The name game!
Shamsa!
Shamsa, Shamsa bo Bamsa Bonana fanna fo Famsa
Fee fy mo Mamsa, Shamsa!
Identity!
Identity, Identity bo B’dentity Banana fanna fo F’dentity
Come on everybody!
I say let's play a game
I betcha I can make a rhyme out of my identity
….
Now, what?
Okay, I guess I can’t come up with the identity version of Shirley Ellis’ name game, but hey I tried.
Shamsa Al Ameemi, my first name is the Arabic translation for Sun. My name has been passed down to me from my aunt. I was named after her and therefore I have to live up to the expectation to be great enough to be compared to my father's favourite sibling. Funnily enough, we are nothing alike, therefore I guess I have to put a different meaning behind this name.
My parent's intention when they decided to name me Shamsa, was to honour their sister and pass down the name to me. In Emirati culture, we tend to pass names down the family tree to display honour and respect towards that certain elder. In addition to that, my parents were very convinced that the name shamsa depicted a very unique and beautiful meaning and symbol. Aforementioned, Shamsa is a variant of the name 'Shams', a proper noun that refers to the sun. the name could also represent the brilliance and the radiance that is derived from the sun.
My name has affected my identity, as I somehow feel like I have an automatic interest and fondness towards space and astrology. I have associated myself with an astrological aesthetic (as well as a mixture of other things, I spice it up).
My name has affected my identity, as I somehow feel like I have an automatic interest and fondness towards space and astrology. I have associated myself with an astrological aesthetic (as well as a mixture of other things, I spice it up).
My cousin once made a comparison between the sun and my personal identity, stating that I was like the sun in terms that I am vital in my loved ones lives, and seem to always be there although I might not always be remembered… that took a turn for the worst to be completely honest. I was expecting her to be all artistic and make me feel special but hey ho I guess this will do.
18.9.2016
Shamsa, I found your blogpost very intriguing as you mentioned in detail you were named after your Aunt yet you are nothing alike. I think this line "Funnily enough, we are nothing alike, therefore I guess I have to put a different meaning behind this name." speaks to me because I am also named after an elderly person that is my grandmother and I find it interesting how its a tradition to pass down names as a sign of respect. A question I have in mind however is if you think that this this tradition of passing down names is something you support or find quiet funny? Great job! To be honest, I love how you related the meaning of your name Shamsa to how you love astrology and space. I am looking forward for your future and in my opinion artistic blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I really appreciate your comment Hala! As a matter of fact, I tend to find myself admiring the names of people that I respect and love most. I would guess that this happens due to their name becoming an extension of the certain person; so I suppose that I tend to support this tradition. I also find it quite interesting how people would name their kids after someone they admire, it's quite sweet, actually.
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ReplyDeleteWow Shamsa, loved the poem!
ReplyDeleteIts very interesting what you mentioned about your culture where names are passed down a family tree to show respect. I also think its cool being named after the sun.
Do you know if there are any religious connections to that?
Hey! I know that in other parts of the world being named after the sun could have religious value behind it, but as far as I know Shamsa is not a name that comes with religious connection to Islam. The sun is often referred to in the Qur'an itself, however when Muslims/Arabs name their kids Shams or Shamsa they usually are alluding to the sun's brightness and radiance. Thanks for the insightful comment Abel ;)
DeleteShamsa,
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading this blog, and love your creativity regarding your poem. Your discussion about how your name intertwines with your culture is very interesting, as I didn't know that in the Emirati culture you pass names down the family tree. I can especially relate with your statement "My name has affected my identity, as I somehow feel like I have an automatic interest and fondness towards space and astrology.", as due to my name (Flower), I also have developed an automatic interest in the flora and fauna.
Is Shamsa a rather common or rare name in Arabic?
Great job!
I could say that Shamsa is a common name in arabic, whereas it is nowhere near as common as a name like Mariam or Aisha in the Arabic (Emirati) community. I have also made the observation that Shamsa is very Gulf centric name, as in it's more common in the Persian Gulf countries in comparison to the rest of the arabic nations. I appreciate your comment, Thank you!
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