“Names have energy,” says acclaimed creator, Rick Riordan in The Lightning Thief. Have you ever ever mispronounced somebody’s title? What do you do when somebody mispronounces your title? Do you appropriate them? Ignore it? Get mad and storm away?
My title is Suma Subramaniam. Or is it? My title story is a standard one in India the place I used to be born.
I used to be given two names after each my grandmothers, who have been rebellious and victorious in their very own methods. One was for spiritual causes, Jayalakshmi—which means the goddess of victory. The opposite is my title for day by day use, Suma. It means flower in Kannada, a South Indian language.
In India, many individuals rejoice naamakaranam, which implies naming ceremony. It’s one of the vital necessary rituals within the lifetime of an individual. Households take a number of effort in selecting a reputation with a wonderful which means for the new child, that almost all instances additionally carries a slice of tradition and historical past.
My title modified as I grew up. It grew to become longer. In highschool, my household modified it to observe astrological predictions for a vibrant future. Then my tenth-grade trainer misspelled it in my report card. Later, the federal government officers misspelled it but once more in my authorized paperwork. Once I grew to become an grownup and immigrated to america, my title was continuously misspelled and mispronounced so many instances that my title wasn’t mine anymore. I couldn’t perceive why individuals would reasonably name me one thing totally different than look reckless making an attempt to say or spell my title accurately. I used to be drained. I couldn’t put myself by means of extra paperwork and the hustling concerned in making corrections. I may now not revisit the unique title I used to be given and make a change but once more.
Due to this fact, the inspiration for MY NAME IS LONG AS A RIVER got here from the numerous, many instances individuals struggled to spell or say my title after which gave up, leaving me feeling ignored, ignored, and unseen. I wrote this e book, drawing from the historical past of my circle of relatives.
The title of the principle character within the story is Kaveri Thanjavur Jayalakshmi Ganesan.
(Pronunciation information: KA-VEY-ree thun-JAV-oor jay-ya-luck-sh-mee guh-nay-sun)
Kaveri would have been the title of my miracle youngster if I’d had one. It’s additionally my husband’s nice grandmother’s title and the title of the river that connects our households’ ancestral origins. Thanjavur is a metropolis in South India the place my elders lived for a few years. Jayalakshmi is my different title that’s primarily used for particular ceremonies. It’s additionally my husband’s grandmother’s title in addition to each my grandmothers’ title. Ganesan is my grandfather’s title.
So why is saying a reputation accurately necessary for youngsters? As a result of kids in faculties come from totally different backgrounds. However the one frequent factor all of them share is their title. In each neighborhood, it issues to pronounce individuals’s names accurately. Names are a part of their cultural identification. When a reputation is mispronounced or modified—consciously or not—it could possibly result in a toddler feeling invisible. When a toddler feels invisible within the classroom, they’re much less more likely to make pals and be efficient in school. A reputation supplies specificity and is usually a huge a part of constructing a toddler’s self-confidence.
However how can we assist kids reclaim their names? With globalization, the variety of names we can not pronounce goes to extend. We’re going to make errors. We’re not excellent. Nonetheless, it will be significant that we take the time to say it accurately. When a reputation is mispronounced or misspelled, we’re not solely altering an individual’s identification, however we’re additionally disrespecting them. It’s okay to ask for assist if we battle. It’s okay to let somebody know methods to pronounce your title. The backmatter in MY NAME IS LONG AS A RIVER has a number of tips about methods to get names proper.
In case your title is lengthy as a river or one which’s troublesome to say, keep in mind Rick Riordan’s phrases. Names have energy. MY NAME IS LONG AS A RIVER shouldn’t be solely about decoding the importance of names, nevertheless it’s additionally in regards to the power and pleasure of embracing them. I’m excited to share it with readers and see it out on the earth.
Suma Subramaniam is the creator of Namaste Is a Greeting, She Sang for India, The Runaway Dosa, A Bindi Can Be…, the V. Malar collection, and different books for youngsters and younger adults. She has an MFA in Writing from Vermont School of Positive Arts. Suma lives in Seattle along with her household and a canine who watches baking reveals. Be taught extra at sumasubramaniam.com.
