Ethno-ornithology and onomastics in the Natta community, Serengeti district, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper presents ethno-ornithology, the study of birds in a society, in relation to onomastics, the study of proper names. The study was conducted in villages of Mbisso and Motukeri in Serengeti district, Tanzania aiming to find out how the Natta community name and classify birds in their language and to identify anthroponyms and toponyms derived from names of birds. Purposive sampling was used to select 64 respondents who participated in focus group discussions, birding and interview. Data were analysed thematically with the aid of tables. The particular ethno-ornithological data depict two avifauna naming systems from which Natta proper nouns were derived after the removal of prefixes of avifauna names. Male avifauna anthroponyms (50%) were found with positive connotations; female counterparts (20%) denoted negative meanings, whereas avifauna toponyms (30%) signified abundance of the respective birds. This paper is of particular interest and value, given the widespread concern at the global loss of natural history knowledge in local communities, in both traditional and post-industrialised societies. It thus makes the world aware of the anthroponyms and toponyms, encourages conservation efforts for tourism, and provokes more ethno-ornithological studies in relation to names of people and places in other ethnic groups.