THE ROOT MEANING OF "NANA" IN SENYA LANGUAGE.



In my previous post I made reference to "Nana" as a Senya word but many readers sought clarity on that assertion since it is largely known as an Akan word. And in fact, being the most common but revered title of all Akan chiefs, my assertion caused a bit of confusion. 

However, it must be noted that no language stands in isolation. For example, the word "Papa" cuts across many local languages and all means, father. The Gas of Accra call cassava, 'duade' and the central Guan states, ie, Awutu, Senya and Simpa  (Winneba), also have same word, 'Dwadi', with same meaning. In the same breath "Nana" is a Senya word but it  carries a completely different meaning in Akan. While to the Akans it is a title for kings and refers to ancestors, in Senya it refers only to "Good Ancestors" while the title for a chief is "Nenyi". A bad ancestor is referred to as "Sombi", meaning "child of slavery". 

Several Senya words are lost to the present generation and as a result the ones we have dug out through tireless research from oral traditions seem strange to readers. For example, the word "Nya", meaning festival, and the word, "Onutɔ", meaning drinking water, are virtually unknown today. Festival is largely referred to as " Efi", which rather means "year"; and drinking water is simply referred to as "Nsu", which in Senya rather means river. 

Again, many Senya words have root meanings attached to customs and traditions, though they are sadly lost in the culture of the present generation. And the reason is that Senya is not taught in schools while Fante dominates the society. 

The word "Nana" in Senya has it root as "Walked walk" (na-ina) which implies a good journey accomplished. In Senya tradition, life is assumed as a journey everybody is embarking upon. And it is said of those who journey well before death as _"Mo nna ina papa"_, literally means "He has walked a good walk." Therefore, ancestors who came to earth and walked well by living good life and that their footsteps are worth emulating, are referred to as "Na-ina", granting us the name, "Nana". 

Unfortunately, as I have sadly noted, because this word is a very prominent word among Akans and Akans seem to dominate our society, it is erroneously assumed it has has no place in the Senya language and has therefore disappeared from contemporary local vocabulary.  

May this little piece bring it back and restore its richness in the Senya language.

,.................................................................

*YOU ARE INVITED TO THE ANATHALLO CHAPEL INT. 31st WATCH NIGHT SERVICE 

with Rev. Abeiku Okai

VENUE: Idi Yompo Temple, Senya Beraku, opposite AntHill Hotel, Aroja Junction. 

TIME: 8:00pm to 1:00am

It's a signs and wonders Watch Night, celebrating the Redemptive Works of Christ. *GRACE4GRACE*

0249287855.

........................................

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SENYA BERAKU HISTORY

Image
BRIEF HISTORY OF SENYA BIREKU Senya-Bireku is a coastal town in the Central Region of the Republic of Ghana, in the Awutu Senya District, or politically, Awutu Senya Constituency. It takes less than an hour traffic-free drive from Accra, the Capital, on the Accra-Winneba highway to reach Senya-Bireku, about seventy-seven kilometers. The people of Senya Bireku are Guans and they form part of the three Guan states in the Central Region: Efutu Bireku (Simpa/Winneba), Obutu Bireku (Awutu Bireku) and of course, Awutu Senya (Senya Bireku). All three states speak the Guan language with insignificant dialectical differences. Before the Fantes settled in the Southern part of the country, the central Guans where already settled, and so were the Senyans. In his book, Topics in West African History , pp 63, Adu Boahen stated: It is clear from oral traditions that the Akans who continued their migration southwards met in the coastal districts peoples who differed from them linguisti...
Read more

SENYA BERAKU SE-YE ADA (Clan Names) || Akrama Ano Clan in Focus

Image
In Senya Beraku there are two basic forms of family relations and they are 'Se-ye' and 'Ni-ye'.  Literally Se-ye means father's house while Ni-ye means mother's house. When a Senya refers to his Ni-ye he is actually referring to his family, which is maternal. When he refers to his Se-ye he is referring to his clan, which is paternal. Children in Senya are named from their paternal clans by the senior member of the clan or his/her grandfather. Thus the child's father receives the name from his father or his father's brother if his father is late. This is important because in Senya tradition everybody from your father's clan is your father. Each Se-ye in Senya Beraku has peculiar male and female names that can be traced directly to the deity of the clan. And it enables easy identification of a person's background and father's clan. In this series I will be releasing Senya Beraku Se-Ye and their names starting with the Akrama Ano Clan. THE AKRAM...
Read more

SENYA AKUMASE FESTIVAL – BRIEF HISTORY

Senya Beraku Traditional Area is in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region. The people of this land are Guans and they speak the Senya dialect. Fishing is the dominant occupation of the people but farming, building construction, dress making, hairdressing, trading, driving, mechanics and teaching provide other means of livelihood. The Senya Beraku Akumase festival is traditional farming processes that culminate into the August celebration of bumper harvest in August each year. It is a festival that recounts the greatest historical famine that ever struck the community and how our ancestors were able to use systematic agricultural process to combat the affliction, eventually ending it with bumper harvest. The festival is celebrated in the third week of August each year. The celebration is spearheaded by the Nkyiew Anu patrilineal family, who are the custodians of the festival. All other patrilineal families also spearhead one ritual/tradition or the other, making the festival...
Read more