DENNIS JOSEPH WEEKLY: What’s in a name and whose name is in your passport?

Dennis Joseph

The most beautiful name for Jamaicans right now is Bolt, the legendary sprinter superstar who has raised Jamaican pride to a new dimension.   So what’s in a name?  A name can lift a nation to the mountaintop to see the promised land in just one day when it seeks and earns international respect and on the other hand a name can swamp it in mire with one dishonourable act.

We have exotic and beautiful names for our villages like Coulibistrie, Rosalie, Calibishie, and perhaps your own village.   We may even have a contest as to the most beautiful of all, however the problem is most of the names came to us from colonialism.  Yet one of the most exotic and exclusive names to my ears is the one created by the mighty Kalinago people of old.  These valiant warriors stood against terrible violent odds and defended their right to their way of life.

Indeed they only succumbed through trickery including one event that lives in infamy when they were conned into attending a ‘truce’ meeting and there at Massacre were brutally-yes- massacred by the British soldiers.   To give our Emancipation Day or Independence Day more meaning there could be an enactment of that reprehensible act somewhere in the Massacre area, lest we forget.  A little diluting of the pure ‘sewoing’ will do  good to the national spirit.

These Kalinago people of old who understood that the land and the people are one, looked upon this stunning  God’s gift, with soaring peaks like fingers pointing toward what the preachers bold facedly tell us is Heaven   gloved in unbelievably luxuriant shades of green, circled by bouquets of clouds  and were inspired to call it one name only- Waitikubuli (Tall is her body.)

I had the privilege and honour of doing a voiceover on video for promoting our tourism and the opening words on the script were “Waitikubuli –Tall is her body.”  As soon as the words left my lips, I was overwhelmed by the impact of circumstance and knew this was no longer just a job, but a mission.

Our imagination is the unconquerable final frontier and God’s way of allowing us to see beyond our humdrum realities.   It is in this mode I placed the delightfulness of the name and envisioned a place of unspoken bond between man and beasts.   The name spoke to me of immensity, grandeur yet a place of peace, love, beauty, and a humble people beaming in the awareness and gratitude of what had been given.

I could see this name of power and wonder attached to verse, song, dance, art, classical cultural things and matters of genuine purity and upliftment of spirit.  A name that would engender   thoughts of its residents as a people of compassion, who laugh and  cry in season, who face eternity with clean hearts and are not afraid to stand for freedom.   I could never imagine one day that the name Waitikubuli would be attached to passport scandals, passports with false and strange names including diplomatic passports to fugitives, a veritable sales event of blue books stamped officially with the Columbus imposed  European Spanish name- Dominica.

Waitikubuli belongs to us, donated by the Kalinago people, to cherish, to love, to shout about and as an anchor to our treasured indigenousness.    Most of the other names have come down from the colonizers, and even our new stadium is called ‘Windsor Park Stadium’ even though built by the Chinese.  A new wine in an old bottle.
We may comment that this does not really matter and cannot understand my harping on about a name.  “What’s in a name?”

Well try praying to Jesus by some other name, or to address a letter to someone in a city of streets with no names or in a room of people calling out to a nameless individual.

Our roots are important features of the post-colonial era especially with the effects of neo-colonialism whether by  China, or ALBA.   Roots convey ideas about heritage, background as well as race and culture and it is a time of gloom when the danger is clear and present that our  people will  lose these identities. That is why the’ in your face’  sale of  our passports willy-nilly even to crooks and vagabonds for selfish reward is a case of not seeing the tree because of it’s fruit,  Our Anthem sings of us as one  people, sons and daughters of this land beyond compare  “full of Godly reverent care”.  Where is reverent care when we need to care about the prostitution of our passports?  Like in the words of Gabby Douglas the African American winning gymnast 2012 Olympics, “You’ve got to go out there and be a beast,” for protecting our nationality.

