SOME TONGA FIRST-NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS.
Names have always been deeply tied to a person’s identity and heritage. In Africa, a person’s name is an important link to their society and helps to tell the story of their roots. One of the unfortunate influences of the westernization that occurred during colonialism is that some people abandoned their African names and became more inclined to European names. However, even in the face of this westernization, a lot of Africans still maintained the usage of African names as their first name because African names provide a sense of pride and cultural identity.
Today we will discuss some Tonga first-names and their meanings. The Tonga people are an ethnic group found in the Southern part of Zambia and also in the Northern part of Zimbabwe. The Tonga people are believed to be the oldest Bantu settlers in Zambia. Tongaland comprises of the Valley Tonga who reside in a series of gorges near the Zambezi river and the Plateau Tonga who live in higher lands. They all speak the Tonga language “ChiTonga” but each region has its own dialect with some differences of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. In Tonga culture, the naming of a child is a very important occasion. The Tonga people have many traditional first-names to choose from when naming a child and only a few of them will be discussed here.
As is the case with many other African societies, the names given to children are usually based on the different circumstances and events that surround the birth of the child, these include; manner of the birth, happiness, fertility, bad occurrences, order of birth and so on. In some instances forenames are given to infants in memory of a dead family member such as a sibling, parent or grandparent. Sometimes the characteristics that parents observe from the child at birth also play a role in determining the name.
Some of the common Tonga names are as follows:
(1). LUBONO: This name means “Wealth”. This name was given to a child who was born to parents who had a lot of cattle. In Tonga culture, wealth was greatly associated to cattle. Because cattle wealth is something which everyone loves, giving your child the name “Lubono” was also a way to show that you love your child very much.
(2). TWALUMBA: This name means “We are thankful”. Parents gave this name to a child as a way of proclaiming that they were thankful to God for giving them a child.
(3). LUYANDO: This name means “Love”. Parents gave this name as an expression of the love they had for each other and also for the love that they had for the child. A child with the name “Luyando” was seen as one that would promote love in the family.
(4). CHILELEKO: The meaning of this name is “Blessings”. This name was given to express the fact that the family which has received a child has received a blessing.
(5). LUSHOMO: This name means “faith”. This name was given to children as a way of acknowledging the importance of having faith. It expresses the faith that the mother and father had in each other and also the faith that the parents have for their child to grow up and become a successful person. It also expresses faith in God.
(6). NSANZYA: This name is derived from the verb “Sanzya” which means “to wash”. The name is given as a declaration that the child who has been born has washed away any misfortune that the parents were going through.
(7). LUUMUNO: The meaning of this name is “Peace”. This name was given to a child who was born at a time when there was peace or alternatively at a time when there was a need for peace. A child given this name was usually expected to grow up to be a calm and peaceful person.
(😎. NCHIMUNYA: This name means “the same as before.” In the cultural context, this name referred to a situation where the child who was born was of the same gender as the immediate older siblings. Parents gave this name as an expression of the fact they had received a child who was of the same gender as the one they had received before.
(9). BULELO: This name means “Leadership”. In some instances parents gave this name to a child who they felt would hold a lot of leadership responsibilities when they grew up.
(10). MUTINTA: This name originates from the word “Tinta” which means “To change”. This name simply implied that the new child had caused a change in the gender order of the children. For example if a couple had previously had 3 female children and then finally got a male child, they would name the male child “Mutinta”. In the same way if a couple had previously had 3 male children and then finally got a female child, they would name the female child “Mutinta”.
(11). MALEELE: This name means “Miracles”. This name was given to a child who was born in a miraculous manner or who was born at a time when something miraculous was happening.
(12). MUKOMI: The meaning of this name is “Conquerer”. Parents gave this name as a way to declare that their child will conquer any of the many challenges that life has.
(13). MAINZA: This name means “rainy season”. This name was given to someone who was born in the raining season. The raining season was the time when agriculture was most active and so this name was associated with hard work. The implication was that a person who was named “Mainza” would be hard working.
(14). MAPENZI: This name means “Problems”. This name was given to a child who was born at a time when the family was experiencing a lot of problems.
(15). MPIMPA: This name means “one who packs”. The name is derived from the verb “Pimpa” which means “to pack”. This name is usually given in a case where a mother is giving birth to twins. The first born of the twins is given the name “Mpimpa”
(16). BANJI: This name means “Many”. This name was usually given in cases when twins were involved. It would be given to the second born of the twins. During birth, there would be a case when the old women doing the delivery are not aware that the mother is carrying twins, after delivery a baby the women would realize that there is yet another baby to be born and they would encourage the mother to keep pushing and so the last baby to come out during a twin delivery would be called “Banji”.
