What's in a Name.

Giving a name to your baby is a huge responsibility. They have to carry the moniker for their entire lives. Growing up with the name, where it can be twisted, abbreviated, shortened, or amended by their peers and the relatives. I think about this now and kind of laugh, my name is Steve. Actually, on my birth certificate it is spelled Stephen, like in the Bible. In elementary school, when the teacher did attendance, she or he would call out the names of the kids in class. I remember the teacher reading out my name and saying Stefan. The outburst of laughter can be still heard in my ears, my face gets hot, and my head bows down in embarrassment and shame. The teacher pronounced as it were a French name, Ste-fan. My friend, Smiley, was relentless with his teasing. When he found out how my name was spelled, Stephen, he would call me Step, Hen. I laugh now but I still don't like the name Stephen, like in the Bible (who was stoned to death) and like the horrible disreputable Stephen Harper (put a plastic bag over my head now). The strange thing is my Mom never, ever wrote my name as Stephen or called me that. I never knew it was how my name was spelled. My Mom spelled it Steve. Like Steve not in the bible, but like Steve Irwin, one of the greatest Steve's who has walked this great Earth. Or even like Steve McQueen, and the great Steve Buscemi, both awesome in their own ways. 

I am not sure how the spelling of my name was written the way it is. I know the Baptism Certificates were filled out by the Nuns, so maybe that had something to do with it? My Mom and Dad are dead so I never even thought about asking them. So the mystery of my name will remain for all time to come. When they do a documentary about my exploits or TMZ (maggots) report their scuzz reporting of my demise, they will spell it like in the Bible, Step-hen. But don't fret, my family knows what my true calling is and how I came to be. 

I can't remember why I even broached the name thing. I think it was because of something, but what it was, I don't know. I just know it was not about my name at all. It might have to do with getting the Indian Name or as some call it, the Spirit Name.  It is a good thing to have an Indian name for sure. 

Speaking of me, a friend of mine died yesterday. He went to sleep on his couch and never woke up. It is really sad. This man was bigger than life, a generous, kind and really loud in a good way. The wife and I were talking about our friend. I said, but not in a callus way, that he went in the best way possible, go to sleep, not suffer and just not get up. I told my wife that is how I want to go, and if she could somehow make that happen. She said she will do her best. 

Getting or bestowing an "Indian name" to your child, is one of the best things you can do as a parent. I am speaking of Natives here, not non-Natives and getting their names. One of the many things, the "powers-to-be" did when they interacted with Indigenous folk, was to rename them. Not only their whole community name (thus Indians) but their actually individual names as well. Can you imagine, how crazy that is. I bet they would have named Crazy Horse, Chester if they had the chance. The Leader of our community who signed Treaty One was named Kakekapenais (Bird Forever). His named was later changed by government and his descendants now have the last name of Mann. This practice of renaming people was done everywhere. Who knows how things would have been if those damn pesky Church folk and their government cousins, would have just let people be. I mean who knows, my name might have been "Gone with the Wind" or something cool like that. Instead it's Steve. Actually Steve is a pretty cool name but it's no Hole-In-The-Day. We have witnessed some people change their names in public, lot of famous folk, like  Muhamad Ali. He called his old name a "slave name." 

You know what is awesome? People are reclaiming the right to name themselves and their kiddies, with Indian names. Not sure if it is right to call it Indian Names as this is kind of weird and a mistaken label for who we are, so, the people are getting Anishinaabe names (If I was speaking out loud with people around, someone would go, Ah-ho). There was Indian Woman who wanted to get an Indian name, so she went see an Elder who did Naming Ceremony. She received the name Buffalo Woman. She didn't like being referred to as a Buffalo. She decided to go to another Ceremony person for a new Indian name. She received the name, Brown Buffalo Woman. There you have it, What's in a name.