TAOBQ unveils a
top 10 list and a new concept for identifying people of African heritage
A new year, a new
concept and a new word for affirming African heritage!
The TAOBQ (the
African Or Black Question) campaign revealed its araning concept and its first
ten 10 subjects yesterday.
“Araning is the
act of giving one’s self or someone else an African name in order to
unequivocally assert their African heritage,” explained TAOBQ co-ordinator
Kwaku at the Xtra History & Reasoning Session presentation entitled
‘Araning: The Importance Of African Names In History & Our Daily Lives’, which took place at the Harrow Mayor’s Parlour.
Aran is made up
from African Reclaimed And Named, a concept that encourages Africans, particularly
those of note who’ve contributed to world history, to be given African names,
so that there’s an obvious connection of their achievement to their African
heritage.
Whilst individuals
are welcome to aran themselves, TAOBQ will only aran posthumously.
The person at
number one of the top 10 list is William Kofi, the 19th century Chartist
leader. The araning concept was born as a result of a young person saying they
had learnt about the Chartist at school. But with his surname spelt Cuffay or
Cuffe, it was not obvious to her that he had African heritage, until she saw
his image at a community history event.
Kofi is a Ghanaian
name for a male born on Friday. Kofi’s grandfather was taken into enslavement
from Africa, possibly from the area now known as Ghana.
At number two is
the Maroon leader and Jamaican national hero known as Nanny, which we contend
to be a corruption of Nana, a Ghanaian title for a king, queen, chief or
revered elder. Her brothers, apart from Johnny, had typical Ghanaian day names
such as Cudjoe and Quao.
The
African-American inventor Kwadwo Lewis Latimer is accorded third place. Kwadwo
is a Ghanaian name for a male born on Monday.
Elsewhere on the
list, at number four is the African British classical composer Babatunde Samuel
Coleridge-Taylor. His name is Yoruba for “father returns”. Although he never
met his doctor father, who never returned from Sierra Leone, one can imagine
the composer might have longed for his father’s return as he gravitated towards
Africans from the continent and the US, and infused his compositions with
African sensibilities.
A hundred years
ago, the first African mayor in London was in post. Kojo John Archer is at
number five. His is a Ghanaian name for a male born on Monday.
At number six is
the first wife of Marcus Garvey, who was able to trace her lineage to Ghana on
account of the history provided by her grandmother who had been enslaved in
Jamaica. Yaa Boahimaa Amy Ashwood Garvey’s name was given to her by her royal
family during a soul searching trip to Ghana.
Very few Africans
were able to speak for themselves during the 19th century Abolition period.
Asante Ignatius Sancho, who’s placed at number seven, did just that. Asante is
a Kiswahili word for “thank you”, in recognition of his giving Africans a voice at such a critical time.
At number eight is
the little known, English-born scientist Dr Buyisele Alan Goffe. His name stems
from a Xhosa term meaning “he has retrieved what was lost”.
Coming in at
number nine, as we commemorate a century of the founding of Marcus Garvey’s
UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association), is the once top UNIA recruiter
and fundraiser in the Florida chapter: Laura Adorkor Kofi. Her last name is
variously spelt as Kofey, Koffey, Cofey, or Cuffy. Adorko is a Ghanaian name
for a second born female, whilst Kofi is usually that of a Friday day born
male.
And at number 10,
is someone who did more for espousing African pride and self-worth globally
than anyone else in modern history, another Jamaican national hero: Akoben
Marcus Garvey. His name stems from the Adinkra symbol for war horn, and a
warning to be vigilant and wary.
For those
interested in investigating araning themselves – and one does not have to go
the whole hog like Kwame Kwei-Armah, as adopting a single African name can be
sufficient, there are books such a Julia Stewart’s ‘African Name’ and numerous
internet resources.
The semi-monthly
Xtra History And Reasoning Sessions take place on Mondays 6.30-8.30pm at the
Mayor’s Parlour in Harrow Civic Centre. For more details or to book:
www.XtraHistory.eventbrite.com.
ENDS
Kwaku
The Pioneering Araning List:
1.William Kofi (Cuffay,
Cuffee) - Chartist leader
2.Nana (Nanny) - Maroon leader
3.Kwadwo Lewis Latimer
- Inventor
4.Babatunde Samuel
Coleridge-Taylor - Composer
5.Kojo John Archer - Politician
6.Yaa Boahimaa Amy Ashwood
Garvey - Activist
7.Asante Ignatius Sancho
- Abolitionist
8.Dr Buyisile Alan Goffe
- Scientist
9.Laura Odarkor Kofi (Kofey, Coffey) - Pan-Africanist
10.Akoben Marcus Garvey
- Pan-Africanist
© 2014 TAOBQ
TAOBQ (African Or
Black Question (TAOBQ) is a British-based campaign focused on African history
and identity. It advocates people of African heritage should be described as
African, instead of black.
It was started in
2011, as a response to the UN declaring 2011the Year For People Of African
Descent. In a randomly filmed documentary, entitled ‘The African Or Black
Question’, majority of the respondents were not aware of the UN initiative,
whilst just over half described themselves as Africans rather than black. Parts
of the film can be accessed at the top of http://www.taobq.blogspot.co.uk/p/multi-media.html.
TAOBQ suggests the
following recommendations:
1. People of
African heritage be described as African, instead of black.
2. The opportunity
for study of African history be made more accessible.
3. People of
African heritage consider adopting African names in order to assert their
African identity
Its blog can be
found at www.TAOBQ.blogspot.com