In Dominica the colonialists had changed the official language of the Kalinago and the language of our slave ancestors to English and dissed many different customs.  The Jesus we serve came with and from them; our African roots have long been placed on the side burner and replaced with new standards of behaviour and we were like a conquered people.  But our pride  was energised on November 3rd 1978, that first Independence Night when we watched the flag of Britain come down as the Sisserou went up the flagpole despite the vigorous local attempts of Eugenia Charles and the Freedom Party to prevent Independence happening.

When after all this we transfer out our pride which is a most profound part of our nationality for nothing more than private selfish bowls of dollar porridge, we dishonour the journey.  At Independence time we have a feast of slogans mostly celebratory, but perhaps this year we could have one focused on our real and immediate problem like, ‘PROTECT THE PURITY OF OUR NATIONALITY. ON  YOUR MARK, SET, JOURNEY NOW START ‘

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36 Comments

  1. sphynx
    August 18, 2012

    i always enjoy reading you.and once again than you for shedding some light on us.a oity our youths don’t take time out to read as in the days goneby.there should no more be winsor park and certain names:for sure.and DNO please go to that website:www.366 jours par an.the dominican flag represents the dominican republique!!

    • sphynx
      August 18, 2012

      should read:it’s a pity our youths don’t read etc

  2. ELIYAH
    August 17, 2012

    Hi Readers: Dennis is right concerning the value of a name. Now if the name of an earthly person or thing is so valuable, can you imagine the value of the name of our Creator Yahweh and of his son, our saviour, Yahshua? How then does this world think that they can discard YAHWEH for the Lord…and discard YAHSHUA for Jesus Christ? For it is written in Exodus 3:15

  3. Malgraysa
    August 17, 2012

    Look that. Haiti changed their name from Saint Domingue to Haiti, based on the indigenous name “Ayiti” (land of high mountains. But what did it do for them? Name alone is meaningless unless it stands for positive reality, tangible reality, real achievements to be proud of. Names like that live for ever, regardless of their origin.

  4. phucet
    August 17, 2012

    I would like to change the slave name i was given some day. :-D

    • Malgraysa
      August 17, 2012

      Nobody stopping you boss. Tiyani Behanzin did. He was born Robert B. Douglas (after his grandfather RBD).

  5. A concern citizen
    August 17, 2012

    I don’t support a name change. Dominica’s name is DOMINIQUE. Don’t forget we were colonised by the French at one time and our French creole heritage is still embroiled in us. So we should have just stick to DOMINIQUE. I was in Japan and went to the post office to mail a package and when I told them the package was going to DOMINIQUE they never asked where is Dominique or is it Dominican Republic. DOMINICA was listed in Japan International Country list as DOMINIQUE and the package was received in a matter of day without going to DR.

  6. August 17, 2012

    Mr. Joseph writes: “Waitukubuli belongs to us, “donated” by the Kalinago people”

    But what is the meaning of that statement above nuh? So how did the Kalinago people find Dominica, to claim her as their own, until they decided to “donate” her to us? What a strange idea to me!

    And who is “this us, if that “us” are not people who were born and raised in Dominica?” And how can I claim that “someone else” born there or not, donated Dominica to me.

    Anyway all I know is that Dominica is the Land of my birth and she belongs to me.

    “God saw my substance before I was formed, and in His book they were numbered–the days planned for me before there were not of them. He would cause me to manifest in flesh and bones through my mother and father, who are absolute Dominicans

    What I am saying is that Dominica is God’s gift to all of us who were born there, our share of land,just as He gives a share each of the different nations, according to their Land of Birth.

    The land of Canaan was not “donated” to the people of ancient Israel–even if they were not born there–it was the Promised Land from God to them. How can we say that Dominica was “donated” to us by natural people as ourselves?

    Also the National Anthem sings: And our people strong and healthy, full of Godly “reverend fear” not “reverend care” What does “reverend care means?”

    But “reverend fear”, fear of God by faith–not feeling terrorized to stand before Him. That is the reason we must be careful that we worship God in Spirit and Truth, for God is of Love, in Spirit, Truth, and Holiness. By faith and reverend fear, God accepts our worship as He blesses in rerurn with the Life of Love–His Primary Likeness, through Jesus Christ.

