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The Baatombu (or Bariba), numbering some 500,000 comprise the largest ethnic group of northern Benin. They occupy most of the historical region known as Borgu, of which a small part is situated in adjacent Nigeria. Their language, Baatonum, is a Gur language related to the central and the Gurunsi groups (Manessy, 1981: 105). The Baatombu are the numerically dominant members of a political community composed of several sub-groups. At the top of the complex and rigid social hierarchy are the noble Baatombu, or Wasangari, formerly warriors who, according to oral tradition, originated in the Kisra migrations. They imposed themselves on the area progressively from the fourteenth century to the eighteenth and lost their original language. The group of commoners, who are cultivators and hunters, is composed primarily of Baatombu of the lower category, who came as migrating hunters from the east. It also includes a small number of Mokolle, of Yoruba origin, as well as Tienga and Boko, both speaking Mande languages. Fulani, situated in nearby encampments, and Gando-descendants of former slaves, war captives and `abnormal' children-settled in nearby separate villages, make up the two lowest socio-ethnic groups.l
I AN OVERVIEW OF BAATONU PERSONAL NAMES
A Baatonu child is born with a birth rank name. Atypical characteristics of the pregnancy or delivery as well as notable circumstances surrounding the event of the child's birth can be at the origin of another name. These names, along with a possible nickname acquired some time during childhood, are called bii yisiru, `child names', or yisi piibu, `little names'. They are perfectly suitable for children, but you must not die before having acquired another name, a real name.
This plurality of names borne by any one individual is one important characteristic of the Baatonu naming system. Synchronic plurality is commonplace; it concerns Baatombu of both categories equally and is no sign of merit. Diachronic plurality, on the other hand, must be earned by honourable behaviour and primarily regards members of the aristocracy. A Baatonu will change his name no more than a few times throughout the course of his life; the shedding of one name and acquisition of another is an intrinsic part of the individual's progress from one stage of achieved status to another. Thus the chronological...