What’s in A Name? Examining the personal in order to explore global learning Dr. Sarah Quick, GLI conference at Winthrop U Sept. 17, 2011 The following.

What’s in A Name? Examining the personal in order to explore global learning

Dr. Sarah Quick, GLI conference at Winthrop U Sept. 17, 2011

The following slides detail a HMXP group discussion exercise where students think about and discuss their names and nicknames. The later slides are meant to be suggestive (not definitive) for additional exploration.

The final slide is shamelessly advertising a Short Term Study Abroad Course

Exercise beginnings: “What’s in a Name”

How we are individually named is interesting to consider cross-culturally. Instances of naming may occur at different periods in a person's life depending on the culture, and how names are used in everyday practice varies as well. More general terms of address or titles, kin terms, or even nicknames are commonly used in everyday interactions, and proper names may only be spoken on special occasions

NOTE your own experiences (and answer the following questions) for our later discussion:What do you think motivated your parents with your chosen name? Did this choice influence your sense of self? Consider what others call you in different settings and situations: how (and why) do these terms/names vary? Do you have other names/nicknames that you like, dislike, or are ambivalent towards?

What may a person’s name tell you?

Do you identify ‘the culture’ or even another kind of community a person comes from by their name? How?

Is this profiling, especially when certain names may carry stigmas?

What are some examples of names that may carry negative connotations?

Name issues related to HMXP readings (others likely could be added)

Consider Cisneros’ poem “My Name” with our recent discussions in mind. Why do you think this character has ambivalence for her name, Esperanza?

Sojourner Truth’s name and personal history; also bell hooks

Some more variations in naming traditions?

Chinese, Korean, Japanese? Generally, surnames come first and no middle names; but other

distinct naming traditions followed within each country (and by diverse cultures within)

From general anthropology textbook (Haviland et al.):Aymara Indians in Bolivia: naming ceremony once children speaking

language (around 2), until then not seen as fully human;Hopi: traditionally several names in a lifetime (at 20th day, age 6,

adulthood, death);Netsilik Inuit: names of deceased relatives shouted out during labor,

when baby arrived that name chosen (and baby’s identity seen as being shaped by that particular relative)

Name Signs in U.S. deaf community….

From Through Deaf Eyes transcript (pbs documentary)

CAROLYN McCASKILL: “When I got to the campus of the Alabama school for the deaf I didn’t have a name sign yet. And after thinking about it for awhile and this is pretty typical of deaf people, they look to see what you’re character is, how you behave, a personality trait and then they give you a name sign that sort of ties into that particular trait that’s unique to you. Well, after time went by my friend said, “I got it. I know the way you swivel your hips when you walk and so we’re going to give you this name sign.” So it went from my elbow down to my hip. I didn’t know I had that little bit of a swivel of a hip, I thought I walked like everyone else but that name sign was given and it’s stuck ever since.”

One succinct definition of name signs Also: debate over ASL teachers giving name signs to those outside or

new to deaf community. Youtube vlog

Names Changes: oppressionconcession, resistance and choice

Boarding/Mission/Residential Schools and “census names” for Native peoples in North America

Colonial situations elsewhere (but locals’ names for colonizers also can be a form of resistance, see Likaka’s study for examples in the Congo)

Immigrants and Paper Names in U.S. Métis fiddler Andy DeJarlis (née Desjarlais)Nation of Islam (Muhammad Ali)Public figures, Celebrities and Rappers

ABOVE on a continuum of forced name changes to name changes based on an individual’s personal/professional choices. More context required for each, and if sources on next slide are not enough, feel free to contact me at [email protected]

Sources and Additional ResourcesHaviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride. 2011 Anthropology: the Human Challenge, 13th ed. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, pp. 398-401.

Likaka, Osumaka. 2009. Naming Colonialism: History and Collective Memory in the Congo, 1870-1960Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Link to H-Net review.

Louie, Emma Woo.1998. Chinese American names: tradition and transition. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., Inc. (info on paper names, pp. 113-16). Amazon link.

On Lakota historical and contemporary naming practices: Severt Young Bear and R.D. Theisz. 1994 “Names Tell Stories.” In Standing in the Light: A Lakota Way of Seeing. Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press, pp. 2-13. Amazon link.

Two specific sources referencing name changes (p. 3 on the pdf file, also NPR program) at boarding schools for American Indians; also a general account of boarding schools and residential schools (Canada)

Andy DeJarlis entry in the online Encyclopedia of Canadian Music, originally written by Richard Green for print edition: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1SEC887781

Website compilation of popular names/naming practices from around the world (although section on Native Americans oversimplified and stereotypical): http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/useofnames.html#POU