NAMING CEREMONY
The day on which every parent in Ghana is glad to celebrate, I must say is not limited to the parent alone rather the entire family because their children have be able to increase the folds in the family and also proven that they are not barren.
In Ghana marrying without children is a big calamity that can befall any family not only will they call you names, society will stigmatize you your inability to give birth.
One of the main aim people get married in Ghana is to give birth. They also do not take into consideration if they will be able to give better care and good education to their wards.
It is today the outdooring day that the newly born baby is brought outside for the first time ever since he or she was born. In addition, the day the baby is named it is a day of merry making and as custom demand done a exactly a week, thus seven days after delivery, since the world is a dynamic entity things are now done when the parents are ready financially. Until this day they baby cannot be brought out side, the baby is wrap in cloth even to the hospital.
This occasion is a traditionally based occasion like a party where the celebration span into hours and sometimes days depending on the financial capability of the parent and it sometimes depends on circumstances under which the parent had the baby.
I personally witness one which took two days to finish the celebration because the couple had waited for a decade after marriage, so one can imagine the resource that was put into it and the man this case is well to do man in the society so one envisage how it look like.
The day actually depends on three main things and is done according to their customs and these are ethnicity, religious believes and financial power.
Financially capability gives room for the parent to deviate from tradition and customs, here the parents can extend the time to about a mouth before the baby is outdoor because the whole occasion must befit the status of the parent where buffet is organized, a ceremonial cloth is used, traditional drinks are exchanged for exotic ones.
Traditionally the ceremony starts early in the morning before sun rise mainly family members and few friends are invited to this august occasion.
The occasion is marked by white attire; the importance of this is obvious that it is a happy day.
The occasion is preceded by a word of prayer by a priest if it is one being done by Christians and if not and traditional an elder of the family using a bottle of gin pours libation.
After the libation, the grandmother together with the mother brings the baby outside for the first time in his life and also the first time some members of the family are going to see the baby.
The baby is handled by an elder with good character through out the ceremony because it is believe that the baby takes after who ever handles him during outdooring ceremony.
It is also today that the baby is going to be named, the choice of name is selected by the father and then presented to the family elders been the father or mother for acceptance.
In my case Neil was chosen by my father, Nii Nana owusu was given to me because the person I was named after was called so, normally such names are of symbolic qualities because the bearer of the name may have done good to any of your parent or it could be that you happen to named after your grandparent of any of your parent the person could be alive or dead and the Kojo because of the day I was born, The Odame is my family name and that any child of my father bears it.
In tribes like the Ashantis, kwahu, Brongs and Akims normally do not give western names to their children rather they give rich local names like Nana Antwi Danso and Twimasi Appiah.The Fantes give names that ends with son example Rockson, Addison and Peterson because most of the whites who came for the slave trade settle there. The Volta region is also known for its adjectival names like Love, Peace, and Anniversary.
The name chosen by the father is the given to the head of the family, upon receiving the name he takes the baby from the elder and rise shoulder high to the sun, the name is called out three times. In mine tribe, the baby is put on the floor then water is poured onto the roof so that it drops on the baby. After that the family head reach out for a bottle of gin dips his finger into it drops it onto the tong of the baby and asked to call a gin a gin, he again reaches for water dips his finger into it, drops it onto the tong of the baby and asked to call water, water, it implication is to be an honest person in life.
In the northern part of the country, the baby is laid on a sheet of animal skin instead of.
The time for marry making is due drinks of choice local food are served also one important thing that takes place is the giving of gifts to the baby by any one who wants to do so. In the northern part cola nut and pito, a local brewed drink made from millet is shared.
It is during this time that people offer pieces of advice to the parent and the external family.
At this time the ceremony is gradually coming to an end there is a vote of thanks by the Mc of the occasion thanking every one who made the program a success.
It is a symbolic event because the identification of a man is the name, how do we call a man without a name?
The father keeps the remaining drinks with him, any one who comes after the program is served with it, and then the child’s name mentioned.
Days after the out-dooring the baby can be bath outside and be carried out on the back of the mother, Oh what a beauty thus all Ghanaian mothers want parading the street with their babies, smiles all over the face swinging their hand bags like never before.
Now that you know, how I was named its good-bye
Until we met bye.
AUTHOR Neil Owusu Odame.
