Names are more powerful than you think, The Significance of Names and there removal explored by David Salariya
What's in a name? Names are powerful and hold cultural, religious, familial, and personal significance across different societies. In Western cultures, names are often passed down through generations, preserving continuity and heritage. They can also have specific meanings, often based on linguistic or symbolic elements. Names can shape an individual's social identity, emphasising the importance of family units. In some societies, names are believed to have protective qualities, warding off evil spirits or bringing good luck. Modern Western cultures often focus on individualism, choosing names based on personal preferences. Names also serve as legal and official identifiers, ensuring clarity and preventing inappropriate names. In LGBTQ+ communities, names can be chosen or changed to express one's identity.
Eliminating the identity and the memory of a name
As creators of books, we invest not only our time and creativity but also a part of ourselves into our works, for us it is never ‘just a job’. The 'about the author/artist/editor' information is not just a formality but an acknowledgment of the individuals behind the creation whether they are working under their own name or using a ‘pen-name’. This background information gives readers insights into the minds and experiences of the people who shaped the work the reader is about to explore.
Pen names or nom-de-plume
Actors often use a different professional name, and authors use pen names or a nom-de- plume to protect their personal life, maintain a separate identity, avoid discrimination, or perhaps create a memorable name for marketing. This anonymity can be used to protect authors when writing about sensitive topics to maintain a specific audience, or perhaps help them to maintain artistic control. Despite being less common in the digital age, pen names remain a valuable tool for many writers.
Multiple names and identity
I used at least four names when working: David Salariya - creating and designing projects, David Stewart for writing usually history books and Max Marlborough for writing the art/history subjects and another who probably isn’t best referred to. The use of the different names was an artistic freedom creating in a way the spirit of the classic 1949 film ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’ directed by Robert Hamer (a darkly humorous black comedy, with Alec Guinness, playing eight characters) which echos my publishing house with its many non-de-plumes…although I wasn’t killing off my relatives to work my way to a inherit a Dukedom.
The Significance of Identity and Heritage and Geography
Salariya, my surname came from my grandfather Attar Singh Salariya who was born in Amritsar in the Punjab, India. My great grandfather Piara Singh Salariya was a merchant in Amritsar and the agent for the cloth manufactured by the Dhariwal Woollen Mills (New Egerton Woollen Mills). The mills were established in1880, manufacturing different types of woollen cloth and supplied across colonial India. In1904, the company employed 908 workers and were the only mills in the Punjab.
Piara Singh Salariya - my great grandfather
Piara Singh Salariya sent three of his six children to university in the UK and Ireland: Gurdial Singh Salariya to Dublin University to study Law, Bakshish Singh Salariya to Glasgow University, to study Marine Architecture and Attar Singh Salariya my grandfather to St Andrews University to study Engineering and that is where he met and married my grandmother, Beatrice Corbett in 1927. After Attar graduated they lived in Lahore.
Eliminating the memory of a name
In ancient Egypt, the removal of names from statues and monuments was not uncommon, known as damnatio memoriae, meaning "condemnation of memory" in Latin. This practice was done too enemies of the state or those who had fallen out of favour for political, religious, or other reasons to try and remove their identity.
The ancient Egyptians believed that the preservation of a person's name and likeness in inscriptions and statues played a crucial role in ensuring an individual's existence in the afterlife. Therefore, deliberately erasing the powerful inscriptions and images was seen as a way to condemn the person to an existence without remembrance or an afterlife.
Throughout history, there have been instances where states or rulers have attempted to erase the memory and identity of inconvenient individuals - hence the significance of a name holds more power than you might think.
Ancient Rome
Roman emperors often engaged in damnatio memoriae for political reasons, after the death of Emperor Nero, his successors sought to erase his memory and name due to his unpopular rule. They removed his statues, destroyed or altered inscriptions bearing his name, and attempted to discredit his identity and legacy.
Soviet Union:
During Joseph Stalin's rule in the Soviet Union, political purges were common. Individuals who were deemed enemies of the state or a threat to the regime often faced erasure from historical records, photographs, and official documents. This included not only political figures but also ordinary citizens.
China's Cultural Revolution:
During Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976), individuals who were perceived as counter-revolutionaries or enemies of the Communist Party were targeted. Their names were removed from records, books, and public spaces, and their reputations were destroyed.
Nazi Germany:
The Nazis in Germany engaged in extensive book burnings and efforts to erase Jewish culture from German society during the 1930s. Individuals who opposed the regime, including Jews and political dissidents, faced persecution, and their contributions were often expunged from public memory.
Changing name by choice
Many authors have used pen names
George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair
J.K. Rowling Robert Galbraith
Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens
George Eliot Mary Ann Evans
Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
Dr. Seuss Theodor Seuss Geisel
Agatha Christie Mary Westmacott (pen name for romance novels)
Charlotte Brontë Currer Bell (used by all Brontë sisters, including Anne and Emily)
Stephen King Richard Bachman
HatcAyn Rand Ayn Rand was a pseudonym; her real name was Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum.
It is crucial for authors, artists, and the creators of the concept of projects to be acknowledged in books they have worked on. This acknowledgment goes beyond mere credit; it fosters a connection between the audience and the creator, enriching the reading experience. By omitting this section in reprints of works, the essence of the original work and the people behind it is diminished. Preserving the integrity of creative individuals benefits not only the creators but also the reputation of the publishing industry.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-rights-granted-by-copyright#:~:text=Moral%20rights%20protect%20those%20non,be%20sold%20or%20otherwise%20transferred.
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