What’s in a name?
In the children’s book titled, “My Name is Long as a River,” the author, Suma Subramaniam gently reminds us of ways in which our names help create our identities. Tara Anand’s accompanying illustrations in gouache paints add layers of color and dimension to the narrative. Together, the writer and the illustrator convey a message of cultural pride, confidence, and empowerment.
Kaveri Thanjavur Jayalakshmi Ganesan likes her name to be shortened to just “Kav,” but her grandmother, Paati, tells Kaveri to be proud of her entire name. As the story progresses, Paati, explains to Kaveri the significance of each part of her name and how it reflects a different aspect of her heritage. Paati says, “Your name is important. It is yours to own. I named you after your great-great-grandmother. And after the Kaveri River.”
The story of a name
Paati, the elderly matriarch of the family, lives on the shores of the Kaveri River and weaves beautiful handloom fabrics. Along with her parents and Paati, little Kaveri travels along the river to attend the Kaveri Pushkaram festival held in Poompuhar, the place where the famous river meets the sea. First, they travel by train to Thanjavur, the place from which the second part of her name is derived.
In Thanjavur they meet with members of their extended family and present them with gifts of saris handwoven by Paati. Here, the illustration showcase the vibrant colors and the traditional patterns of the saris. During my interview with Subramaniam and Anand, they told me about the process through which they collaborated to produce this culturally rich book. Together, they researched each sari and pattern depicted here.
Kaveri’s mother’s name is Jayalakshmi, after the goddess of victory. Paati tells Kav that her mother protects her in the same way as the goddess protects the river Kaveri from scorching heat and bitter storms. Tara Anand’s illustration in this section shows a radiant depiction of the goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus flower with little Kaveri in her lap.
The entire family then visits a temple built near the spot where the Kaveri River meets its tributaries. They bow before the temple elephant and when Kaveri feels scared, her father, Appa, says to her encouragingly, “Don’t be afraid. The elephant can smell fear.” Appa’s name is Ganeshan. He is named after the elephant god, Lord Ganesha and that is where Kaveri gets her last name. The elephant then places his long trunk over Kaveri’s head and blesses her.
Name & identity
Published by Penguin Random House, this book is meant for children aged four to eight. Indian American children (who are often given traditional Indian names by their immigrant parents) would indeed be able to empathize with Kaveri’s initial reluctance to embrace her long-winded name. In our interview, Subramaniam explained how she too struggled with her long, difficult-to-pronounce name and that was what initially motivated her to write this book.
The author’s note at the end of the book gives the context of what a name carries with it. Subramaniam writes that in “Asian cultures, the naming ceremony is a welcoming gift to the baby in the family. A lot of thought goes into the process of naming the child.” She reiterates the primary lesson of Kaveri’s story, that “it’s okay to have a long name or one that’s difficult to pronounce. It’s okay to let the world know what your name means even if the tongue stumbles. There is strength in choosing to embrace your name and be proud of it.”
A message of acceptance
Although this book is meant for children, its message of acceptance and inclusiveness would appeal to adults as well. At the very end of the book, Subramaniam has included a useful how-to section on getting names right. In a step-by-step process she explains how to communicate your preferred name to others who are unfamiliar with it and help the other person get comfortable with pronouncing it correctly. She also has instructions on how to learn to say someone’s name correctly and respect the names and the identities of all people.
In America, our children have the privilege of growing up in a diverse multicultural community, surrounded by people who speak many languages, follow a variety of religious traditions, eat different kinds of foods and often have names we may be unfamiliar with. Paati’s message to little Kaveri is equally applicable to us all.
