Comment the meaning below. Akan names come from a traditional naming system for people from countries such as Togo, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. It made me even prouder of my rich and beloved heritage. % Appellation is "Mununkum" maening cloud, Means Grace. Unable to add item to List. Kwabena Opong, editor-in-chief of Amandla, takes a critical look at the well-received book, If you are an Akan from Ghana you must know there is more to your being as an Akan than you see yourself. The Akan of Ghana: Aspects of Past and Present Practices takes the reader through the ancestry of present-day Akan people - from the influence of ancient Egypt, through the ancient Empires of Western Sudan and into the forest belt of present-day Ghana. Book Review Proper names refer very specifically (but without, describing) to the person who has that name. These include (1) day names, (2) family names, (3) circumstantial names, (4) . This cluster. In the official orthography of the Twi language, the Ashanti versions of these names as spoken in Kumasi are as follows. He does not resort to the pompous and sometimes annoying style of providing important information. And even more so Author Kofi Ayim spares no effort in his The Akans of Ghana to ensure that you understand the appellations that go with some Akan names and their Egyptian roots. The pomp and majesty of the Akan culture is manifested at festival times. The author takes the reader through a journey that begins from early Africa and Egypt making references to the cultural similarities that can now be found in names as well as totems and the symbolic representations of the eight matriarchal families of the Akan of Ghana. A circumstantial name or a surname. The author who already has written a book on a Ghanaian royal Jack Cudjoe (a.k.a. There are also names based on the order of birth, the order born after twins, and the order born after remarriage. Means "fourth born child" in Akan. Libation is gradually being outlawed among some Christian groups in Ghana as evil and unchristian, but as an African people the Akan are very religious. The most Akan families were found in USA in 1880. In the Akan tradition,the day in which youre born determines an automatic name for you, which we believe most of you are aware unless youre not Akan or Ghanaian. Similar name Yeboah. We now tend to, The paper assets that Akan names are not arbitrary but they are based on, socio-cultural and ethno-pragmatic contexts. Not only that: the Akan family structure is unique in Africa. Akan dwo or jo (Fante) is pronounced something like English Joe, but there do appear to be two sets of names for those born on Monday. The similarities are profound and the presentation of the fact based analysis of language and religious origins are flawless. Learn more. The Akan language is currently written in three, different dialects namely: Asante, Akuapem and Fante. The name possibly means "warlike" in the Twi language. The study of personal names is referred to as, related to genealogy, sociology and anthropology. Similar names are Kobena, Kwabena, Ebo. DISCLAIMER This is to notify users that this site contains other copyrighted material; the use of which has not always been specifically authorised by the co. Akan: [noun] a member of any of the Akan-speaking peoples (such as the Ashanti). x[DW*3H)Sj.bk\z`.v0~#BRBf]~%BV_T>]]}:w_9cR.OU;WMu/O_>^W^o\m;W;?sUZNAy}s+]YROM)/zxlmN '2Azn$/_=x^h .aGS5}-SudrmuG"od4/Nw1_Kh"qVw_hm|)t9U7'~o}sJoq)97C2_~j4]NjGYzm?V}w'}$QQ:U)3T~GQw?0w:vp06Fi(K Based upon the historical context and social relevance of the Akan of Ghana this could surely serve as a support reading for an African Studies, African History or African/Black Culture or Civilizations collegiate level course. As a native speaker of Akan, I was able to. Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2015. Kofi Ayim reminds us of the 9-Adaduanan afirihyia. 5. Is an appellation for Kwakyewaa. [{"displayPrice":"$34.99","priceAmount":34.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"34","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"K9pTBkbqvOqWHQ6qYv4I8N9qGbI0I%2FPxabtBGwf5uLrSJ2kWNak00PMLRirxv6pHCh0YXcPSSyOyvjmMBWfu3Pg4IVDfSfgcs1%2F4FonsIw%2FldEh7PZpsDdCDMp4RGJrUgpTj8uKcaL2UEOWgZL0x9g%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"}]. This engineer turned journalist is a treasure to the community. The language is simple and unpretentious. A must use for African Studies Departments! But most importantly, the book does not compromise the authenticity of the African civilization as predicated on European 'exploration' and colonialism as projected by some European and Eurocentric historians. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Abebrese is an example of such names. For example, the day of their birth or how they were born may determine which name they get, irrespective of their gender. This is why people are able to acquire new names, appellations and. Kofi Ayim carefully and respectfully examines the Akan culture through its several unique practices and traditions. Tuesday borns are friendly hence their appellation, which means, Friendliness. All the same it appears that Akans are more emphatic on their blood relationships than most people who claim similar cultural traits. Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2015. A child's name is determined by factors surrounding their birth. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); February 14, 2016 no comments. The three elements that make up an Akan person - Blood, Soul, and Spirit - as well as the Akan family structure are elaborately treated, and a clear cultural distinction between an Akan family and clan is explained. This book has enlightened me on the origin of the the Akan tribe, and their journey all the to west Africa. There has been so much work done regarding the. Apply this search to the main name collection, the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name, search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes, this field understands simple boolean logic, force a term to be included by preceding it with a, force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a, sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations, syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations, names without pronunciations are excluded from results. The paper looks at Akan names within the purview of, linguistics anthropology. identify these names when people were called to narrate their versions of cases. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. It is believed that those born on this day which is a Sunday are agile in nature hence their appellation which means Agility. Ashanti people given-names are concluded with a family name (surname) preceded by a given name. Akan is. The definition/description below for the meaning of younger and an elder are backwards or vice versa. For example, the day of their birth or how they were born may determine which name they get, irrespective of their gender. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. This book is very well written, and the author is well versed in the subjects he discussed. I was astounded at the number of shared cultural practices of ancient Egyptians, Ethiopians and Hebrews with the Akan and I had no idea that the Akan were in a sense a nomadic group that settled in Ghana. Born third in a family. There was a problem loading your book clubs. However, this is not, wholly true and is the converse that is the focus of this paper. Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2015, Treasure for anyone interested in African ulture. A practical review of the Akan and their Egyptian ancestry, Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2016. Similar names "Kweku, Kwaku, Akua, Ekua, Kuuku, Kuu". In 1840 there was 1 Akan family living in New York. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. [4][5] The family name (surname) are always given after close relatives and sometimes friends. Baako m & f Western African, Akan. If you are born on Sunday, you automatically assume your first name of Kwasi, and it goes on on the different days of the week. If you are looking for the best Akan names from the Bible, here are some of the options you could consider. The researchers indicate to the concept of indexicality characterizing the Akan naming system (Agyekum 2006). They love to travel and dont look back. Are you looking for an adorable name for your little girl? By GlobalNewsghana (self media writer) | 2 years ago. Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web. Aba is a Fante baby name for a girl born on Thursday. This is because the europeans brought pigeons to the Akan lands. Excellent BOOK! and people I have met from my school days up to now. For example, Madubuike (1976) has what he calls, positional names which correspond to Akan numeral names discussed under, According to the literature on anthroponomy, African and Ghanaian names, are quite different from the western societies where people take their fathers, last names. Meaning is not known. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. Family name. It is a Fanti name with appellation "Bonsam (evil)" and response "Aku". Among the Egyptians as among the Akans, true sibling relationships can only be inferred from those from the maternal bloodline to the extent that ancient Egyptians actually married half sisters and half brothers from their fathers bloodline. The names given to children in Ghana are based on the local dialects of the various ethnic groups or typically based on the day of their birth, like Monday or Sunday. These "day names" have further meanings concerning the soul and character of the person. . Kakra is short for Kakraba which means little/younger one. This would thus dispute, the arbitrariness of names. It considers names as not being arbitrary labels but sociocultural, tags that have sociocultural functions and meanings. Day names [ edit] Naming ceremony for twins among the Akan [ edit] There are also special names for elder and younger twins. Ghana namely, Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Central, and Brong Ahafo Regions. EN English Deutsch Franais Espaol Portugus Italiano Romn Nederlands Latina Dansk Svenska Norsk Magyar Bahasa Indonesia Trke Suomi Latvian Lithuanian esk Unknown The Akan family is defined through the mothers bloodline, a very Egyptian practice. The name Akan in the Bible Akan is a grandson of Seir , through Ezer (Genesis 36:27), and is also known as Jaakan (1 Chronicles 1:42). Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2018, The book was based on Danquah some other foreign sources, Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2016. Pages in category "Surnames of Akan origin" The following 54 pages are in this category, out of 54 total. APPELLATIONS OF HIS EXCELLENCY KOFI ANNAN ON HIS INVESTITURE AS CHANCELLOR, AUGUST 11, 2008 Mereb wo mmrane oo Busumuru, Akasanoma a kasa man ano, Serebo Sakyi a yse no so dade kdi anins!m, Anya ko afr! Names in Akan frequently describe the characteristics of the named. Anyone who wants to know and learn more of the Akan history should definitely get this book. Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Ghana, 'Godfather of AI' quits Google to warn of the tech's dangers, Asian markets open higher as investors weigh Wall Street losses, Europe's produce at stake in Spain's water war, Australia targets Big Tobacco in crackdown on vaping, Qantas names Vanessa Hudson as first female chief executive, 200+ Asian female names and their meanings (with infographic), African music download: get the latest mp3 songs in 2021, American foods: 60+ classic American dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Who are the most famous trumpet players of all time? The second child to be born in a family. Personal names can best be analysed by a combination of both philosophical and, anthropological notions. Check out these rare Akan names for baby girls starting with the letters M-P. Like many cultures, Ghanaians view the naming of a child as a very important rite of passage. According to the 2000, national population census, 49.1% of the Ghanaian population is Akans and about 44% of the population, The Akans occupy the greater part of the southern sector of Ghana. Abankwah means "Land of order", A baby born on Wednesday. CSF aim is to encourage people to use Common. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. No gargantuan grammar. Abora as an appellation, over times turned to be used as family names due to the culture of the Akan in naming. Zawawi (1993: 6) Suzman (1994) among others. News ), Opera News is a free to use platform and the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent, reflect or express the views of Opera News. The book is currently on sale on amazon.com. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. This book elucidates the Akan connection to ancient Egypt. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. It is a treasure trove of information on the history and culture of the Akan of Ghana. The Sociolinguistic of Akan Personal Names - Nordic Journal of . The more desirable the appellation is, the more popular the name is. For example, among the Fante, the prefixes are kwe-, kwa or ko for men and e-, arespectively. The Akan of Ghana is an excellent read and exceptional body of work. When speaking to a westerner or other non-Akan they marvel at the uniqueness of the Akan family structure but the practice is not exclusive to the Akan. This is why people are able to acquire new names, appellations and by-names based on their personal achievements. Yaw - Preko or Opereba / Yaa - Busuo The appellation for those born on Thursday is bravery. These Akan names signify the day one is born. Those born on Monday are said to be peaceful and dont want trouble hence their appellation which means Peaceful. The Akan of Ghana is a very useful book. literally means "European Bird". Opera News furthermore does not condone the use of our platform for the purposes encouraging/endorsing hate speech, violation of human rights and/or utterances of a defamatory nature. African Union Drafts Challenge To Withdraw from International Criminal Court, Bronx Exhibition Takes A Real Look at Africa. Dialects like the Assin, Denkyira, Twifo, Wassaw, not indicated in the map, speak the, Asante forms, the Agona is closer to Fante while Buem is closer to Akuapem. The Akan marriage and funeral as well as birth rites share so many things with ancient Egyptian practices. [4][5] However, there are other ethnic-Ashanti family name (surnames) that are exclusively male names, while others are exclusively female names.[4][5]. Jews and the Iroquois of North America also share a similar cultural trait. After reading the book, I felt obligated to share the information with the younger generations. Akan is a grandson of Seir, through Ezer (Genesis 36:27), and is also known as Jaakan (1 Chronicles 1:42). It is a handbook for every Akan person. Posted by admin on Feb 14 2016. Akan names. We dont share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we dont sell your information to others. The Asona, for instance have what the author describes as the cobraic symbol in a snake known as the asona wo which has similar attributes to the same symbols employed by the Egyptians and the Kushites. A baby boy name. He makes a strong case of Akan relationships with ancient Egypt comparing the totemic symbols and their significance. individual. Some of these items ship sooner than the others. The Akan of Ghana: Aspects of Past and Present Practices. ethnic group in Ghana. In this case given a scenario where a relative is known as "Abena Nimo" when a baby is named after her and that child is born on Thursday, she can't be called "Yaa Abena Nimo". An excellent book, and I encourage lovers of African traditions to get a copy. Your email address will not be published. Here is a list of ancient Ghanaian names for your daughter. have a unified standard Akan orthography. They all have their specific shrines where rituals are performed in their honor viii. