November 28, 2011 - The Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA) visited Tchokmon village as part of the “Ancestor Day” of the Decade of Return Initiative. The program is designed to reconnect “returnees” with their ancestral homelands, cultures, and people. This year’s Group 4 included descendants from Balanta, Brame and Fula people. The Fula descendants went to a Fula village in the Bafata region in the west, while the Balanta descendants went to the Balanta village of Tchokmon. Part of the new tradition being established in Tchokmon is receiving Balanta names.

Richard Curtis was the first to vist Tchokmon village in 2014 where he received the name “Ngadesa Tchokmon”. Since then, BBHAGSIA members have been traveling to the village to receive their names. On January 3, 2021, nine members of the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA) received names from Alante N’dang Elders in Tchokmon village. The occasion was historic.

On November 28, 2022, we headed out to Tchokmon village again, stopping in Bula to get supplies.

After arriving in Tcholmon, we were well received as always, and we sat under a Mango tree to discuss current events affecting the village. Arrangment were made to get the last and most important item - the pig- for the day’s feast. After discussing some of the community issues, we paid a visit the the memorial for Ngadesa Tchokmon and James Wells, the first two Balanta to be laid to rest in their ancestral homeland. We also walked around the village.

Finally, a very interesting discussion was had among the Alante N’dang (elders) about this new phenomenon of Balanta people from America not able to travel to Tchokmon to receive names and how they could create a new tradition. They alante ndang recognized that it was very important for people to feel more connected to their homeland and that they can understand not wanting to use slave names. After a long discussion they finally decided to give the names and encouraged us to tell everyone that they should come, at least once, to the village in their lifetime if they are able.

Then, the gave the names explaining that it is the Balanta tradition to give names based on the situation in which you came into the community. Since the village is getting to know us because of the experience and history of the slave trade, our names reflect that. Here are the names that were given:

Shirlie Thomas - Beocksan

Richard Fox - Fogna

(Literally, this means, “lie”. In this context, it means the invaders lied to us, didn’t tell us where we were going or what they intended)

Imad Muhammad - K’siff

(this means “work” and in this context, it means the invaders took you and made you to work for them)

Luther Mitchell - Fiere

(this means world or situation. In this conext it means you were taken into a new world situation as opposed to the Balanta world situation)

Mario Ward - Nhan-na

(this means world but in this context, a mixed world, meaning, you have been mixed up into a world outside of the Balanta world)