The Batswana, like many African communities, have strong beliefs in the supernatural. They see God as having direct influence on their daily lives to the extent that a natural calamity might be seen as God’s punishment on the people while bountifulness symbolised by rain is considered God’s gift to them. Children are also seen as a gift from God. This is illustrated in names such as: Kaboyamodimo, Mphoyamodimo, Modimoopeloor Tiroyamodimo.
The Tswana society also has a way of using names to keep in memory those who have passed away. This is achieved not only through having the first name of your grandparent as your surname but more commonly by naming children after their grandfathers and mothers and their great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers. Such children would usually possess certain physical features that remind one of the old people one of these ancestors. It is important that such naming be not taken as simply a case of linguistic identification, but I would like to emphasize that such children are given the respect and treatment due to the very same person after whom they have been named. In most cases these children cannot be disciplined by beating, as it is the case with other children for how can anyone beat their grand or great-grand parent? To this extent, the Setswana culture comes close to the idea of reincarnation for it sees one of the children as a replica of one of the ancestors alive amongst the community. But one must be careful in such an assertion for the idea of reincarnation as is known in many religions and cultures of the world (e.g. Hinduism) is a concept that doesn’t exist amongst Batswana. It hasn’t been formulated into a clear philosophy that defines the way of life. However what we see could be stated roughly as a way of keeping the past in the present. Some of this can be seen in cases where one has identical first name and surname as in Lesole Lesole, Gaolekwe Gaolekwe, Moshabi Moshabi and others. This will only be apparent in males only since the surname is usually of a partriarch. Thus in girls who are named after their grandmothers this will not become apparent in their names.
But the Batswana are not just concerned with keeping the past through naming, they also use names to project to the future since some names they give their children reflect the dreams and aspirations they hold. In the midst of poverty of property and mind, most parents dream for their children to be lawyers and doctors and have the success the modern world can offer. Therefore, they name their children names the kind of professions they like their children to have. For example you get names like Ngaka ‘doctor’, Molaodi, ‘District Commissioner’, Thit┼íhara a borrowing from English ‘teacher’, Nnese ‘Nurse’, Mokgweetsi ‘one who drives’, Mokwaledi ‘secretary’ etc..
Also, when a child is born a family or a mother may be going through extreme emotional experiences of joy or of hurt. The mother might be hurt that the father of the new child has left her before the child was born or perhaps at around the time the child is born a member of the family passes away. In such strong emotions of deep hurt, the new baby may be given a name that reflects the pain of the time. Therefore such unfortunate names like Kutlobotlhoko ‘sadness’, Bohutsana ‘sadness’, Matshwenyego ‘troubles’, Tshotlego ‘suffering’ might result. On the other hand the child might be born during a festive period of a wedding, New Year’s Eve celebrations, Christmas day or when the family is feeling very success. Such children will bear beautiful names like Boitumelo ‘happiness’, Thabo ‘joy’, Khumo ‘riches’, or Letlotlo ‘treasure’.
The forces of nature have a great influence on the names of many children. If one for instance, was born during a very windy day, they might be called, Phefo, ‘wind’, or perhaps it was raining throughout they might be called Pulafela ‘only rain’. Perhaps one of the famous examples of how Batswana give names is reflected in South Africa in 1995 during the Queen’s royal State Visit, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth had the name Motlalepula conferred upon her. Motlalepula is a Setswana name that means “one who comes with rain!” And in a speech by President Mandela at the banquet in honour of Queen Elizabeth II in London a year later, on July the 11th, 1996, he puts this plain for us in these words:
Even our skies responded to your presence. When you arrived in Gauteng Province it rained so heavily that we named you Motlalepula (the one who brings rain). That rain heralded the best rainy season we have experienced in more than a decade. Should we experience another drought, we may have to request you to pay us another visit. (Nelson Mandela, London, 11 July 1996 at a banquet in honour of Queen Elizabeth II)
Some names also reflect the way children look at birth. If a child is thought to be beautiful at birth, the child might be given the name that reflects beauty e.g. Bontle (beauty), MmaBontle (Miss Beautiful). If they are very dark at birth they might be called Montshoor Ramontsho (the black one) and when they are very light in complexion they might be called Tshweu (white), Lekgoa (white-person), Leburu ÔÇôA Boer; or Moleele (the tall one) if they look rather tall.
Above I have attempted to demonstrate that amongst the Tswana, giving personal names was well thought of carefully and not random. It wasn’t based on the simple love for the name. Much can be studied relating to the Setswana names. I hope that what has been shared above shines a light on a very important part of Botswana culture and contributes in a small measure to the understanding of the culture of Batswana that has never ceased to amaze me.