(17). BEENZU: This name means “Visitors”. Parents would name their child “Beenzu” in a situation where the child was born at a time when important visitors had visited the family. It was also believed that a person named “Beenzu” would grow to be a welcoming person who was kind and treated visitors well.
(18). MILIMO: This name means “works”. In Tonga culture being a hard working person was a very important characteristic for one to have. Hardwork was usually associated with agricultural work and so if a baby was born at the time when people are preparing their fields in readiness for the rain season, the child would be named “Milimo”. Parents would give their child the name “Milimo” with the hope that the child would grow up to be a hard working person.
(19). WATUPA: The meaning of this name is “He has given us”. The name was given to a child as a way of expressing the family’s belief that the child has been given to them by God.
(20). MALILWE: The meaning of this name is “The time of a funeral”. This name was usually given to a child born at a time when there was a funeral in the family.
(21). CHOOLWE: This name means “luck”. Parents would give this name to a child born at a time when they felt that luck was on their side. For example if the child was born at a time when the family was doing very well financially, naming the child “Choolwe” would be a way of announcing to others that the family has been very fortunate in life and that the coming of a new child would increase that good luck.
(22). CHEELO: This name means “ghost”. A ghost refers to a spirit of a deceased person that those who are alive believe they can see or hear. Among the Tonga, ghosts were greatly feared. This name was given to a child who was born after the death of an elder sibling. The aim was to try and trick the spirit of death which was believed to be lingering around into believing that the new baby is not a baby but a ghost and so cannot be taken away.
(23). CHIPEGO: This name means “Gift”. It was given as a way to acknowledge that the child who was born was a gift from God. It was a way of expressing gratitude for this wonderful gift.
(24). LUBOMBA: The meaning of this name is “Mercy”. Parents gave their child this name as a way of appealing to the community to show mercy to the parents and their new baby. This name was usually given to a baby born to parents who were facing some life challenges at that particular time and needed help from the community.
(25). LWIITO: This name means “a calling”. A calling is something which someone naturally does well. The reasons for giving this name is to proclaim that the success that the parents of the child have is as a result of the calling which God gave them. It could be keeping cattle, fishing or growing maize. This name expresses the fact that it is important to follow your calling.
(26). BUSIKU: This name means “At night”. This name was usually given to a child born during the night.
(27). LWEENDO: This name means “Journey”. This name was usually given to a person who was born at a time when the mother was on a journey.
(28). MILANDU: This name means “Court cases”. This name was usually given to a child who was born at a time when the family or someone in the family was going through a court case or had just finished a court case.
(29). TWAAMBO: This name means “Discussions”. The name was usually given when the child was born at a time when the family or community was involved in discussing important issues that could have been very contentious. Children born during a time when there were important issues being debated are the ones who were given the name “Twaambo”.
(30). MIYANDA: This name means “Roots”. In traditional Tonga society, roots were very important because most medicines were made using roots. This name was usually given to a child whose mother may have had some complications during her pregnancy which required the administering of medicines.
(31). SIBAJENE: The meaning of this name is “I did not find them”. This name was usually given to a child whose father died before the child was born. It was also given to a child whose mother died during labour. In some instances the name was given to a child whose grandparents (either maternal or paternal) died before the child was born.
(32). BUUMBA: This name means “sadness”. This name was given to a child who was born at a time when there was a sad event in the family such as a funeral.
(33). CHIMUKA: This name originates from the word “muka‟ which means “be late”, so “Chimuka” means “the one who has come late”. This name was usually given to a child whose gestation period took a bit longer than normal. For example in a case where the baby was born in the 10th month of pregnancy, the child would be named “Chimuka”.
(34). CHABOTA: This name means “It is nice”. This name expresses the fact that the coming of a new baby is a good thing. Parents gave this name as a way of expressing their delight about the birth of their child.
(35). LULEKELELO: The meaning of this name is “Forgiveness”. The name was given to a child as a way of declaring the need to foster a spirit of forgiveness in the family.
These are just a small selection of some Tonga first-names. Feel free to comment in the comment’s section below on the other Tonga first-names you know and their meanings.
(@Connected to History)
#Culture
#TongaNames
#Heritage
#Zambia
#ConnectedtoHistory