“African Names Serve as a Form of Cultural Awareness” - The Names Society of Southern Africa Biennial Congress

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Dr Mathodi Motsamayi, a Postdoctoral Researcher from the College of Humanities, recently attended the Names Society of Southern Africa (NSSA) Biennial Congress held at the University of Eswatini from 25-27 September 2024.

Motsamayi presented a paper on Sotho-Tswana prosoponyms sourced from cattle names and their products which express indigenous identity in the interior Highveld and Bushveld regions in South Africa. The decoded meaning of selected personal names used in naming processes is linked to the emic worldview.

In his presentation, Motsamayi elucidates that cattle are revered as symbols of wealth and used as markers of a dynamic cultural identity, status, and to connect people to their roots so that their rich cultural heritage can be sustained as a basis for the building of heritage continuity.

In a changing world, where research pertaining to fading traditions remains scanty, he said names still play an important role as cultural tools in the preservation of community narratives and the formulation of cultural identity. His presentation divulged that individuals are recognised, and to some degree perceived from one generation to the next, through the nature of their personal names.

After his presentation, Motsamayi was afforded the opportunity to chair some of the sessions where he observed that meetings of this kind offer unique opportunities for scholars from different backgrounds to exchange cultures and ideas and also present mutual opportunities to network for future collaboration.

Motsamayi has already produced five publications so far, three already published, one in-press and one more accepted for publication. As a past contributor, he received an invitation from Archives, a peer-reviewed journal published by Liverpool University Press on behalf of the British Records Association to submit his sixth paper on Post-1900 Records and Digitisation for consideration.

He acknowledged financial support from the School of Arts which enabled him to attend the NSSA Congress.

Words: NdabaOnline

Photograph: Supplied