (p. 420). While each error in itself is minor, the errors combine to suggest a degree of carelessness in research or editing that weakens the book's overall message. This is unfortunate, because it's an important message.



4. Henry Gates' book, IN SEARCH OF OUR ROOTS, gives much more information than its accompanying PBS documentary, "African American Lives," and lays out the processes used to gather that information. This book is most relevant to those who have done or plan to do serious genealogy. It would also be of interest to those who are admirers of the people it covers. I have been obsessed with trying to trace my family into slavery and beyond for the past eleven years. I started this project in 1996 after reading Edward Ball's book, SLAVES IN THE FAMILY, because it struck a note which resonated with certain of my family's oral history.
   
   I began my search before census data was digitized and searchable on the internet. Countless hours were spent going through microfilmed records and traveling to local archives. At that time DNA testing seemed only used to prove or negate paternity.
   
   It's been said that black genealogy is very difficult but not impossible. Early mentors told me that if you cannot trace your people as humans, you must trace them as property. In this process you come to many dead ends where the line(s) just die out. Gates' book shows this and I found it to be a help in showing how his genealogists dealt with some of the barriers. Their use of conjecture was informative. For example, a simple thing such as searching for a slave owner in another state based on the last name of the former slave in the slave schedules had not occurred to me. If I did not have a record with the slave owner's name in the county where the ex-slave was living I assumed that there was no further information.
   
   I am envious of the army of professional genealogists, historians and archivists that Henry Gates had at his disposal for this project. He also seemed to have had a huge budget for DNA tests. I entered his contest to pick a "regular" person to be included in the "African American Lives" project to have some of these resources placed at my disposal, but it was not to be. Previously I was able to do some limited DNA testing which was helpful in showing that I had none of Native American blood spoken of by my father's family and now could abandon time wasting searches through Indian records. The book was helpful in describing the DNA heritage of Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, with whom I share the L3d haplogroup. I had been researching East African slavery to figure out how my ancestors ended up as slaves in South Carolina and Virginia from areas where slaves to the Americas were not taken. I did not have the $400 to test African ancestry of tribes and even if I did, I did not have the historians to interpret the results with tribal warfare and migration patterns.
   
   On my own I have taken my and my husband's family back six generations. I have accumulated a sizable collection of genealogy books. Gates' book is very good in that it is informative and inspires one to go forward with a very difficult search. I can overlook the "factual errors and questionable interpretations" that were mentioned in other reviews because I was experienced enough to immediate recognize that they were errors. Either Gates did no genealogy himself or he did not write or have a knowledgeable person proof read those sections.



5. Gates, in his introduction, says that the "average" African American is likely to have X percentage of African bloodlines, Y percentage of European and Z of Native American. He then shows this with a number of famous African Americans, including building the case that an alleged American Indian ancestor in most black families' past lineage was likely actually a descendant of a black-white relationship.
   
   The most fascinating story, in many ways, is that of Anatole Broyard and his daughter, Bliss. Anatole was born in Louisiana of mixed ethnic parentage but, at the age of 17, decided to start "passing" as white, eventually becoming a columnist with the New York Times. His daughter, Bliss, found out the truth from her white mother just before Anatole died.
   
   Contra some people, Anatole was born and raise as "black," therefore he belongs in this book, precisely because of the issue of "passing."
   
   The other interesting part is where Gates uses DNA analysis to connect the people of the book to specific African tribes and groups within their African heritage. That said, although he does make caveats at times, he may be claiming a bit too much for what DNA actually can, or cannot, tell us.
   
   It's still a very good book overall, though.

5 comments about My Traitor's Heart: A South African Exile Returns to Face His Country, His Tribe, and His Conscience.

1. When I read this book ten plus years ago it blew me away, both as political and narrative non-fiction, and as excellent writing. Malan's voice and humanity perfectly tell an important story. The second reading was as good, if not better.



