Bris and baby naming invitations send online instantly. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Naming ceremony on one africa beach ghana tour oct 2015 duration. Explain how others can determine what their ghana name is. Check out this youtube video on african wedding styles. The father of the child names the baby after an individual he admires and wishes to honor. Ten project director the ten project has been executed by a multinational, multidisciplinary team. Describe sounds, smells, emotions, textures, colors, etc. During the ceremony, the name that the parents have chosen for the child is conferred on the child and for heaven to witness the outdooring, naming and. African ceremonies inc, a 501c3 charitable foundation, is dedicated to the preservation of african tribal traditions through the photographic documentation of ceremonies and customs, thereby ensuring that the strength and essence of african culture is preserved for the history of mankind and for the education of future generations. African names have written for englishlanguage journals. Jan 16, 2017 see the child naming ceremony of popular yoruba comedy star actor, ijebu. After this ceremony, the next most crucial rite of passage is the puberty rites.
The outdooring, dedication and naming of an african child. The paper addresses personal names among the akan of ghana and considers. Culture of ghana history, people, clothing, traditions. Various countries participate in this practice, with methods differing over cultures and religions. In traditional african society, the naming ceremony announces the birth of a newborn, introduces the child. Even the bride and groom do so and has become a popular trend in ghana, nigeria, and other african countries.
All transfers throughout ghana in airconditioned coaches professional englishspeaking local guides breakfast daily and 9 dinners in ghana water on the coaches daily in ghana all entry fees included in this tour package as stated in the itinerary tour excursions in ghana as detailed in the itinerary naming ceremony in ghana. A typical example of a people who deeply cherish their unique cultural practices is the akans of ghana. Dagomba birth and naming ceremony in ghana naming ceremony. The akan people of ghana frequently name their children after the day of the week they were. Aug 22, 2006 naming and outdooring ceremonies is celebrated in most ghanaian communities. See the child naming ceremony of popular yoruba comedy star actor, ijebu.
It is an akan custom to present the new born child to the community on the eighth day following the birth. Again, boadi says naming ceremony of akans are not performed by the direct. The outdooring, dedication and naming of an african child a ceremony of the gadangme people of southeastern ghana ganyobi kpojiem. Islam is the main religion among the moledagombas as is evident from the many islamic names. Each type of house comes with an indepth description to help you understand what living on one entails. Outdooring new babies is a ceremony typical amongst almost all tribes in ghana and involves the practice of formally presenting a newborn child to the gods. The events involved in the naming ceremony and the choice of names given. Puberty and initiation rites among the akan people mypaperhub. Cape coasters in particular hold birthday and outdooring ceremonies in high esteem.
Dagomba birth and naming ceremony in ghana safari junkie. The eighth day is the day of the naming ceremony, din to. In the twi language of the akan people, din deen means name and to toh or toa means to adjoin. The naming ceremony begins and ends before the sunrise. The akan naming ceremony akan women gathered for a ceremony the akan, found mainly in ghana and the ivory coast, are the descendants of the founders of the kingdom of bonoman.
Now naming our baby, was the most difficult for me, kelly knew all along, but i didnt, until i started to look at the meanings of names when i looked into the meanings of our first three, the decision became clear. This arises from a belief that the real name of a child can only be determined after. From the outset, the project leadership team promoted a one team culture across partners and contractors alike. The ewes use a system of giving the first name of a child as the day of the week that the child was born. A girls nubility ceremony presents from her parents, relatives and friends.
An akan naming ceremony begins and ends before sunrise. For example, a child born on sunday will have his or her naming ceremony on the. The akan people have a unique way of performing naming ceremony which is known in akan or asante twi as din to. Tendana spiritual owner of the land in traditional tenural systems of northern ghana outdooring naming ceremony of. In igbo society, naming ceremonies may take place four days after a childs birth, but more often, the naming ceremonies take place on the eighth day, depending on the health of the mother and child. The first and one of the most important rites in the akan community is the naming ceremony. Doc sociology of the family the akan nadine stewart.
A baby naming ceremony is any organised event where the birth of a new born baby is celebrated with friends and family members. Marriage and divorce among the asante a study undertaken in the course of the ashanti social survey 1945 t. The dagomba are one of the few ethnic groups in northern ghana where a significant section of the community gives a name derived from arabic as the primary or initial name. Also referred to as the bini or benin ethnic group, the edo are the descendants of the people who founded the benin empire, which is located in southmidwestern nigeria now called edo state. The lady from my family, who is an auntie of the newborn baby, went to the. The analytical stress will be laid on the ga naming ceremony as a multifaceted communicative system through which the. Ghanaian american brides will wear a special bridal cloth for their ceremony. Names and identity in the ghanaian context festival. Rice production and livelihoods in ghana prepared by.