    However, thanks to you for the telling me the meaning of Waitukubuli, I left Dominica since 1974, that name was not popular in Dominica at all.

    I like the phrase, “Tall is her body” for I always say that Dominica stands tall, because of her mountains–not when I am flying to her from Barbadoes though! Looking at all those mountains below me, make Dominica look like an old lady with a bad hunch back–Dominica’s beauty from above is seen much better when flying from Antigua.

    I also like to think that God walks our mountains, as He watches over those of us in Dominica, who will continue in “reverend fear” towards Him–not people–come rain, strong wind and even hurricanes.

  7. Looking in
    August 16, 2012

    Great piece.
    Now is time to reclaim our real name. Waitukubuli…”tall is her body”.
    I’ve hear of some people in the US and other foreign places are so fed up of having to explain to others that they are from Dominica and not Dominican Republic, that they simply tell them they are from St Lucia or Jamaica or from some other place where they don’t have to give a Geography lesson. All in a name.
    Time to change back to our name. Honor those who fought fearlessly to hold on strong, and are still holding on…Kalinago.
    Mr Joseph, maybe you can be at the front with this mission…What’s in a name…? One’s identity and more…

    • Looking in
      August 16, 2012

      oops.
      HEARD

  8. Frenz
    August 16, 2012

    Dennis I wonder why you chose to throw in a pop shut at Eugenia on an article focusing on the name of Dominica. Whether it is true or not that Eugenia opposed Independence the fact is there were many people in the Labor party circle at the time who also had their own apprehensions about independence. but this is irrelevant at the time aeugenia like many others embraced independence and served the country honorably.

  9. Francisco Telemaque
    August 16, 2012

    Denis boy, anytime you are calling out villages by name you had better not forget to mention the great, great, great and muddy red clay Village of Wesley, where kings and generals, and supper stars are born!

    Remember, ( I de king Francisco was born in that great village.

    Most of us Dominicans are highly territorial, and do not wish our Village to be left out of anything oui!

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah:

    Just kidding eh!

    The last time I saw you in person was about 1964/1965, with a guitar in your hand along with Greg Barnes, the one called ( Breaker) in the ally, leading up to the back entrance of J. Astaphan, that light skin boy who sold patties were there also, if memory serves me correctly, I believe he lived in that alley

    You had all your hair on your head, so did I, now both you and I have become balled head beast of burdens all our hair simply dropped off like trees in the winter.

    Do not let that boggle your mind too much if you do not remember the kid, since my memory is beyond compare, the stuff that I can remember from two years old, when I speak them people are usually shucked they do not understand how one maintain both short, and long term memory as I have.

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • Grey popon
      August 16, 2012

      Francisco your problem is your arrogant and braggadocio. Why does it always have to be about you. You slouch behind a computer in California and refuse to come back to your place of birth. Why? You claim you are afraid of flying. May I suggest that you you take anti anxiety medication get on the plane and come back home for a visit. Oooops I forgot he didn’t have the nerve to come to his mum’s funeral. I say so because you display your smart Aleck attitude and seem to have the fix for Dominica. To me you are a foreigner looking in. I know will pull your hair off because I refer to you as a foreigner looking in. By the way please don’t come tell us that you send pittance to a cousin and that gives you the right to dictate to us what Dominica is or is not cause lots of foreigners have contributed to Dominica and are not as boastfull or arrogant.
      Te truth is Francisco we appreciate your contribution ; it is just disgusting the way you portrait yourself. It is as if you are desperately seeking attention; sort off like a spoil child. Stop your self promotion on DNO- no one care about your accolade. Maybe just maybe if you get on a plane and restore a true link between your life experience and our national development then we might be willing to tolerate your arrogance.

      • Francisco Telemaque
        August 17, 2012

        What you call arrogant is simply fun to me, I am enjoying life, freeing my mind from the more severe atrocities of the world.

        I do not believe one should be considered arrogant, simply because they talk about their personal experiences, and what their memory can recall; at least I consider myself blessed to be capable of remembering situations that I got into when I was a child.

