It’s a Ghanaian tradition that people should be named for the day of the week on which they were born. This is said to be “the name that God gave you” and it’s as common to be addressed by this name as it is to be called by your Christian (or Ewe) name – the name your parents gave you. While in Have Sam and I were most often Sam and Anne, but also sometimes Kofi and Abran to those who found particular pleasure in initiating us to the local culture. For a little fun, and with apologies for my phonetic spelling, what follows are at least the Ewe versions (because between us we can’t agree what language this is) of all the day of the week names.
Monday/Joda: female/male - Ajo/Kojo
Tuesday/Branda: f/m - Abran/Komla
Wednesday/Kuda: f/m - Aku/Koku
Thursday/Yaoda: f/m - Yaoa/Yao
Friday/Fida: f/m - Afi/Kofi
Saturday/Memleda: f/m - Ama/Kwami
Sunday/Kosida: f/m - Akos,Akoswa/Kosi
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I'm Abran too!
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean Kofi Annan -- like Sam -- was a "Friday's child?" I've just Googled him and low and behold read: "Kofi Annan was born in the Kofandros section of Kumasi, Ghana."
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