Thank you for joining us for this very special occasion. Kofi agyekum shared the words of the akan elder who performed the naming ceremony for his daughter, afua ataa boakyewaa agyekum, in kumasi in 1985. And across the continent in ghanas volta region, a couple belonging to the ewe ethnic group had decided to stop having children but their last. Pdf toward an african christian ecological liturgy for outdooring. It provides the opportunity for the family to welcome the child into the community. Africa which includes the countries of ghana, ivory coast, togo, and.
Let your rhythm move you with a drumming and dance workshop highlighting the richness of traditional song and dance. One interpretation of the din to is thus, the process through which the name is ritually joined to the spirit of the child. The outdooring and naming ceremony starts when an elder of the fathers family pours libation. They can indicate gender, marital status, birthplace, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and position within a family or even within a society. Africa is the worlds secondlargest and secondmostpopulous continent with more than 3000 distinct ethnic groups speaking 2000 different languages. Read katjas report from dagomba naming ceremony in tamale. Naming christening ceremony information please read carefully this ceremony provides parents the opportunity to publicly present their children to their families, friends and loved ones. The timing at which a name is assigned can vary from some days after birth to several months or many years. There are situations in which use of a given name is avoided.
And one of these areas of concern is the possibility of a putting together a liturgical rite that combines the rites of naming ceremony and baptism at the same ceremony. Jun 17, 2015 importance of naming ceremony in africa posted on june 17, 2015 june 17, 2015 by the new deal a baby naming ceremony is any organised event where the birth of a new born baby is celebrated with friends and family members. Jan 23, 2017 the outdooring, dedication and naming of an african child a ceremony of the gadangme people of southeastern ghana ganyobi kpojiem. Puberty and initiation rites among the akan people. Akan day of birth names and appellations malefemale fante, twi and ewe names by day of birth. The sociolinguistic of akan personal names nordic journal of. Some individuals have more than one name, one islamic and the. Names and identity in the ghanaian context naming ceremonies are important in ghanaian communities regardless of their religious backgrounds.
We are extremely proud to be able to immerse our children into their cultures and participate in traditions. The newborn is given shis own first and second name irrespective of the surname of the father. Ga naming ceremony ade sawyerr i have borrowed liberally from the excellent book omanye aba by a. Naming ceremony by the gas,kpodsiemo naming ceremony by the ewes vinehedego 128 ghanaian names and their appellations femalemale akan names according to order of birth. An igwebuike approach to the study of african traditional. The edo naming ceremony members of the edo ethnic group. Children are considered to be a gift from god in ghana.
The child is named after a living relative, or an ancestor of the family and clan given a name with a biblical connotation. A basic ceremony usually takes up to 30 minutes depending on readings and options included. Quick sermon gods value in names faithlife sermons. Your mothers and fathers have assembled here today to give you a name. Din to after an akan baby is born he or she is kept indoors for eight days. The first name received is called the kra din krahdeen or soul name, and is determined by the day of the week that the child was born. Ghana, allison howell noted the frequency of worshippers and inquirers. Here are pictures of african wear for wedding ceremonies. During this ceremony,not only do the family get the opportunity to announce the name of the baby, but it also serves as an.
Naming practices stem from either religious mainly islamic names or traditional origins. It is god who gave adam the authority to give names to all the creatures he created. In the akan societies of west africa, names and the process of naming are essential. The lady from my family, who is an auntie of the newborn baby, went to the newborns place every day to help with preparations. Dagomba birth and naming ceremony in ghana how dagomba people welcome new child into this world. It is the father that has the responsibility of naming the child, thus the family comes together in the early morning at the fathers house. After an akan baby is born he or she is kept indoors for eight days. African wear styles for wedding, church, work and any ceremony. A thorough description of dagomba naming ceremonies and their significance may be found in oppongl973. A case of the akan traditional society of ghana scholarworks. Pdf toward an african christian ecological liturgy for. The ewe s use a system of giving the first name of a child as the day of the week that the child was born.
