What's in a name?

Vive (viːv/)

“Vive” originates from the French verb ‘vivre’ (to live) and functions as a synonym for accolades or cheering. It is commonly used as an exclamation meaning "long live" or "up with," expressing enthusiasm or support for someone or something (e.g., ‘Vive l'Afrique libre’, long live a free Africa!). Vive echoes the Francophone revolutionary spirit, the unapologetically African salons of Dakar, Bamako, and Abidjan, etc., and the pan-African intellectual tradition that stretches from Cheikh Anta Diop to Frantz Fanon.

Viva (/ˈviː.və/)

"Viva" (Portuguese/Spanish for ' long live’ or 'hail') is an enthusiastic expression of approval, support, or goodwill. The word became a prominent slogan in African anti-colonial and liberation movements, particularly within Portuguese-speaking Africa and subsequently in Southern Africa. It served as a unifying chant across pre-independence Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, etc., used to revolutionise the masses, express solidarity with other movements, and entrench the vision of a free Africa.

Afrik(a)

"Afrika" (Africa with a 'K') is often used to signify an anti-colonial, Afrocentric, or indigenous perspective, emphasising phonetic roots in many African languages. "Africa" (with a 'c') is the conventional English, Latin, and international spelling, often associated with historical European colonial naming conventions. Spelling Afrika with a ‘K’ is a conscious, political act of reclaiming history and identity. In this blog, Tutaleni lita Asina shares some interesting arguments about why he spells Afrika with a K instead of the C.

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