Infinite Ways of Affection: The Heartwarming Art of Nicknames That Show True Love

Infinite Ways of Affection: The Heartwarming Art of Nicknames That Show True Love

From Sweet to Silly – How Nicknames Reveal Deep Emotions and Strengthen Bonds Forever

Rodali Baruah

It is interesting to witness the various ways of storytelling. Life travels at a normal pace, and then we witness something that we want to share with others. When reading a book, there is a tingling sensation in my stomach when the writer quotes exactly how I have felt in a particular situation.

Perhaps that is the gift of words. It is a shared experience, with one giving voice to the feelings of someone else. The uniqueness of perspectives always provides a fresh experience, a new door to look through.

The prism of perspectives is the most colourful thing I have ever come across. In this context I quote Immanuel Kant, “Sapere Aude!” Daring to know, trying to know; that is the goal.

Love is a beautiful thing. Sounds cliche but isn’t it the truth? I fall in love everyday with new things; the green of my bamboo plant, the laugh of my friends as it spreads through their eyes, the pink-purple hue of my notebook and the dried flowers within, the way my curtain dances with the wind, the dog ears of my books. I have found traces of this love in the writings of Ruskin Bond, my favorite author. He has shaped my view on things on a deeper level, making me notice every trinket and sundry item. This morning I realised a new form of connection to love and share. Nicknames.

The tale of the origin of the word “nickname” is also captivating. Originally spelled as “ekename”, meaning “an additional name”, it came to its present form through misspellings and mispronunciations.

Northeast is a land of surprises. Coming to nicknames, it is a treasurehouse of uniqueness and authenticity. Located in Meghalaya, there is the Kongthong Village. Residents of this village identify each other by a unique whistle, or a tune, rather than names, a tradition known as Jingrwai Lawbei. A heartwarming tradition, each tune or song is exclusive to one person, upholding the creative capabilities of indigenous people. Often, holding on to traditional nicknames becomes a way of emphasising the roots and indigenous knowledge systems of a community.

Even the Ahom chronicle is full of nicknames and were used extensively by kings as well as others. We all have heard of Lora Roja, Burha Roja, Dihingia Roja, Bhogoniya Roja, and a ton of other “Roja”s. They have often attributed a peculiar feature to the history of the people.

There is also the negative connotation of nicknames associated with the Northeasterns outside. In a way nicknames become the prime weapon of dehumanising and demeaning people with different features. But in a positive light, they can also be used as cultural tools to maintain integrity and unity.

The art of naming is an interesting concept throughout the world. I have always wondered why Spanish people have such long names. The answer, I found out, lies in the belief of the people that naming their kids after great saints ensures protection, and so a root name is preceded by additional names. The tradition is similar to naming in Greece.

All my life I have been surrounded by different nicknames. Even within my family I have quite a few. As for my friends, well, they range from affectionate words to phrases that are too derogatory to be announced. I have never given them a proper thought until today. When a close friend of mine lovingly called me by the name they gave me, it struck me as a power so moving that my fingers trembled to turn it into words. In our Assamese language, the tradition of nicknames is even sweeter.

A daughter is often referred to as “Guxani”, or “Goddess.” You love someone? You fondly name them “Morom”. Now this word has so many connotations that cannot be translated accurately. “Morom” stands simultaneously for love, affection, genuine care and tenderness together. The parents also have this habit of calling their own daughters as “Maa” or their sons as “Pitai” or father. So when my mother calls me “Maa” over the phone, I know that everything will be alright.

And then there comes the tradition of naming people according to their traits, or features. Leaving aside the derogatory nature of this process, there is an innocent attribute to this act. Talking about love, people drop the logic of fair or unfair and call the people with anything that they seem fit to describe them. So a white-skinned individual becomes “Bogai”; a tall person becomes a “Bogoli”(crane), or a ladder (based on true experiences). The cases are infinite, and so are the scope for nicknames.

We often overlook the fact that showing affection becomes an art in itself, and even the tiniest gesture becomes a spark strong enough to light up the heart. It is also the same for contempt, as nicknames also become a way of showing dislike and disapproval. You don’t like someone? you search for their most disapproving trait and name them that, maybe in secret or maybe not. I won’t delve into the implications this has on others. That is a story again for another time.

The  tendency to call someone by a name that is exclusive only to them is an intimate and untainted feeling, something that binds the people with a warmth not quite similar to anything else. Genuine human emotions have a unique way of functioning, of letting out the love in intricate patterns upon the soul of the person.

There is the pitter-patter of the raindrops outside, and I cannot help but compare the rekindling of the love between earth and sky to the pure act of giving nicknames. Recently I read Sharmistha Pritam’s new novel, “Nil Sagarar Shankhadhwani”, and a sentence stayed with me. Roughly translated, the sentence would be “People’s affection- a bowl of Elixir.” And no, we are not talking about all people. We are talking about people who matter, who share a part of their light with us, push us to become better human beings everyday. 

There is a joy in becoming an archive of memories, of documenting and capturing moments hidden in plain sight. A nickname becomes an archive of stories shared, conversations felt and lived, raw and intangible emotions tried to be shaped into something simple. For all these acts of love, a human heart will always be an archive. You and I will always be an archive.

The world can be plagued by wars and devastation, but the joy of the little things do not change. It is in fact the little things that keep human beings alive. It is as Ruskin Bond said, “After the war, the butterfly will still be beautiful.”

Mahabahu.com is an Online Magazine with collection of premium Assamese and English articles and posts with cultural base and modern thinking.  You can send your articles to editor@mahabahu.com / editor@mahabahoo.com (For Assamese article, Unicode font is necessary) Images from different sources.