        I.E., I remember the day when a big older woman was beating me to death, we were going home from school, all of my friends and relatives stood and watched her almost beat me into a pulp, the only person who came to my rescue was a Murderer, a man named Elijah Prince from Marigot, he was the one who killed Eunice Etinoffe also of Wesley.

        He later served life in prison, and was released, he disappeared when hurricane David screwed up Dominica more than thirty-five years ago.

        I remember everything automatically.

        Whereas I have dealt with people who would have breakfast in the morning, and by night fall they have no recollection what they eat for breakfast!

        When I was a kid, a guy who lived on the Hill four houses down from my grandmother’s play a silly game with a machete (Cutlass), and almost sever the big toe on my right foot.

        He left Dominica, at about age eighteen years old while I left when I was fourteen, I dropped him a letter to which he responded, after that we lost track; his sister a former School Principal now lives in New York gave me his number in Canada, I called my former mate to talk with him, that boy could not remember me he claimed, nor could he remember Emlord Timothy, whom we all grew up together.

        The only person that boy remembers is a Carib Indian girl he had a crush on when we were in school; so my friend be happy for me that I am not senile!

        I give God the glory for the way he made me.

        If you are in Dominica call Emlord, and ask him about this kid, when we talk and I say to him, do you remember when in reference to something; he usually ask me what are you talking about: when I judge his memory, and he remembers, he simply laughs and say boy you are crazy.

        I am not arrogant, I simply appreciate my abilities since there are not many with that ability excepts people with photographic memory.

        The majority of people long term memory does not work for them!

        Elizabeth for Jesus, the kid is not going to comment on anything you said here, cause it will be too long, I will either E-mail you or I will call you over the week end, perhaps Sunday if I do not go to Church, can’t deal with any argument today, and tomorrow since I am busy fixing my bathroom.

        I broke it down two weeks ago when my nurse left for a family reunion in Louisiana, I am expecting her back on Monday, so that bathroom has to be ready to roll by the time she gets back!

        And knowing how curious your mind, don’t ask me what I have been using since then you see; just trust that I have other means.

        I don’t have the time to read you now anyway, I will later!

        Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • August 17, 2012

      Francisco writes: “We both have beoome “balled”

      FETe the word is not “balled” it is “bald” neaning “no hair on the head”

      Check the meaning of balled and you will come to realize that you used a dirty word in talking about your head and your hair.

      Why don’t you try to stop doing that? Remember you are writing for people to read as your sign your name, also.

      You claim to be King Francisco of the great Wesley; well I am Queen Elizabeth of the beautiful and charming Giraudel, where God’s most beautiful angels are born and live.

      Long ago Kings and Queens were rulers, whose duter was to write the Law for their Nation and its people. Since you claim to be a King, your spelling has to be in tact.

      Well I hope I do not have a wrong spelling here, I cannot find my spell–check on my tool bar. As for you, you just have that bad habit! Lol!

      • August 17, 2012

        I found one, but that is a typing error: I should have typed “duty” not “duter”

      • August 17, 2012

        Fransisco writes: “Elizabeth for Jesus the kid is not going to comment on anything you said here”

        But FETe, I did not expect you to comment on what I said to you–except to give me a thumbs up—Hehehehehehehehe!

        You and I have one thing in “common” it is an excellent ability of “memory” and memory is a great blessing from our God–I was glad to read you saying: “I give God the glory for the way He made me.” That is the best thing to do, my man. But my memory is till much better than yours oui! Hehehehehehehehehe!

        Anyway let us keep it humble okay! But did you say you go to “Church?” Well good heavens!

        I know that God is doing His work through me, but it must be that He is doing much more than I can imagine eh!–Well that is if you have spoken the truth above; sorry for doubting, I live Toronto, not near to you at all, at your place in LA, you see!

