The Acoli people all have two names, one given at birth, and a Christian name received when baptised: Adonga Edward, Okelo Francis, Otim Patrick, etc. The Acholi names are not unlike Native American names in that they can be translated and have a meaning in English (I've mentioned Adaonga already--'Born without Father').
As I start trying to do the impossible, become familiar with my 400 students names, I ask them to translate the Acoli for me. At times I find it hard to not react. So many of the names are about the incidents that were going on during the comnflict. I find that many of my students were abducted, or their parents were, They had family members killed or saw neighbors lose their lives. Now, they are asked to return to normalcy. Part of that process includes an attempt to put the past behind them. Unfortunately, they carry today and forever--even those with no physical injuries--a harsh reminder of their past in the form of their names: "Strife," "Hardship," "Running Away," "Trouble," and "Burden," to name a few. I think back to my childhood, how I hated my name Timothy, how I wished I'd had a hard sound, a manly sound--Jack, Patrick--anything but Timothy.
I know now that "a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I know for me that is true. As I look at the smiling faces telling me their names so laden with the memories of a nightmare endured and nightmares to come, I hope it is true for them as well.
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