Honey, Salt, Kola and Water: A Yoruba Naming Day — Epoche A2
Saturday — my niece's eighth day This morning my brother's baby was given her names, in the sitting room, in front of about forty people. In Yoruba families the naming ceremony comes about a week after a child is born, and it is not a quiet moment with a form to sign. The eldest uncle began. He had a small tray in front of him: water, salt, honey, palm oil and kola nut. He touched a little of each to the baby's lips and said a wish out loud for every one. Water: may she have no enemies. Water has no enemy. Salt: may her life keep its flavour. Honey: may her days be sweet. Palm oil: may her path be smooth. Kola nut: may she live long. Then the names. Not one name — several. Her father gave one, her grandmother gave one, her mother's sister gave one, and each person explained what the name meant. One of them was Ayodele: joy has come home. I wrote them all down afterwards and counted them. My niece is eight days old and she already carries the hopes of five adults, spoken aloud in front of witnesses. Nobody in that room can now pretend they did not promise anything.