What’s in a name?

I am often confronted by people who are concerned about my name. This is both disturbing and amusing. There is questioning of why I changed my name and its meaning. This interrogation has occurred both in the U.S. and Africa so it is a common concern. In defense of my interrogators I will state that I too understand the confusion. When as a child I was known by one name and returning to my friends and family known by another. I empathize with all for the elimination of an existing identity for one radically different, but this change is not unique. It is acceptable to add Doctor, Bishop or Judge to an existing name or to change from a given name to religious title as priests and Popes. All of these changes are acceptable within a Euro-centric context and un-questioned. When as I grew into maturity, both emotionally and politically I began to read began to yearn for knowledge of my people in Africa and how to relate to them. As has been the case for over one hundred years of oral family history, I remembered the stories of my maternal great, great, grand mother Winny being brought to the U.S. from Ghana. Here was a renowned family member whose county of origin was unquestioned, so in reading “Ghana: the Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah” I was struck by the manner in which children are named. I then realized that my name was Kwabena based on the day of the week in which I was born (Tuesday). This name would announce with pride that I could now honor my ancestors in a proper manner. Just a name meaning “Tuesday’s leader” would emblazoned on my on first business venture. With the ensuing years there would be a spiritual awakening that opened my consciousness to a new reality and identity reflective of such. As I sought to gain spiritual insight in the form of séance I experienced the presence of my ancestors through possession. Having absolutely no experience in this culture, my first reaction was to question it. After experiencing this phenomena on many more occasions I slowly began to accept it along with the name given by Okhokho (a great grandmother) going back many years in Congo (Kongo). As she spoke to me she continually referred to me as Tshupa Bosia. In realizing that she was giving me an identity I accepted this as my name along with Kwabena. I found that my paternal heritage was AmaZulu (Zulu). So when travelling to South Africa I was now confronted with the culture. As I began interacting with royal family members I was now told that my surname should reflect that of my father’s people. This information was imparted to me by none other than the uncle of the present king, Mntwana Patric kaSolomon kaDinizulu kaCetshwayo Zulu. Mntwana Patric who leads the royal family organization Ubumbano Lwabantwana, stated that I must attach “kaShaka Zulu” as my surname to reflect my identity. As is known throughout KwaZulu that I am one of the descendants of Innggonyama Shaka kaSenzangakhona Zulu, my surname now reflects that reality. I am Kwabena Tshupa Bosia kaShaka Zulu shortened by the constraints of space to Bosia kaShaka Zulu. Now that we have the anatomy of my name it is easier to understand my pride and assertion that we all have the opportunity to reconnect to our ancestry through the traditional African medium of spirituality. No African has to live under the false identity of a European or Arab name when your true identity is available in your sub-conscious and with ancestral guidance will be given to you. We are children of uMdali (God) and the Amadlozi (ancestors). Let us strive to find our place in society by means of the ancients. Just the stories of Auser and Auset are told from thousands of years. The positive changes that must be made in our lives will be augmented by knowledge of self. Our strength lies in our collective thoughts and yearnings as they will open the road to liberation, prosperity and return of our land. Our ancestors were brought from Africa not Arabia. European and Arab names are not reflective of our ancestry nor does annexation of African land make them indigenous to Africa. There are name books purporting to guide you to your African identity but are in reality nothing more than a nefarious plan to confuse Arab culture with Africa. We must seriously rethink the use of an invaders name for our children when we know that our history goes back further than any other on this earth. Why should our ancestors be tossed aside for those who have enslaved and colonized us? African culture has been demonized by both Christianity and Islam. They both represent cultural imperialism and much of the destruction of African civilization. Our ancestors will not rest until the return of our people to their ancestral lands and riddance of all alien enclaves within. Let us be centered on our homeland and allow our god and ancestors guide us.