Mandela - A man with many names

There are thousands of articles, documentaries, films, books and blog posts about this inspirational man. I am not about to write another one. I simply wouldn't do him justice. If you do want to read more about his life and the sufferings he endured, I strongly recommend that, above all other sources, you read his autobiography, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. Also, if ever you get the chance, make sure you go and visit his house on Vilakazi Street, along with the exhibition dedicated to him at the Apartheid museum.

There are many names used by his admirers to describe Mandela. They each have an interesting story behind them or a significant meaning, which is particularly relevant to this great man’s life. In this post I will simply list some of his more popular names.

Rolihlahla – this unusual Xhosa name was given to Mandela at birth. Its literal translation is “pulling the branch of a tree” but its more colloquial meaning is “troublemaker”

Nelson – Mandela didn’t adopt his most popularly used name until the age of 9. It was customary for African children to be given Christian names on their first day at school. This custom was brought about by British colonials, who were often unable to pronounce their traditional African names. In the case of Mandela, his name was given to him by his teacher, Miss Mdingane. However, the inspiration for such a name is unknown.

Dalibhunga – Mandela was given this name in his initiation at 16 years of age. It is a Xhosa tradition that every boy should be circumcised as a rite of passage into manhood. In the Xhosa community it is considered that an uncircumcised man is not entitled to his father’s wealth, cannot lead tribal rituals and can’t even marry. In fact an uncircumcised male is not considered a man at all, but is still a boy.

Madiba – next to his English name, this is how Mandela is most widely known. Madiba is the name of the clan to which Mandela belonged. The clan name is in many ways more important than one’s surname, as it holds the stories of one’s ancestors, and is often used as a sign of respect. Madiba is most popularly used in South Africa for this very reason.

Tata – Again this is another Xhosa word, meaning ‘father’, and is again used by admirers (particularly in South Africa) as a sign of respect.

Khulu – This is my particular favourite. Khulu means ‘great’ in Xhosa. It is always a shortened version of the Xhosa word for grandfather, “Tat'omkhulu”. This name came into use later on in Mandela’s life, particularly after he was released.

Of course Mandela has many more names in many more languages, but I simply don’t have the time to list them all. He was a truly inspirational man, paving the way to a better future. Hopefully there will be others that will follow in his footsteps. But one thing is for certain, his names (all of them) will be spoken of for hundreds of years to come.