The significance of traditional names among the Northern Sotho speaking people residing within the Greater Baphalaborwa municipality in the Limpopo Province

Abstract

The main objective of this research is actually to highlight the importance of the meanings of the indigenous names among the Basotho ba Leboa in the area of Phalaborwa as against the ideas planted by western culture among these communities. The research will show that although Phalaborwa is a multi-racial area, people who are born and bred there are still following the norms and values of their community by their forefathers, despite other people diverging from these norms and values as the majority of the African people in this area have lost their life style due to the influence of European culture. The advent of Western culture has negative effects in the indigenous African naming system. Christianity names as well were some of the methods, which Western culture is transmitted to the Sotho people and the most effective system which is destroying the indigenous names. The research would show that the people who claim to be educated are the ones who have a tendency of giving their children, western names which have little or no significance regarding their culture. The researchers’ findings would further illustrate that despite the people of Phalaborwa moving away from their norms and values, there are still people who believe in their norms and values and who still believe that traditional names have an impact on the life of an individual and his or her family. There are still people in Phalaborwa who believe that traditional names bestow have identity and that all African names have meanings rooted in culture and history.