The birth of a child is therefore a very joyous and important occasion in the life of the parents and the community at large, and the naming ceremony is usually carried out with much celebration. Outdooring and naming ghana information fast facts on ghana. Feb 07, 2015 explain how others can determine what their ghana name is. Frequently, children are given a day name which corresponds to the day in the week they were born. Amartey the gadangme outdooring kpodziemo ceremony places a new born child within the family and relations. This would include an adornment of a ghanaian cloth that you have previously selected that has been tailored for you as well as the traditional giving of a name to you as a child of this earth. The director curriculum research and development division crdd p. Having knowledge of african names will also help in communicating with african authors and editors. They have their own unique way of life and this piece captures the things one ought to know about the ewe people, their language, family life, naming culture and other facts. This is how traditional naming ceremonies are performed. The parents of the child invite friends, relatives and wellwishers to the ceremony.
The paper documents personal names and naming practices of the dagomba people. As with many ethnic groups in ghana, names form part of the cultural fabric of the moledagombas. This was supported by quarterly aligned and on track sessions, which brought partners and major contractors together. It receives a personal name which marks its ritual entry into the family. The name of a person or entity reflects its purpose in life. Posted on june 17, 2015 june 17, 2015 by the new deal. This occurs a few days after the child has been born and marks the beginning of social life for that child. These advancements notwithstanding, there still remains a wide ground to be broken. Akan day of birth names and appellations malefemale fante, twi and ewe names by.
Before western influence if you go to some african countries where europeans settled, such as ghana. The bride is the last to enter the ceremony and the two are now officially wed. Sending your online invitation and making party arrangements is as easy as digging through your email contacts. A naming ceremony takes place a few days after the birth. Ghanaian names or personal names in ghana consists of several given names and surnames based on the language of ethnic groups in ghana including akan, moledagombas, ga, ewe and nzema. Ceremony procedures for all naming ceremonies that icgc pastors and elders officiate, three elements are used to name the child. The sociolinguistic of akan personal names kofi agyekum university of ghana, legon abstract the paper addresses personal names among the akan of ghana and considers naming as an important aspect of the akan society. Explain who participated and what their roles were. This is to welcome everyone to the gathering and explain the purpose of the ceremony. A naming ceremony is an event at which a person or persons is officially assigned a name. It is called a naming ceremony because it is the first day the child is given a name and it is also called an outdooring ceremony because it is the first time the child is taken out of doors.
Have a longer stay, just do not come and exhibit yourself and return. Tendana spiritual owner of the land in traditional tenural systems of northern ghana outdooring naming ceremony of newlyborn babies, carried out on seventh day after delivery. After the child naming ceremony, puberty rites are the next set of rituals of social status transformation which children undergo in ghanaian culture. The naming ceremony of a new baby is one of the most important rites of passage in life. Marriage and divorce among the asante a study undertaken in the course of the ashanti social survey 1945. Dont get too hung up on who to invite to your bris or babynaming ceremonyits easy to add contacts on the fly. The outdooring, dedication and naming of an african child a. The din to naming ceremony of the akan people of west afurakaafuraitkait africa is expressive of these principles. These practices have been adopted and adapted by modern groups like the nation of islam, the five percenters, and contemporary african scholars traditional naming ceremonies in africa. For example, after a baby is born she is kept indoors for eight days. Participate in traditional ceremony of ghana traditional blessing, naming ceremony, door of return ceremony and more. The naming ceremony is an occasion of importance to a couple, who choose to publicly outdoor their newly born child or children to their families and friends, and also for the name they have chosen for the child to be conferred upon him or her. Ministry of education, science and sports teaching syllabus for religious and moral education junior high school enquiries and comments on this syllabus should be addressed to. The akan typically keep an infant indoors for seven days and name a child on the eighth day.
For example, a child born on sunday will have his or her naming ceremony on the following sunday and will be given the first name, kwasi or akosua. Different ethnic groups have different names for naming and outdooring. Prayers are offered and libations poured on the ground for the ancestors or mother earth. The following steps might be included in the naming ceremony. Outdooring and naming advertisement outdooring new babies is a ceremony typical amongst almost all tribes in ghana and involves the practice of formally presenting a newborn child to the gods, society and dead ancestors. When baby is born, dagomba birth and naming ceremony preparations for ceremony start. Kente is the traditional cloth of ghana and is created in a variety of colors and patterns, each with different meanings. The topic of names is inseparable from a consideration of modes of address and titles.
The naming ceremony among the ewes a tribe in ghana from the volta region is known as vinehedego. Outdooring new babies is a ceremony typical amongst almost all tribes in ghana and involves the practice of formally presenting a newborn child to the gods, society and dead ancestors. Ewe people represent an incredibly complex subset of ghana s culture. When you visit ghana, you can have your own naming ceremony where you will be given your ghanaian name in a traditional ceremony of recognition.