“On the first day of school, my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an English name and said that from thenceforth that was the name we would answer to in school. This was the custom among Africans in those days and was undoubtedly due to the British bias of our education.”
Image credits: John Mathew Smith 2001,”From Wash D.C. Longworth building October 4, 1994. Mandela’s first trip to the United States.”,CC BY-SA 2.0,Nelson Mandela 1994 – Nelson Mandela – Wikipedia
- July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013
- Born in South Africa
- Politician, lawyer
- The first black president of South Africa, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for abolishing apartheid and building a democratic South Africa where multiple ethnic groups coexist.
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Quote
“On the first day of school, my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an English name and said that from thenceforth that was the name we would answer to in school. This was the custom among Africans in those days and was undoubtedly due to the British bias of our education.”
Explanation
In this quote, Nelson Mandela reflects on the colonial educational system imposed by the British, which included renaming African children with English names as a part of the broader process of cultural assimilation. Mandela recalls how, on his first day of school, he and his classmates were given English names to use in their education, a practice that was common under colonial rule. This was done not only to facilitate communication in a foreign language but also as a way to impose European values and undermine indigenous cultures. By giving African children English names, the British colonial system aimed to reinforce the idea that European identity and culture were superior to African heritage.
Historically, this practice was part of a wider strategy of cultural imperialism across Africa, where colonial authorities sought to diminish African languages, traditions, and identities in favor of European norms. For many Africans, it became a mark of their subjugation that their birth names, which were important parts of their family and cultural heritage, were replaced or erased. This was not just a minor detail of education, but a way of systematically disconnecting African children from their ancestral roots, further entrenching colonial domination. Mandela, born Rolihlahla, was also given the English name Nelson, a name he later used in his public life.
In modern times, this quote highlights the long-lasting effects of colonial education systems on identity and culture. While the practice of renaming children has diminished, many former colonies still grapple with the impact of colonialism on language, identity, and education. Mandela’s reflection calls attention to the importance of cultural preservation and the need to celebrate and respect indigenous languages and names as part of reclaiming self-identity and cultural autonomy. His own efforts to rediscover and affirm African culture later in life, alongside his work in reconciliation, are a testament to his commitment to cultural dignity and respect for all identities.
