Perceptions of Aboriginal Names among the Meru People of Tanzania: Colonial Disruption and Cultural Continuity in a Typological Perspective
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Faith, education, Westernisation, and development have significantly transformed African naming systems. The arrival of Europeans in particularly among indigenous communities such as the Meru. This article examines perceptions of personal names in the Meru community following European colonisation. Drawing on semi structured interviews and guided by the theory of cultural transmission, the study explores shifts in naming practices and their meanings. Findings indicate that colonial administrative structures, language policies, and religious influences led to the adoption of foreign names and the reinterpretation of Meru lexemes into religiously aligned names. Examples include names like -langa “light” and -fura- “happy,” which were embraced for their semantic parallels to Biblical concepts. These developments generated both acceptance and resistance, reflecting broader negotiations of identity. Furthermore, the study highlights the emergence of functional domains of name usage: While some names were reserved for formal spaces such as schools, churches, and workplaces, others were retained for domestic and cultural contexts. However, some traditional names, particularly those tied to specific birth circumstances, have been lost or marginalised. The article concludes that Meru naming practices have undergone complex transformations, reflecting the tensions between cultural continuity and colonial influence.
Abstract
Faith, education, Westernisation, and development have significantly transformed African naming systems. The arrival of Europeans in particularly among indigenous communities such as the Meru. This article examines perceptions of personal names in the Meru community following European colonisation. Drawing on semi structured interviews and guided by the theory of cultural transmission, the study explores shifts in naming practices and their meanings. Findings indicate that colonial administrative structures, language policies, and religious influences led to the adoption of foreign names and the reinterpretation of Meru lexemes into religiously aligned names. Examples include names like -langa “light” and -fura- “happy,” which were embraced for their semantic parallels to Biblical concepts. These developments generated both acceptance and resistance, reflecting broader negotiations of identity. Furthermore, the study highlights the emergence of functional domains of name usage: While some names were reserved for formal spaces such as schools, churches, and workplaces, others were retained for domestic and cultural contexts. However, some traditional names, particularly those tied to specific birth circumstances, have been lost or marginalized. The article concludes that Meru naming practices have undergone complex transformations, reflecting the tensions between cultural continuity and colonial influence.