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| Empaako tradition of the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of western Uganda | |
|---|---|
| Country | Uganda |
| Domains | Oral traditions and expressions; social practices, rituals and festive events |
| Reference | 904 |
| Region | Africa |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2013 (8th session) |
| List | Urgent safeguarding |
 | |
Empaako (Tooro pronunciation: [empáːko], Nyoro pronunciation: [empâːko], sg.: Empaako), also known as pet names or praise names,[1] are special personal names that are used primarily by the Batooro and Banyoro people, but also by the Banyabindi, Batagwenda and Batuku people of Uganda.[2] They were introduced after the Biito-Luo clan conquered Kitara during the 14th century, and are nowadays used as a respectful and endearing way to refer to someone in conversation, separate from individual given names and surnames.
Names
[edit]There are 13 Empaako, 11 in common use, used by different people in different contexts: Abwoli, Atwoki, Akiiki, Adyeri, Amooti, Ateenyi, Abbooki, Acaali, (A)bbala, Apuuli, Araali, Acanga and Okaali.[3]
Okaali
[edit]Okaali is not in common use since it is only used for the Omukama (king) when he is being worshipped in rituals or in a special ceremony.[3] In other cases, Amooti is used to refer to him, thus the Omukama is the only person in a community to have two Empaako. After becoming the Omukama, he takes the Empaako of Amooti and Okaali, no matter what Empaako he had before.
Acanga
[edit]Acanga (often spelt Acaanga, however this spelling violates the rules of Runyoro-Rutooro orthography) is an obsolete Empaako, allegedly used by chiefs, thus it is not in common use.[4][5][citation needed]
Male exclusive Empaako
[edit]Acaali, (A)bbala, Apuuli and Araali are exclusively for men. Okaali is de facto exclusively for men since only men are allowed to become Omukama. All other Empaako are unisex.
Generalised Empaako
[edit]In a setting where a mature speaker does not know the Empaako of a young listener and it would be improper to ask, two Empaako can be generalised (i.e. assumed): Apuuli (for boys/young men) and Abwoli (for girls/young women).[6]
Etymology
[edit]Most Empaako come from the Luo languages due to the Babiito dynasty ruling over Bunyoro-Kitara. The word Empaako itself is derived from the Luo word pako, meaning 'to praise'.[1][6]
Pak
[edit]Some Luo speakers still use a form of praise name called Pak (a nominal associated with pako), however, unlike Empaako, the number of Pak is unlimited since they come from shortened forms of individual names (e.g. Awaco from Awacorach), they are not required and they are only used informally.[1]
Empaako derived from Luo
[edit]| Empaako and IPA | Related Luo name | Morphological analysis and translation |
|---|---|---|
| Abwoli
IPA: [aβwóːli] |
Abwol | A-bwol 1SG-deceive I deceive (you). |
| Adyeri
IPA: [adyéːɾi] |
Adyero | A-dyer-o 1SG-sacrifice-TR I sacrificed it |
| Amooti
IPA: [amóːti] |
Amot | A-mot 1SG-greet I greet |
| Ateenyi
IPA: [atéːɲi] |
Atenyo | A-teny-o 1SG-leave-TR I leave it |
| Abbooki
IPA: [abóːki] |
Abok | A-bok 1SG-speak I speak/narrate |
| Acaali
IPA: [at͡ʃáːli] |
Acal | A-cal 1SG-resemble I resemble |
| (A)bbala
IPA: [(a)bála] |
Abalo | A-bal-o 1SG-spoil-TR I spoil it |
| Okaali
IPA: [okáːli] |
Okal | O-kal 3SG-jump (S)he jumps over |
Empaako of debated origin
[edit]- Atwoki (IPA: [atwóːki]): Gerald Heusing claims that it is related to the Luo name Adok, meaning 'I go back'.[6]
- Akiiki (IPA: [akíːki]): The Acholi name Achichi, a hypocoristic equivalent of Akello, may be associated with Akiiki.[1]
- Apuuli (IPA: [apúːli]): The noun 'apoli' (a type of antelope) may be associated with Apuuli.[1]
- Araali (IPA: [aɾáːli])
- Acanga (IPA: [at͡ʃáːŋga]): The Runyakitara Dictionary claims it means "Someone who bosses" in Luo tradition.[4]
Empaako with reinterpreted meanings
[edit]Four Empaako have been reinterpreted and given new meanings over time:
| Empaako | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Atwoki | A cat (God in cat form) |
| Akiiki | Saviour of the nations (Rukiikura mahanga)[a] |
| Ateenyi | Empaako of the mythological deadly snake of the River Muziizi |
| Araali | Empaako of the god of thunder (Kagoro) |
Attribution of Empaako
[edit]Traditionally, Empaako is given in a naming ceremony lead by a clan leader, or predetermined in certain conditions. Nowadays, Empaako can be given by parents directly or someone can give themselves Empaako, however, this may be viewed as illegitimate.
