Heart to Heart

The ICHA Blog

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Sister Abena by Devon Watts on August 19, 2009 | 0 comments

On my first visit to Ghana in 2003, I learned how the Fante people get their traditional names. It all depends on which day you were born -- not the date, just the day of the week. Having found this out, I took it upon myself to figure out that I was born on a Tuesday, and that women born on Tuesdays are usually named Abena. I figured a local name would serve me better in this foreign land, since my own name, Devon, is difficult even for some Americans to remember, spell and pronounce. So Abena it was, for the duration of my two month stay in Komenda, a small fishing village very near Elmina.

 

 

One of my fondest memories of that trip (and there are many) is of walking through the village and stopping to chat with people. As is common almost everywhere when making small talk, one of the first questions that typically came up was, "Wo frow'den?" or, "What is your name?" The first time this happened, I was happy to respond with something that I thought might put a smile on the villagers' faces -- "Fre me Abena," I said. "I am called Abena." (Note: I am attempting to spell the Fante words phonetically, and am undoubtedly butchering the real translations. Please forgive me for this.) Little did I know that the reaction I'd get would be far more than just a simple smile.

"Eh-ehh!," they would shriek, "Sista Abena! You are most welcome to Ghana!" followed by a warm embrace or a taking of my hand in friendship. Or, in many cases, "I too am Abena!" because, as you can imagine, there are a LOT of women in Ghana who were born on a Tuesday and are hence named Abena! (Most people also have a Christian name that is more frequently used, but all have Fante names that they strongly identify with.) I can't tell you how many times someone told me that their mother or wife or daughter or cousin was also called Abena.

I quickly became accustomed to being called "Sister Abena" wherever I went. I also got used to being invited into peoples homes, asked about my family and my life in the U.S., and generally embraced as a member of the community. I was blown away by how immediately and genuinely these complete strangers showed me affection. The fact that I shared a name with someone they knew seemed to create this instant unbreakable bond that, I have to admit, caught me by surprise.

What I soon came to realize, however, was that the "sisterhood" I had somehow established with the residents of this village had little if anything to do with the fact that I'd given myself a Ghanaian name. Rather, it had everything to do with the warmth and kindness of the Ghanaian people. After the amusement about my name had passed, and despite language and cultural barriers, It was clear that the folks in Komenda really wanted to get to know me. They wanted to know what music I liked, what church I attended, how many brothers and sisters I had, what brought me their little village in central Ghana, and so much more. It was with tears in my eyes that I walked through Komenda for the last time, saying goodbye to my many new-found sisters and brothers.

I cannot wait to return to neighboring Elmina with ICHA to help initiate our cardiovascular disease awareness program. I have no doubt that the team will be embraced by the people of Elmina, and that I will again be welcomed as Sister Abena.