In Shona culture, names traditionally served as public declarations, akin to social media statuses. They communicated a family's stories, grievances, aspirations, or even passive-aggressive messages to their community, embedding narrative into personal identity.
During British rule in Rhodesia, white employers often found indigenous Shona names too complex to pronounce. They would unilaterally assign simple English names to their African workers, demonstrating how administrative convenience under colonialism actively eroded cultural identity.
After 1980, Zimbabweans began to experiment with English, creating inventive names like 'God knows' and 'No Matter.' This act transformed the colonial language from a tool of oppression into a medium for creative expression and a declaration of freedom, breaking linguistic rules to assert a new national identity.
Due to mass emigration and fear of ridicule on social media, many Zimbabwean parents now avoid traditional or uniquely creative names. They opt for common Western names like 'Jaden,' threatening the future of a distinctive cultural practice to ensure their children can blend in internationally.
During the 1960s liberation struggle, African nationalists in Rhodesia shed European names and adopted assertive Shona names that served as political declarations. Names meaning "we will rule over the whites" or "spill blood" transformed personal identity into a tool of revolutionary resistance against the colonial state.
Stand-up comedian Learn More Janasi initially hid his uniquely Zimbabwean name but now uses it in his act. By embracing his given name, he transforms a potential source of ridicule into a conversation starter, a vehicle for storytelling, and a proud assertion of his cultural identity.