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. The Ghana Reader: History, Culture, Politics (The World Readers), Akan Protocol: Remembering the Traditions of Our Ancestors, Akan Peoples: in Africa and the Diaspora - A Historical Reader, African History: Explore The Amazing Timeline of The Worlds Richest Continent - The History, Culture, Folklore, Mythology & More of Africa, We Are Akan: Our People and Our Kingdom in the Rainforest Ghana, 1807 , Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, No Import Fees Deposit & $12.24 Shipping to France. Abebrese means "Misfortune" Some years ago among the Akan, it was believed that families who experienced succeeding death of children can negative names to new bone babies to aid in receiving luck. Abam means "Embrace or family Bond or Unity", Aban is a fante family name. The chapter on proverbs and their implications brings into focus the Akan civilization as one of the most resilient in the world. Find the name in your left column and corresponding meanings on the right column. %(n"9O.K>^ km0U/>tGety You are reminded of your heritage, so rich in history and tradition. The knowledge about Akan names gives insight into Akan, culture, philosophy, thought, environment, religion, language and culture. The Akan baby name series on my website is the biggest compilation of Akan baby names, their meanings and appellations. Knowing which Akan names to give your children will help you observe the traditions of your people. Cudjo Bakwante) who was sold into slavery and sent to the U.S. and eventually to Newark, NJ indicates in the prologue that it took almost two decades to complete this work. Akwamu, Fante, Akyem, Agona, Assin, Denkyira, Twifo, Wassaw, Kwawu, Some Bron speakers are found in Cote d Ivoire. There has been a successful attempt to. Agyekum (2006) mentions that the Akan personal-names are markers of the people's belief, ideology, religion, culture, philosophy and thought. In The Akan of Ghana Engineer Kofi Ayim has thrown a challenge to African historians and scholars. we look at honorifics and appellations as part of the Akan name system in. stream It is believed that the Egyptian King Tutankhamen, usually referred to as the boy king was the offspring of siblings from the same paternal parentage but not the same mother. Ultimately, cultural challenges of the Akan in the contemporary world are brought to the fore. This concept means that the names are closely related to the social and cultural aspects of the Akan community. The, symbolic nature of Akan names and their interpretation depicts Akan religious, In logical and philosophical sense, a name refers to a different element of, human experience i.e. This is to say that every, other peoples in the world. names, (9) bodily structure and (10) kinship etc. These are Asante, Akuapem. The Akan expressions, in this paper are rendered in this orthography. Every Akan man or woman belongs to one of the eight supreme matriarchal families otherwise known as the abusua. Akan as a language belongs to the Kwa family of languages. Keywords: personal names, social functions, and nam, Akan is the language of the people called Akans. The paper discusses the typology of, Akan names. This is because the Akans believe God was born on a Saturday. Variants of the names are used in other languages, or may represent different transliteration schemes. This naming tradition is shared throughout West Africa and the African diaspora. The book is currently on sale on amazon.com. Every Akan person has a name the moment they are born. These include (1) day names, (2) family names, (3) circumstantial names, (4), theophorous names, (5) flora and fauna names, (6) weird and reincarnate names, (7), achievement names, stool names, religious, occupational, etc. Akan twins do have special names. In our cultural contexts we name in order. "Kwaah" means a farmland while Abro was a literal name for the European traders during the colonial days. It is significant to note too that each of the twelve months represent a period in the farming seasons as Kofi elaborates in his tabulation. All these seventy-seven children are spirits, have personal names and dwell in stones, rocks, tree, groves and so on. The Akans are made up of. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Akan surname lived. Ghanaian surname of unknown meaning. A girl is Adomah, Asante baby name for boy. It is amazing how the author manages to tell such a story in such a simple language. This depicts that there is an inherent element. A child's name is determined by factors surrounding his or her birth. The Akans are the largest. So we did a list on all the 7 days in the week and the names that come with and their appellations, so check out yours. The observance of widowhood follows a similar practice by Jews. Please try again. The diacritics on a represent high, mid, and low tone (tone does not need to be marked on every vowel), while the diacritic on a is used for vowel harmony and can be ignored. The names vary between the younger and the elder twin. Means "born on Saturday" in Akan. The ingenuity of the Akan to marry its culture with Euro-based cultures made it easy to modify their calendar to the Gregorian. It is a treasure trove of information on the history and culture of the Akan of Ghana. A baby brings a lot of joy to a family. Proverbs and wise sayings spice the Akan language and they encompass the entire spectrum of life, from politics through science. These are agents of God and they protect all inhabitants of Oguaa. The Asante twi version of the name is "Yaa or Yaayaa". Ironically, as the author references Rev. For a discussion on the meaning of the name Akan, please see our article on the name Jaakan. 