AFRICAN NAMES By Molefi Asante

http://www.africanholocaust.net/html_ah/africangirl_names.htm
Names are cultural identifiers. Your name links you with your past, your ancestors and is a part of your spirituality. A beautiful name accompanies us for the rest of our life. This act of naming is so critical to self-determination that we have therefore prepared a small sample of popular African names.* When choosing a name take into consideration that some names are religious and cultural (e.g. most Swahili names are Islamic/Muslim, Ghanaian name reflect the day of the birth.) Thus do further research and pick names which best reflect your reality. Thus do further research and pick names, which best reflect your reality. Remember that names like all aspects of culture have been exchanged for thousands of years, the concept of a "pure" African name is rare; pick names that are today identified with Africa. this video is part of the bonus scenes from Owen 'Alik Shahadah award winning film 500 Years Later (www.500yearslater.com), produced by M.K. Asante,Jr.

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[mnlkthms]

i don't know why white people find it difficult to understand

why we prefer to have african names instead of slave names

all of my brothers and sisters and i have african names with meaning.but growing up i'd constantly hear from whites and a few blacks like why isn't your name billy steven or mike??

fuck that shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ocacia]

YEAH! Its about agency, as Asante said time and time again. We decide what the hell we want 2 be called. how can a man respect you if you r begging 2 b just like him as opposed 2 yourself?

[Amaru4ever]

Oluwalogbon58:

Being a man of Afro-American, Trinidadian, and Grenadian descent, I can say that I disagree with what you are saying.

My mind is hardly "conquered". Yes I carry a European surname, however I don't consider that to be my "true" last name. My "true" last name is lost to history...a consequence of the system. I am reluctant to adopt and African name is because I'm not sure how that would be more "authentic" than the European last name

Perhaps after a DNA test.

[Aditinggi]

@dariustsu

I don't blame white people for everything. When someone takes away a persons history, name, religion, devide that persons family, and gives that person something unfit, the victim is not wrong, crazy, evil, or stupid for rejecting what doesn't fit.  If a man takes away your children, rape them, then give your grandchildren his last name, do you think they would be wrong to reject such name once they know the truth?

[CGwithEd]

Speak Dr. I chose Kalonji over 30 years ago!

[Amaru4ever]

@MsButterflyeffect01 I posted on this video so long ago I'm not sure what your refering 2

[MsButterflyeffect01]

@Amaru4ever You have been to mixed, DNA only gives you the origin of the first female (DNA mitochondrial)

[mnlkthms]

@vikingWindmill look i'm not in the mood for a debate they are slave names that my people carry. go bother some one else who's up for a debate i don't understand why people troll around to start shit because they dislike other peoples opinions they're slave names i'm not in the mood to give a history break down on slavey how my peoples got their last names your not worth it.remember i'm not right in the head?? bother some one who is

[vikingWindmill]

@mnlkthms

William, Steven and Michael aren't slave names. They're English/Bulgarian/German names. Are you sure you're allright in the head?

[masatakhnemura]

I find the short video about the naming process by Dr. Molefi Kete Asante to be a profound reflection. Many of us (African Americans) spend our time magnifying names such as Smith, Johnson, Williams, etc but we have yet to find out the essence or objective behind why these names came into existence. My name is Masata Khnemu RA. The explanation behind these attributes would take too much time to explain. However; I think that our names should be a virtual instruction manual for how we live.