2. How does one explain the intricacies of Apartheid-era South Africa, from the political turmoil to the constant tribal warring? Primitive thought? Anger spurred by poverty and hunger? Ancient beliefs conflicting with modernity? Racism? There is no one simple answer, and this book does an incredible job of elucidating this. It is harrowing, horrific, and incredibly sad, but it is all real and should be read by all. The story of an incredibly violent and hopeless place told through the eyes of Rian Malan, a descendant of one of the first founders of Apartheid thought, as he retells his life story and searches his soul for an answer, travelling from white affluence to the slums, from America to the soul-crushing gold mines, from the base of a dwindling black political movement to the outermost reaches of the arid rural kwaZulu, meeting whites consumed by intense racial hate and those who tried to love so hard that it destroyed their lives, and telling their life stories along with his, to create an incredibly rich and horrifying mosaic.



3. I have attempted to write a review of this book several times, but failed as I find myself gripped with the same conflicting emotions that Malan so succintly portrays in the book.
   
   Having been born and brought up very close to the Msinga Valley (the subject of the closing chapter of My Traitor's Heart) in the heart of Kwa Zulu Natal, many of the names and people are known to me. Some of those people are the heroes of the book, others are the villains. I mention this only in so much as I can verify sufficient of the authenticity of Malan's very personal, cathartic journey.
   
   Many others have written a synopsis of Malan's book. If you want to know about the story line - there are many reviews to be read. However, for me the review is a personal experience. Malan's catharsis is paralleled by my own! No other book I've read is as descriptive of the madness that is Africa. A madness that you both love and hate at the same time. A madness that drives you away and yet draws you in simultaneously. And finally a madness that drives you to the edge of reason, yet (as the story of Creina Alcock unfolds) drives you to the reason for being.
   
   No matter where you start on the political spectrum (extreme left, extreme right or somewhere in the middle), you find yourself driven to the other end of the scale and back again, on a roller coaster of emotion. For Malan, his beginning point is 'extreme left'. His end point, is, I suspect, 'disillusioned'.
   
   I recommend this book as an extremely well written, witty, sad, mad book. If you want to understand Africa (insofar as anyone can 'understand' Africa), this is the book to read.
   
   But reader beware - it is a deeply disturbing, very graphic read!



4. This book was highly recommended to me by the blogger Greenman Tim (Walking the Berkshires) after our trip to South Africa. As usual, his recommendations are spot on. It is a difficult enough book to review that I'm going to start by comparing it to another book: Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa. Both books are memoirs (of sorts) written by white South Africans of Boer descent as an exploration of their emotions around the history of apartheid in their country.
   
   But if the project behind the two books is similar, then they are still not the same. Krog is reflective in a different way. Malan feels, I don't know, angrier? Angrier with himself, angrier with the situation? More consumed with the immense difficulty of finding a place for the white man in Africa? He certainly mocks himself and other white liberals rather mercilessly, while at the same time arguing for the necessity of precisely that idealism. It creates a strange and edgy tone that makes for a very interesting reading experience, even if that is only an accidental by-product.
   
   One of the things that works best about My Traitor's Heart is the way that Malan spins the stories that he covers as a journalist through the emotional landscape of his own place in the situation. Whether he covers the axman, Neil Alcock, or his own ancestors the combination of attachment and difference serves both him and the reader very well.
   
   Recommended.



5. Of the Afrikaan language, Malan wrote: "It is a brutal language, so violent on the tongue that Americans would quail when I tried to teach them the odd word or two." I remember back around 1992 in a skydiving plane over Perris Valley, Ca. As the door opened to exit, an Afrikan jumper tried his language-shovel on me, speaking as if he could reasonably expect to be understood and feared to boot. But I had read Malan's book, and remembered the bit about the cold gravel. Shoveling back I answered -- wholly unquailed and in English -- that I was doing a two-way and that we would break at 4 and wave off at 3.5. I don't remember what the fellow looked like, but I still remember the look on his face.