Ghanaian media personality and lecturer Dr. Nana Anima Wiafe Akenteng has delved into the cultural significance of naming ceremonies in Ghanaian society.
Speaking with Andy Dosty on the Daybreak Hitz lifestyle segment, Dr. Wiafe Akenteng explains things that happens before the ceremony.
“When a child is born, the parents hide her in the room for eight days before the reveal. It is believed the child is protected from other infections and apart from the spiritual beliefs around it. So after the eighth day, the child is brought out, and usually, I know some cultures, it’s brought out early morning for the morning dew to fall on the child, as a sign of welcoming the child to this physical world,” she said.
She further elaborated on the process of selecting a name for the child.
“Usually, before then, on the eighth day, that is when the name, through the fathers, is discussed. The father will definitely decide who they want to name the child after. Either a sister, a mother, a father, a family member, a sister, or even a friend. But usually before they select the name, they look for somebody, a noble person who has lived an exemplary, good life, somebody who is doing well in society,” she further noted.
Dr. Wiafe Akenteng also emphasized the importance of choosing a name wisely as it’s believed the name has effects on the child.
“Usually, you don’t want to name your child after just anyone, because the name of the child has some effect, spiritual, physical effect. When the child takes on that name, the child will also be influenced by that name. So they want something positive. Even though it’s the father that chooses the name, of course, it’s discussed with the mother,” she added.
When asked about the significance of water and alcohol during the naming ceremony, Dr. Wiafe Akenteng explained understanding it comes with.
“They want the child to know what is bitter and what is sweet. It’s not only alcohol; sometimes they will put honey on the tongue, which they believe one would experience sweet things. And then the other side is, they want you to know that in this life, there’s a sweeter part and there’s also a bitter part. So when you experience the sweets, enjoy it. When you experience the bad, just go through it and know that the good part will come,”she indicated.
She continued, “Another significance of this is that, they want you to be truthful, so that when you see white, you should know that it is white. It is the truth. And when it is a lie, you should be bold and tell this is a lie,” Dr. Anima stated.
Dr. Nana Anima Wiafe Akenteng’s insightful explanations highlight the rich cultural significance of naming ceremonies in Ghanaian society.
The ceremony is not just a celebration of a child’s birth but also a thoughtful and intentional process of welcoming the child into the world and setting them up for a life of truth, wisdom, and positivity.
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