A socio-onomastic analysis of some government school names in the Vhembe District in Limpopo province

Abstract

Naming is a noteworthy cultural practice, not only because of its ability to create a sense of continuity over time, but also through its capacity for changing and challenging lines of identity. Thus, naming is a powerful vehicle for promoting identification with the past and locating oneself within wider networks of memory. The objective of this article is to explore the naming of some government schools in the Vhembe District in Limpopo province from a socio-onomastics point of view. A qualitative case study design was followed in this study. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, followed by telephonic interviews and document analysis, were used to collect data from fourteen participants. The findings of this study show that people in the rural Vhembe District Municipality contend with the practices and processes that are followed in naming public places such as schools. The findings of this study further reveal that in the naming of government schools the names of the local traditional leadership are used. Lastly, the findings reveal that traditional leaders have the ultimate power to name government schools.