Norah Owaraga

Makerere fire is ancestors’ warning: decolonize

These past couple of days, I have been reflecting on the power of a name. Specifically, the meaning to which we attach to our name; the meaning that others attach to our name; and what reactions our name elicits. Does our name keep us rooted within the culture of our ancestors or does it render…

Iteso naming rituals are disappearing

People have studied – have gone to school – have attained formal global-western education, and are in their work places there. When a child is born, it is no longer the case that the father of the child will even bother to ask the elders that: “a child has been borne what name should it…

Loss of a civilization – Iteso names and naming practices are vanishing

In the past, it would be like, today a woman in the other home has delivered a baby and we would all go for etal (a custom – in this case, ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a new child). Part of the naming ceremony was that when a name is given, the mother gives…

African Hairstyles for Beauty & Liberation

In our African societies, it used to be that braid patterns and hairstyles indicated a person’s community, age, marital status, wealth, power, social position, and religion. Our hairstyles for both men and women, it follows, therefore, were a powerful identification code system. For example, among the Iteso, my people, currently the fifth largest first nation…