Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga, President of Zaire
Here is a real dialogue (for the sake of privacy, names have been changed).
“What’s your husband’s name?” I ask my cousin A.
“Mobutu” she replies.
“Mobutu? I thought his name was Mutombo,” exclaims my cousin’s sister who has been sitting with us.
“Well, his real name is Mutombo, but his name in Germany is Mobutu.” Cousin A explains.
Confused? You’re not the only one. Here is what I think I understand.
Many Africans are determined to go abroad to the West in search of a better life _ by any means necessary; this includes traveling with someone else’s passport sometimes. I don’t know exactly what is my Cousin A’s husband’s immigration status, but I’m thinking new name, new country, new life.
Now try to keep track of all that in genealogy! They don’t even have such categories in genealogy softwares.
Comments
Leave a Reply
admin on 05.29.2011
… I’m really enjoying reading it.
All the best,
Gurdy