Giving a Name to Newly Born Baby in my Community

Giving a name is a very improtant ceremony in Mali. It is celebrated by both men and women, but in different groups and different ways.

The men's ceremony usually takes place on the dawn of the seventh day of the baby. Parents friends, and relatives gather early in the morning and find a name that best fits the baby. A preach (especially an iman) is invited. He leads the ceremony and performs all the rituals. Sometimes the baby may be named after someone in the family boundage(grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, uncle, or aunt). He may also receieve a name chosen at random by the preach. At the end of this ceremony the guests eat and drink. Kolanut is distributed to everyone. As a sacrifice the preach slaughters a ram (male sheep) which was bought before by the parents of the baby. Part of its meat is offered to the closest relatives, and part of it is cooked for lunch the same day. Most of the guests give a present (especially money) to the parents of the baby.

In the afternoon women (especially friends and relatives) gather in the family of the baby's parents. They sing, dance, eat, and drink. Around the dusk, each guest gives a present including clothes, soaps ... to the mother for the baby beofre going back to their houses.

Naming ceremonies are very important in my community. Not only they give the opprotunity friends and relatives to gather and discuss the daily issues, but also they contribute to strenghen and reinforce solidarity amomg people.