I'm seeing a lot of Afrikans still calling themselves by names foreign to their language and culture. Every time you call yourself Mr. Smith or Ms. Linkfield or Mr. Kereke or Grootboom or whatever foreign names instead of your own Afrikan name- every time you do that - you're promoting the name that was assigned to you as a property entitlement tag, a kind of slavish mentality. Don't Afrikanize foreign names - you're not a fake.
Time to reclaim your heritage and true identity. Genetic engineering and genealogy tracing makes it possible to retrace your roots and pinpoint your exact Afrikan heritage and name lineage. No more excuses for ignorance. If Jesus could trace back his genealogy for generations and be proud, then why not us Afrikans !? That's why I dropped the foreign name that my parents gave me to align with repressive agendas.
I am opting to favor my very own Afrikan name; a name that my Grandfather Zito, { a Second World War veteran }, gave me. That's right, many Afrikans fought in WWII, arm in arm with the Allied Forces. That name is proudly Changana (Shangaan / Ndau dialect) with roots deep-seated in Southern Afrika. It's understandable why our parents wanted our names to sound English, European or Western at the time. But our generation: We're no longer under Apartheid rule. I choose to be my true self.
Time to shake off those psychological chains that shackled our minds too long. No mind your complexion, if you're melanin class, don't deny your roots; you're a true Afrikan - starting with your name. What's in a name? EVERYTHING!!! It is a must that you know the meaning and origins of your name. The answers to the 'Why' are crucial. Have you ever noticed how people become who they are, following directly on the meaning attached to their names?
Let us not forget that names were originally associated with character, totem and culture. For us Afrikans, nature and tribe were unseparable. Therefore we have the vaera Shumba {totem: Lion}, Mukanya {totem: Baboon}, Mhofu {totem: Antelope}, etc. Each of these totems bear a specific character associated with the pride of the clan. So you should be proud of who you are.