        Anyway don’t depend on the church too much, for your Salvation, only Jesus can save us, and there is a lot of people still strongly under the control of their human minds in the Church, even the Church leaders could be among them–people who are controlled by their human minds alone do not know God. So make sure that Holy Spirit is your driver–He will drive you and the others with Him, to the right destination–I am on His bus also. :-| :-| :-| :-|

        Well anyway I will not be home on Sunday, I am going with my Church family to join in worship with a few other Church families, at a place in Toronto called Willowgrove. I will be gone all day–tomorrow, Saturday, is a no, no, for me as well; my son is moving back to his home in Scarborough.

        To God be the glory my man, fellow Dominicans, you do that too; for God gives us back the blessings of Life in return; those blessings are the best doses of medicine a person can ever receive.

    • A concern citizen
      August 17, 2012

      Since you left Dominica (Dominique) you never pass back and you are trying to make Dominiquens believe that you are so concern about what is happening in our beloved Dominique. What have you contributed to the development of Dominique?

  10. tect nee cal lity
    August 16, 2012

    Denis i respect you for your diplomacy,you and alot of us know the whole circus around the march towards independance,you were in de heat when the upposition was doing their s–t to stop it.
    Now they there enjoying it and refuse to write about the s–t they doing.Do Your Thing My Man,you are the WORD to the WISE,that’s sufficent.
    some even want to correct you,can you see the lite!

  11. Freethinker
    August 16, 2012

    The Kalinago’s looked upon this “God’s gift,” you say? Wow, I wonder why God never bestowed other gifts upon them, like telling them he existed, so the European missionaries wouldn’t have to convert them….Ah, hindsight.

  12. Malatete
    August 16, 2012

    Mr. joseph is a true wordsmith, a literary craftsman but one must be careful not to be seduced by his skills in absorbing the statements he so carefully slips in as facts. Bolt, by any stretch of the imagination is not an indigenous Jamaican name, certainly not one with African roots. Yet, that nation can be proud of this name and rightfully so. Dominica is not a Spanish name but a Latin one, meaning the “day of God” and I can not imagine better praise than that for the occasion when Columbus first set eyes on our beautiful country. Mind you, I have no objection to the original Kalinago name of Waitikubuli either. And for the record mr. Joseph, Jesus was never a Hebrew name. If anything our Saviour would have been called Joshua. Not that it matters, he is still alive and gloriously so after more than two thousand years.
    I dare say that your bold claim that “Waitkubuli belongs to us, donated by the Kalinago people” is rather breathtaking in that it is totally at odds with recorded history that they fought fiercely to keep foreigners out. So who are “us” if not not Kalinago themselves? I have never heard before that the indigenous people of Dominica, the Kalinago donated their country to us and I’m sure they would have an issue with such an unfounded claim. It is akin to Americans saying that their native people donated their lands to them. By all means lets love Dominica, or Waitikubuli if you will, but without cloaking it in history that does not stand up to the facts. I love it as it is, regardless of what it is called.

    • August 17, 2012

      @Malatete

      I did not read the comments before I posted mine, it seem as if you and I have the same sentiment.

      I just cannot accept that other people, in Dominica, donated her to me. I have a good feeling that Mr. Joseph is not listening to himself as he writes, but that is an awful flaw.

      How can a person who claim to be writing weekly colomns to an online News Site, make mistakes like “Our people strong and healthy, full of reverend care” saying that it is from our National Anthem.

      Our National Anthem says: “Our people strong and healthy, full of Godly reverend fear”

      Not only that,the idea is exteneded to speak about passpots–O dear, O dear!

    • August 17, 2012

      The name Jesus is the English spelling for “Joshua” or “Yeshua” Let us not forget that the Bible was translated from its original language to the language of the majority in any given society. But only Holy Spirit can convict us of the Truth of God`s Word.

      That is why our English Translation of the Bible is so full of errors–translators are using their human wisdom and understanding to translate; they ignore the language of Holy Spirit, becaause they cannot understand what He speaks to them.

      And so we need to have faith, because faith is the channel by which we connect to Holy Spirit. When we are connected He will teach us to understand, as He points out to the Bible that is best for us to read–For me this Bible is the King James Bible, whether old or new. But most importantly I listen to what Holy Spirit is telling me.

