From resistance to assimilation: Tracing the dwindle of indigenous Chasu personal names under colonial influence

Abstract

Colonisers suppressed and detached Africans from their cultural heritage and identity. One aspect mirroring this determination is the replacement of African names with foreign names. Like many other communities, the Chasu-speaking community has experienced significant shifts in its naming practices over the past century. The present study evaluates Chasu's lost and surviving names and the dynamics of the Chasu naming system from colonialism to date under the lens of Linguistic Imperialism theory. The data were collected from 380 subjects, both old and young people. The findings show that in the early stages of colonial rule, the Chasu community opposed the use of colonial names to preserve their cultural identity. However, as colonialism progressed, opposition to colonial rule gradually declined, leading to the gradual acceptance of colonial practices, including personal naming. Even after independence, colonial influence on naming practices continued. Indigenous Chasu names have declined significantly, especially among women. This underscores the need for initiatives to preserve indigenous Chasu names to maintain cultural heritage and identity. This can be done through community initiatives, policy changes to protect indigenous names, and creating databases of indigenous Chasu names to guide parents in naming their children.