Dad: Who are you?
Me: Yodith
Dad: Yodith who?
Me: Yodith Dammlash
Dad: Yodith Dammlash who?
Me: Yodith Dammlash Gebre
Dad: Yodith Dammlash Gebre who?
Me: Yodith Dammlash Gebre Aba-Shawel

In Ethiopia, there are no last names. So a child is referred to by their first name and their father’s first name, which then assumes the place of a last name. My father used to quiz us on who he is; who we are. While all those names are not on my birth certificate, he made it known who we came from. I’ve secretly always loved the fact that our family doesn’t have one last name, like a “Smith” family reunion. Only my sisters and I share the last name Dammlash. It’s like a little club that only his daughters belong to.

Yodith Dammlash

Dammlash Gebre

Gebre Aba-Shawel

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Posts tagged with the-names-we-bear

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