(Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe

The Lemba people (vaRemba) of Mberengwa are one of the Zimbabwean cultural groups that are well-known for their unique traditions and practices. Their personal naming system is one of the traditions and cultural practices that distinguish them from other cultural groups in Zimbabwe. At birth, boys a...

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Main Author: Tevedzerai Gijimah
Other Authors: Department of African languages,Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
Format: research article
Language:English
Published: National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC) 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5607
https://doi.org/10.2989/NA.2022.36.2.4.1370
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author Tevedzerai Gijimah
author2 Department of African languages,Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
author_facet Department of African languages,Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
Tevedzerai Gijimah
author_sort Tevedzerai Gijimah
collection DSpace
description The Lemba people (vaRemba) of Mberengwa are one of the Zimbabwean cultural groups that are well-known for their unique traditions and practices. Their personal naming system is one of the traditions and cultural practices that distinguish them from other cultural groups in Zimbabwe. At birth, boys are bestowed names, but they are later conferred other names after completing the initiation rite of passage. Using the Afrocentric principle of nommo, this qualitative study explores the patterns and significance of names that are given to Lemba males at initiation. Data for the research was extracted from interviews. The study proceeds from the premise that Lemba names communicate important cultural information and that the Lemba people exercise their agency, in part, through renaming, as this provides them with an opportunity to celebrate their cultural practices and customs and define themselves. The study concludes that Lemba names are a reservoir of Lemba history, traditions and ways of life.
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spelling ir-11408-56072023-05-05T06:42:43Z (Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe Tevedzerai Gijimah Department of African languages,Midlands State University, Zimbabwe (Re)naming patterns initiation names Lemba people Mberengwa Zimbabwe The Lemba people (vaRemba) of Mberengwa are one of the Zimbabwean cultural groups that are well-known for their unique traditions and practices. Their personal naming system is one of the traditions and cultural practices that distinguish them from other cultural groups in Zimbabwe. At birth, boys are bestowed names, but they are later conferred other names after completing the initiation rite of passage. Using the Afrocentric principle of nommo, this qualitative study explores the patterns and significance of names that are given to Lemba males at initiation. Data for the research was extracted from interviews. The study proceeds from the premise that Lemba names communicate important cultural information and that the Lemba people exercise their agency, in part, through renaming, as this provides them with an opportunity to celebrate their cultural practices and customs and define themselves. The study concludes that Lemba names are a reservoir of Lemba history, traditions and ways of life. 36 2 2023-05-05T06:42:42Z 2023-05-05T06:42:42Z 2022-12-01 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5607 https://doi.org/10.2989/NA.2022.36.2.4.1370 en Nomina Africana: The Journal of African Onomastics 2706-9842 open National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC)
spellingShingle (Re)naming patterns
initiation names
Lemba people
Mberengwa
Zimbabwe
Tevedzerai Gijimah
(Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe
title (Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe
title_full (Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe
title_fullStr (Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed (Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe
title_short (Re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the Lemba people of Mberengwa, Zimbabwe
title_sort (re)naming patterns, initiation names and their significance among the lemba people of mberengwa, zimbabwe
topic (Re)naming patterns
initiation names
Lemba people
Mberengwa
Zimbabwe
url https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5607
https://doi.org/10.2989/NA.2022.36.2.4.1370
work_keys_str_mv AT tevedzeraigijimah renamingpatternsinitiationnamesandtheirsignificanceamongthelembapeopleofmberengwazimbabwe