The Role Played by Nicknames and Totems in the Development of Tshivenḓa Surnames
Nthambeleni Charles Ṋetshisaulu 
Issue: Vol.6 No.7 Article 15 pp.1138 – 1144
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256715 | Published online 19th June, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Vhavenḓa, like many other indigenous African cultural groups, respects totems dealing with animals, reptiles, plants and other objects in their daily lives. Animals, trees, reptiles and other things are believed to inspire the Vhavenda community in several ways. The main purpose of this study is to demonstrate the role played by nicknames and totems when developing surnames in Tshivenḓa. Vhavenḓa have their way of believing and worshipping their God and gods. Some of these practices are the same as those of other African ethnic groups, while some are not. This is influenced by the totems that the Vhavenḓa community has. A totem and a nickname are some of the things that Vhavenḓa respect most and take seriously in their lives. This research paper seeks to investigate the different roles that totems and nicknames play in the culture of the Vhavenḓa ethnic group, specifically in the development of Tshivenḓa surnames. The paper will also show that totems and nicknames are not just fictitious but something that is appealing in their (Vhavenḓa) day-to-day lives. The methodology used in this paper is a Qualitative Research Methodology where the researcher gathered and analysed non-numerical data in order to gain an understanding of individuals. This will be accomplished by analysing different Vhavenḓa traditional rulers’ nicknames and totems in some of the Vhavenḓa communities to find out what roles they play in the development of totems and nicknames as surnames in Tshivenda.
Keywords: Roles, Nicknames, Totems, Development, Surnames.
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Dr N. C Ṋetshisaulu is an authority in Tshivenḓa as a language, culture, and any other thing relevant to the language. He obtained his PhD from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa in 2012. He has been with the University of Venḓa since 1994. He attended his basic school at Shakadza Primary School. He attended his secondary at Malilele Secondary School were he passed matric in 1984. After matriculation and registered with the University of Venḓa in 1994. After he passed his Junior Degree and Honours Degree he registered with the University of Stellenbosch for Masters and thereafter registered his PhD at the University of Stellenbosch in 2009.
Ṋetshisaulu, Nthambeleni Charles. “The Role Played by Nicknames and Totems in the Development of Tshivenḓa Surnames,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.7 (2025): 1138 – 1144. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256715
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
