The last laugh
2
THE LAST LAUGH [JABULANI MZINYATHI] 24.05.15 We were the laughing stock of the Ascot high density suburb . We did not have English names. It was not in vogue not have Ndebele or Shona names back then. That was around 1972. Trouble began when my sisters, brothers and I went to Muwunga Government Primary school. The other children would laugh their lungs out when we stated our names. In my family there was Sithokozile, Solani, Siyephi, Zandile and I, Jabulani. For the uninitiated these are Ndebele names. Now that the laughter long died down I will not explain these our meaning laden names. Today I carry my name with immeasurable pride. I now laugh at those whose parents were colonised to the marrow. Today I name my children using my language. So I have a son named Jabulani Bongani and Grace Sithabile. It should be clear that my daughter ended up with an English name , Grace because I could not fight against maternal power. What my mother decreed was law. I was vehemently against that as it reminded me of how some slow witted people used to laugh at me for not having an English name. Now I walk tall realising how my dad refused to fall hook, line and sinker for English names in the bid to be called educated or sophisticated. Having been the butt of many snide remarks we sat around a fire one wintry night. We decided to give ourselves English names. My brother became Linton. I called myself Justice. This did not stop the laughter. It only increased the laughter. We were laughed at because these manes were not anywhere on our birth certificates. Later we dropped this crap about English names. That was when we
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Transcript of The last laugh
THE LAST LAUGH [JABULANI MZINYATHI] 24.05.15
We were the laughing stock of the Ascot high density suburb . We did not have English names. It was not in vogue not have Ndebele or Shona names back then. That was around 1972. Trouble began when my sisters, brothers and I went to Muwunga Government Primary school. The other children would laugh their lungs out when we stated our names.
In my family there was Sithokozile, Solani, Siyephi, Zandile and I, Jabulani. For the uninitiated these are Ndebele names. Now that the laughter long died down I will not explain these our meaning laden names. Today I carry my name with immeasurable pride. I now laugh at those whose parents were colonised to the marrow. Today I name my children using my language. So I have a son named Jabulani Bongani and Grace Sithabile.
It should be clear that my daughter ended up with an English name , Grace because I could not fight against maternal power. What my mother decreed was law. I was vehemently against that as it reminded me of how some slow witted people used to laugh at me for not having an English name. Now I walk tall realising how my dad refused to fall hook, line and sinker for English names in the bid to be called educated or sophisticated.
Having been the butt of many snide remarks we sat around a fire one wintry night. We decided to give ourselves English names. My brother became Linton. I called myself Justice. This did not stop the laughter. It only increased the laughter. We were laughed at because these manes were not anywhere on our birth certificates. Later we dropped this crap about English names. That was when we heard around 1977/78 that there was a war going on and that among the many objectives one was to rename the country then known as Rhodesia. It was drummed into us that terrorists wanted to call the country –Zimbabwe.
When the country gained its independence from the colonial settlers , predominantly of British descent I was elated beyond measure when the Union Jack was lowered and the country was renamed Zimbabwe. It gave me immense joy when Bob Marley and one Gibson Mandishona worked together on a song entitled Zimbabwe.
After the attainment of independence I walked tall and proudly bore my name. I still walk tall to this day. As I said earlier I now have named my children appropriately. I no longer want to be called justice. Even if my job has to do with justice I have no liking for the name that I gave
myself back then. So now I have the last laugh regarding those that have English names. Some even have funny names like Paraffin, Tetracycline , Have a look, Adrian etc. I know of a young man whose parents named him Anus. This is no joke at all. It goes to show the extent of unbridled love for the English language.
