What’s in a shared name?

Clan names a sexual stumbling block for youth

IN SHAKESPEARE’S tragic tale of star-crossed lovers, Juliet says: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

In the Xhosa culture people with the same clan names cannot share a romantic relationship. However, in modern society young people do not seem concerned about asking after clan names. Which begs the question: what’s in a name?

With the backdrop of a night club situation, does a young man ask a woman what her clan name is before asking her out or even considering taking her home? Is it something he considers before courting her?

Dr Nokuzola Mndende, director of the Icamagu Institute, which researches African culture and religion, said though many young people did not take clan names seriously, disregarding them could lead to incest.

“There is no way of justifying it. There are four clan names everyone has to take into consideration to avoid an incestuous relationship.

“These are the parents’ clan names and those of both paternal and maternal grandmothers. Surely people abashumanekanga olohlobo [are not so sexually deprived] they have to date their brothers and sisters in the hope of finding love,” she said.

Mndende said clan names were once people’s names and now their descendants carried those names to identify people of different tribes.

“Over the years people have migrated, but there is no difference between them if they are from the same clan,” she said.

Nkosi Xhanti Sigcawu of AmaGcaleka said believing in clan names differed depending on the person’s upbringing.

“Some youths from urban environments sometimes disregard clan names. Where I am from, men always ask for clan names, so really it does differ with people’s upbringing. Another issue is the modern generation is more focused on sex and so they ignore the fact they are related, all because of lust. It is incest,” Sigcawu said.

Saturday Dispatch took the topic to Facebook and readers had different perspectives as some said clan names were no longer relevant in modern society while others maintained they gave identity.

Nomakhwezi Nobumba said: “I think the issue of clan names does not have importance to young people. I also feel families have a big role to play in instilling values about culture”.

Siphosethu Ramncwana said he did not ask women their clan name because he feared losing a potential lover. He said it was difficult to start a relationship, especially because of clan names.

For Lithakazi Mhaga it is all about a process of elimination. She said people with the same clan names were a no-go area.

Camagu Mnyango and VuyolwamaMia Nogqala both emphasised the importance of acknowledging clan names and asking for them soon after the first meeting.

Another reader Elethu Magele said clan names were more important than surnames.

“In our culture, isiduko [clan name] is more important than a surname. But I think we no longer care about asking someone’s clan name before falling in love. If you do ask, you’re regarded as old-fashioned.” — siyab@dispatch.co.za