  13. Victory
    August 16, 2012

    While checking in at a major international airport in North America, I heard an Indian gentleman requesting assistance from a security officer at the airport. Pleased, with the pleasant disposition of the officer, the Indian gentleman inquired of the nationality of the security officer. The security officer responded proudly, “Jamaican” with a flourished American accent. With an excitement in his voice, the Indian man exclaimed, Ah! Usian Bolt. The Jamaican-American looked at me and said what has happened to Bob Marley now? We recognized the value in the names Usian Bolt and Bob Marley to Jamaica.

  14. me
    August 16, 2012

    Great work; What an inspiration. Any books out yet by Dznnis?

  15. August 16, 2012

    Rama’s understanding that Eugenia Charles didnt oppose independence is very wrong.The Freedom Party problem was because of the person who headed the delegation for independence talks in England. We cannot forget the demonstration in Roseau when Prime Minister John returned to Dominica.We cannot forget the rumors, that instead of doing the people’s business in England,he was seen watching cricket at Lords.We cannot forget Eugenia’s speech at the Windsor Park on the night of independence.

  16. conscious
    August 16, 2012

    People in general should consider how they are called too many “NICK NAMES”. I could not comprehend PARENTS gave those inferior names to their children. I am just sharing something with the public. I got a job and within a year the office shorten my name though i informed them of my name. Then they started putting the shorten form on mails addressed to me. I sent them a CAPITALIZED letter informing them they were not given authorization to change my name. Your name is what is on your birth certificate nothing else.

  17. zaggy waggy
    August 16, 2012

    Good piece Mr. Joseph. However, the line in the national anthem reads: “Full of Godly reverent fear…”

  18. genesis
    August 16, 2012

    the Jesus we serve? Oh how i feel sorry for you.

  19. 1979
    August 16, 2012

    as long as one DOMINICAN looks at ANOTHER DOMINICAN and sees a LABOURITE, FREEDOMITE or UWPITE we have gone nowhere and have learnt nothing from our past…

    as long as there are those among us who use quotes such as “If it have LAWESTA we will give it to those UWPites, freedomites or labourites. we will not move ONE INCH FORWARD…

    before we carry any family name, party color or gender

    WE ARE ALLLLLLLLLLLL DOMINICANS….

    and until we realize this politicians will puppeteer us at their will

    smoke that in your pipe.

  20. 4u2C
    August 16, 2012

    Great article MR. Joseph. I think if we start teaching more about our National Heroes in our schools our national pride would come to life and our NAME would mean much more than just a NAME….

    Thanks for this great article.
    Peace!

  21. De eyes
    August 16, 2012

    Mr Joseph,I always enjoy reading your articles.You are a very good writer.May God bless you.

  22. Rama
    August 16, 2012

    My understanding has always been that Dame Eugenia and others were NOT against independence per se, but the timing, and the pie in the sky promises made by politicians. Are we as a people better for the event which took place in 1978? We are still a miserable lot, if you ask me.

    • Political Myths
      August 16, 2012

      That is correct Rama. The issue was the type of constitution and the things contained therein and how we were going to go independent, for instance monarchy or Republic.

      The Labour Party, of which Dennis was then a chief strategist, found it useful to pump into people’s heads that the DFP was out and out against independence. The DFP simply did not want Dominica to become another Forbes Burnham type of Guyana under Patrick John.

      But I notice that, inspite of a good article, Dennis is bringing out this red herring again.

    • Nkrumah Kwame
      August 16, 2012

      According to you Rama, when is this best “timing”;has it come yet, and if not, how soon? Not having the “event which took place in 1978” would have made us then, a LESS “miserable lot” than today??
      And the answer to your question is surely an irrefutable “YES”. And that too, is unshakeably grounded.

    • Malgraysa
      August 16, 2012

      Amen! How independent are we? Now we relying on the largesse of China, Venezuela, the E.U., yes even U.S.A., Azerbjian, Morocco, Italian gangsters and anybody else we can beg from. Of course people have the right to self determination but at what price? Fact is we can not support ourselves. Bless Dominica.

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