Empaako naming ceremony (Omugenzo gw'empaako)
[edit]This ceremony is normally conducted after 3 days for a baby girl and 4 days for a baby boy after birth,[2] the three or four days respectively are to help the mother to heal as a boy tends to be more troublesome during delivery. It is also conducted when someone from another culture comes to live in the community, especially if a Nyoro/Tooro person marries someone from another tribe.[citation needed]
For a newborn
[edit]The ceremony begins with the paternal aunts receiving the baby and examining their features. Any resemblance to existing relatives forms the basis of the choice of Empaako. The clan representative eventually announces the official Empaako to the child and addresses the baby directly 3 or 4 times for a girl or boy respectively (e.g. Empaako yaawe niyo Amooti. 'Your Empaako is Amooti.')
After naming the child, family members with invited guests share a traditional meal of millet, mushroom soup, peanut sauce, and smoked beef, then traditional songs follow.
Empaako for twins and subsequent children
[edit]On the other hand, there are Empaako which are given automatically for twins, along with given names. The first-born twin is given Amooti (in Rutooro) or Adyeri (in Runyoro), as well as the given name of Isingoma (male) or Nyangoma (female). The second-born is given Abbooki, as well as the given name of Kato (male) or Nyakato (female). [1][6][7]
A child born after twins is given Amooti (or Akiiki in some families) along with the given name of Kiiza. A child born after Kiiza is given Abbooki along with the given name of Kahwa. A child born after Kahwa is given Ateenyi/Abbooki/Amooti (male) or Ateenyi/Adyeri (female), along with the given name of Irumba (male) of Nyamahunde (female).[7]
Empaako associated with names of Bachwezi rulers
[edit]If a family decides to name a child after a former Bachwezi ruler who was elevated to semidivine status, an Empaako is predetermined depending on the name:
| Name | Empaako |
|---|---|
| Kaikara (female)
Rwakaikara (male) |
Adyeri |
| Nyinamwiru | Adyeri |
| Mulindwa | Abwoli |
| Ndahura | Atwoki |
| Wamara | Atwoki |
The role of Empaako
[edit]Empaako plays three important roles in one’s life. In greeting. The two address each other using Empaako. One asks Empaako only on first interaction.Addressing a person by his or her Empaako name is a positive affirmation of social ties.
Neutralising anger and tension. Greeting or addressing by Empaako to a person one is in conflict with, sends strong message of compromise, peace and reconciliation.
The members of the bearer communities believe that Empaako mysteriously evaporates from the memory of the two people whose relationship gets strained, only to be recovered at reconciliation.
Empaako is also a form of address in all positively subjective conditions of human interactions like; Expressing respect and honour to a parent, an elder, a leader, spirit medium and gods; • Expressing affection to a companion, a lover, a tender minor, a sick or suffering, a missed or dead dear one; Appealing for favour from human or superhuman powers; Expressing thanks and bidding farewell. Therefore, while Empaako is given along with a surname, the two serve completely different roles. The surname is only for official and impersonal address.
Decline of Empaako usage
[edit]The transmission of Empaako through naming rituals has dropped due to inter-marriages and it’s diminishing because of lack of the elders to teach their children their mother language and cultural norms.
Some of the elders say that there are no longer extended families and family/clan meetings where they used to seat and tell their children such information regarding the ceremony due to technology, rural urban migration, time, poverty and work.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Isingoma, Bebwa (December 2014). "Empaako 'Praise Names': An historical, sociolinguistic and pragmatic analysis". African Study Monographs.
- ^ a b "UNESCO - Empaako tradition of the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of western Uganda". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
- ^ a b c Mwakikagile, Godfrey. The People of Uganda: A Social Perspective. New Africa Press. ISBN 978-9987-16-033-4.
- ^ a b "Runyakitara Dictionary". runyakitara.com. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ runyoroonline (2016-03-15). "Empako (names of praise) in Bunyoro and Tooro". bunyoroonline. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ a b c d e f Heusing, Gerald (2022). "Empaako, the Magic Word: A Special Form of Address Used in Western Uganda". Multilingual Margins: A Journal of Multilingualism from the Periphery. 9 (1). doi:10.14426/mm.v9i1.1395. ISSN 2663-4848.
- ^ a b c d Rwagweri, Atwoki, ed. (2019). Ceremonies and Practices Associated with Empaako Naming System. Fort Portal, Uganda: Engabu Za Tooro ( Tooro Youth Platform for Action). ISBN 978-9970-9852-1-0.
External links
[edit]
- The National University of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom
- Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom
- [1]
- [2]
- https://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/Empaako--Bunyoro-Kitara-cultural-naming-ceremony-fading-away/691232-2276064-ugjfmq/index.html