I am friends with a family. I have known them since I moved
here over eight years ago. They are from a Polynesian, and more specifically
Tongan culture. The generation that is my age was all born in the United
States, but all the older generations were born in Tonga. They are a very proud
people and do not hide from their culture but celebrate it in their everyday
lives.
To everyone else, they have names you hear in everyday life.
Danny, Sam, or Simon, but if you are around them during other times, like at
their house, or during close family gatherings, they go by other names. You
will hear Taniela, Semasoni or others. They do not loose integrity because they
go by two names. If they are only allowed to use their real name on Facebook,
which name should they put? Their Tongan name is their real name, but their
American names are also their real names. Those names are on every paper they
turn in at school, the name they sign the bottom of letters and notes with.
Our society has ruled that their Tongan names are too hard
to pronounce. We have said that they are not American enough for us. With these
judgments that we have passed we have made them assume another identity. This
however, makes them no less of a person. They should feel free to make their
name on any social media site be either name, or even both if they choose. I do not think that they lose any integrity by
having both their names. I believe it gives them more integrity.
No comments:
Post a Comment