4 0 obj Yen.com.gh recently published an article with popular Spanish male namesand their meanings. The three elements that make up an Akan person - Blood, Soul, and Spirit - as well as the Akan family structure are elaborately treated, and a clear cultural distinction between an Akan family and clan is explained. Please try your request again later. Indeed, the Akan of Ghana happen to be among the few African ethnic groups that have been able to retain a significant portion of their culture and also marry their culture with euro-based cultures more successfully than most African cultures. Proverbs more than spice language; they provide the roadmap for every discourse, be it politics or economics, science or religion. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Some, absence of social contexts. D4mMcL_L)"! See More, Opera News is a free to use platform and the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent, reflect or express the views of Opera News. It means Exalted, Ghanaian Woman Dressed in her culture || Source Nappy on. It is only Saturday born whose male and female do not have the same appellation and also their the only ones with totally different appellation. I also collected some of the names from school registers and pay rolls of, teachers at the various district education offices. The appellation for those born on Thursday is bravery. Afra Koma Kusi nana nono Aduana tweabrade oo Names are therefore purely referential (see Rey 1995: 26). This is exactly what, Do not sell or share my personal information. A list of the top 15, 7 serious social problems in Ghana and their solutions: be in the know, 10 of the best texting apps that can receive verification codes for free, How to control your husband: 10 ways to keep your man in check, Baby Maxin looks stunning as she rocks a stylish flared dress to support Nana Ama McBrown as she launches Onua Showtime, "Signs of economic recovery are obvious": Akufo-Addo tells workers at May Day event, Kumawood actress Spendilove slays in gold and black dress, photos of her flaunting thighs excites fans, King Promise shows love to his lookalike, hugs and interacts with him in public, video melts hearts, Yaw Dabo's drink exchanged for Fanta in an adult bar abroad as he walked among tall white men, 150+ popular Spanish male names with meanings for your baby boy. If this assertion were true then names would have no, functional correlation with culture (see Rymes 1996). Here is a comprehensive list of unique Ghanaian names with their meaning. A Abeyie Aboagye Aborah Acheampong Acquah Addai (surname) Addo (surname) Adomako Adu (surname) Afful Afriyie Agyeman Agyemang Akoto Akuffo Amankwah Amoah Amofah Ansah Appiah Asante (name) Asare B The value in The Akan of Ghana is the elaborate and scholarly approach the author takes to investigate and publish the social and political symbolisms among the Akans. Aboah means "Helper". Anan 1 m & f Western African, Akan. no, Okoforo bo Ansah Sasraku dehye! Ababio means "Returns". The Buems are, Akan uses Arabic script and the phonemic method in its orthography. Akyem, Wassaw, Kwawu, Bron, and Twifo. Twi is a tonal language and, since missionary work during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, has been written in Roman . Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. The eight abusuadom or clans as otherwise erroneously referred to in English are the Aduana with its symbol of a dog with a piece of burning wood in the mouth; the Agona have the parrot; the Asakyiri, the vulture or eagle or both; Asona have the crow; the Asene are represented by the bat or sparrow; Bretuo, the leopard; Ekuona have the buffalo and the Oyoko have the hawk. Meaning unknown. of philosophers of language, anthropologists, linguists and ordinary people. Boahen, for instance, as Kofi Ayim writes has the appellation Anantuo or calves, Botaase Boahen Boahen from Botaase Esum Atakora Nana the grand child of Esum Atakora. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. %PDF-1.3 The . Friday born are said to be wanderers or travelers and just cant stay at one location for long. Many of the leaders of enslaved people's rebellions had "day names" including Cuffy, Cuffee or Kofi, Cudjoe or Kojo, Quao or Quaw, and Quamina or Kwame/Kwamina. The firstborn in a family Manu. The following is an account of the different Akan names and appellations. It is a must read not only for Akans but for other Ghanaians and Africans. Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2015. Literally, means "Basket". Notable figures with day names include Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The wealth of the impact of the Akan in relation to the ancient civilizations of Kemet (Egypt) Nubia, and Kush (Ethiopia) as detailed by author Kofi Ayim is highly intriguing, as it introduces a fascinating revelation and little known fact about the contribution of this group to modern day Africa. I will tell it and practice it to my children and grandchildren. akan family names and appellations. in the name that corresponds with the bearers mental and social behaviour. It creates room for further discussion and that is what Kofi Ayim has done. various dialects that are mutually intelligible. Means "eighth born child" in Akan. Below are amazing options for parents looking for names starting with the letters F-L.