Recognize Dat Kujichagulia
:: To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves
Zora Neale Hurston, describing her childhood, said “My soul was with the gods and my body in the village…I wanted to be away from drabness and to stretch my limbs in some mighty struggle.”
Eartha Kitt stretched her limbs so far she spoke four languages, sang in seven, and invented her own accent.
Mia X corrected the host when he mocked her New Orleans accent and called her MawMaw. Though a term of endearment, it’s usually relegated to elders, and it’s not her fucking name. Born Mia Young, she re-introduced herself to the world as Mia X aka The Biggest Mama. “Recognize dat,” she said.
Names have power.
That’s why post-Emancipation, so many black folk renamed themselves Freeman. It’s why, of the seven Kwanzaa principles, one of ’em is dedicated to defining and naming ourselves. It’s why I praise parents who give their children non-white names in a 🌎 that warns us that Trelani, LaTasha, Kareem and DeAndre won’t be hired, enrolled, or taken seriously. It’s why I adore women who know their souls are with the gods and dare to re-invent themselves, and demand that we respect dat.
People be having us fucked up, but it’s your responsibility to say no to what’s weighing you down so you can fly (Toni Morrison said dat). How?
Step 1: Seeing how they got you fucked up
Step 2: Saying no to the rules and expectations that don’t align with your soul
Step 3: Claiming ownership of your freed self (Toni Morrison said dat too)
Part of claiming ownership of their freed selves for so many women included renaming themselves. Toni Morrison, born Chloe, included. This article features a few of us but honors allus.
Sojourner Truth was born Isabella. She renamed herself in her 40s to reflect her calling in life. “Sojourner,” she said, “because I was to travel up and down the land showing people their sins and being a sign to them, and Truth because I was to declare the truth unto the people.”
Madam CJ Walker was born Sarah. She renamed herself in her 30s to demonstrate her come up and ensure that whenever you said her name, respect was there. She got the whole name from her husband, Charles Joseph Walker. Although the marriage ain’t last, she kept the name.
Nina Simone was born Eunice. She renamed herself her in 30s to hide from her religious, respectable mama. She’d started playing piano and singing secular music at a bar in Atlantic City (her family lived an hour away in Philly), and a new name would help make sure word ain’t get back to her family. Nina was a nickname that an ex-boyfriend used to call her and Simone came from the French actress Simone Signoret.
Assata Shakur was born Joanne. She renamed herself in her in 20s because JoAnne was starting to irk her nerves. That’s what she said. “I had changed a lot and moved to a different beat. I didn’t feel like no JoAnne, or no Negro, or no Amerikan. I felt like an African woman. My mind, heart, and soul had gone back to Africa but my name was still stranded in Europe somewhere.” Assata is a West African name meaning “she who struggles,” Olugbala means “savior” in Yoruba, and Shakur means “thankful one” in Arabic.
Ntozake Shange was born Paulette. She renamed herself in her 20s after recognizing that her last name was inherited from slave owners and her first name was inherited from her father, Paul. She asked South African musicians to suggest a new name for her, and from their suggestions, she chose Ntozake, a Xhosa name which means “She who comes with her own things” and Shange, a Zulu name meaning “She who walks like a lion.”
(Re)naming yourself is one of the biggest ways to create and speak for yourself, so shout out to the women before us who showed us how.