For the Borana, the naming ceremony remains an important rite of passage. Just like many African communities, the Borana believe that names have power and play a great role in shaping a person’s destiny. As such, when a child is born there is no rush in giving the child a name. It has to be one that is well thought out and carefully selected to fit the child’s character. The naming ceremony takes place between six months and three years after the child is born. In the interim, the baby is called by random names of the parents’ choosing.
Once a name has been chosen, the parents inform the elders who then decide on the day of the ceremony. If the ceremony is for the first-born son, it is called gubbisa. For any other child the ceremony is called moogatii. The event can last up to five days, so a ceremonial hut called a galma is constructed specifically for the festivities. On the chosen day, guests arrive with gourds of fermented milk to present to the family. The first two days are full of laughter and merriment; the naming rituals officially begin on the evening of the third day.
First, the father shaves the child’s head to symbolize a fresh start for the young one. For a girl, the centre of her head will be kept shaven until she is married in order to identify her single status. The child is then fitted with several ornaments: a copper bracelet (mchira) on the wrist, a small metal bell (hagaloo) on the right upper arm, and a special bead (gagaafii) that is tied around the neck. In the past, the mchira was worn by all the Borana people. After this, the father lifts the child up and informs everyone present of the name that has been chosen. The gathered guests respond with a short prayer of long life for the baby.
Once the name is announced, the women burst into song and dance which is carried on through the night, with the child’s name continuously woven into the lyrics. The child is passed around from one pair of loving arms to the next as the tunes continue to wish him or her a happy life and an abundance of cattle, pasture and water.
At the crack of dawn, a bull is sacrificed and the meat is shared out amongst the guests. This marks the end of the Borana naming ceremony and from this point on, the child is formally considered a part of the community.
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