Retaliatory Rights in the Naming of Children in a Zulu Family: A Narrative Analysis

Abstract In Zulu society, naming is seen as a family business where not any member of the family can be a name giver, but any member of the family can give a child a second name in response to first name, if the first name carries connotations which are seen as negative. Anger and bitterness, with an intention to get revenge, is sometimes a strong force behind naming, and other family members have rights to give second names which may neutralize the potential conflict expressed in a first name. There are, however, occasionally exceptions to the norm of naming freedom in a family, and this article is a case-study of one such exception. Using narrative analysis techniques, the research behind this article examines how the cultural tradition of the male head of a household holding the final authority can prove to be detrimental to names given to children in a particular family. The article looks at how such an authoritarian position can affect family members who have no retaliatory rights in the naming of the children. Keyword