PEOPLE FROM GOKATA ARE CALLED…

People from Gokata are called ‘People from Gokata’. Just that. Nothing more, nothing less. Much like ‘Boku people are from Boku’.

Naturally every human being is called by a name or names. Whether assumed or given at birth. We all have our birth names. Assumed names can be nicknames, stage names, colloquial references, titles etc. There are also collective names. Names like Women or Men, Boys or Girls, Workers or Non-workers, etc.

There is one particular name group that I would like to shine light on here. It is the name given to people of a particular area. This name tagging comes about in unusually varied and intriguing ways. The names can spring from everyday spoken words or idioms. Formal or informal accepted or otherwise, ethnic or race. People get called so and so just by their general characters, distinct appearances, places of origin or distinct iconic landmarks/ events or even famous relatives that they may be, like or not, linked to. Of course settling on a name takes an indefinite time as it is complex.

The following are examples of such group names;

• Israelites – people from Israel in the olden times. Peculiarly called Jews.
• Israeli – people from Israel in modern times. Note that the name Jew is not peculiar no more. The bloodline and the Judaism religion has spread worldwide and the name is now too diluted to be applied specifically for Israelis.
• Australians – people from Australia
• Chinese – are people from China
• Samoans – are people from Samoa
• Motuans – are one of the two groups of people from the traditional villages in and around Port Moresby.
• Tolais – are one of the groups of people from the Gazelle Peninsula, E.N.B. province
• Kukukuku – are people from around the Menyama district, Morobe Province
• Latinos – are people from any of the countries in the continent of South America or sometimes called The Latin America hence the tag Latino.
• Eskimos – are people from no particular country. These are several tribes of nomadic people who live mostly in snow houses around the North Pole region.

And so forth.

So, let us zero-in on our discussion point. Some names given to particular ethnic group of people or race usually are determined by the part of the world they originate from generally. Like most ending with “x–ese” are from Asia or “x-i” are from the Middle East. Of course, as exceptions rather than the norm, there do exist odd names within each regions. For example Indians are not referred to as Indianese or Lebanese are not called Lebanis.

Now then, with that explained, can this be applied for us Gokata? Currently, there is no accepted name that is readily applicable for us in today’s vocabulary. We are left to only say “I am a Gokata, I come from Gokata”, whereas with very much ease, another fellow countryman can says “I am a Tolai and I come from Vunapope”. Note the difference?

So a bid to deriving the locale name is the purpose of this writing. Our history is the “textbook” we can refer to, to reveal that name.

If we were to seek for the name, what do we do first? Well, have to look at where we are situated fore mostly. Okay, this we do know of ourselves; we are from the South Pacific Ocean. We are Australasians. We are Melanesians. We are Papuans. We are ‘black’. We are Rigos. We are Baifa. We are Tubulamo. We are from Boku.

Then we can factor in our other characteristics like our origins, influences, habits, etc.

With all that said, how would we call ourselves? Would that bring relevance? I think it would. Why not?

The following are my name suggestions;

1. GOKATANS (It sounds reasonable but very ordinary or too popular)
2. GOKATIANS (Sounds fair as it falls in line with most of the names in the Pacific region)
3. GOKATESE (sounds really odd)
4. GOKATA (As it is – sounds simple and likeable)
5. GOKATAI (it is catchy and takes nothing away as the added letter is part of the original name Tai-to. But would we all accept that?) I personally prefer this nonetheless.
6. GOKATISH (this sounds outright girlish J)

Here are additional suggestions very much along the same vein.

Gobukomana people could just be called Gobu.

Kalaikomana people could just be called Kalai.

Taitokomana people could just be called Taito.

Even though the above three names have no uniformity, dare I say, these are all straight forward original names. Letting these names be as they were cannot be a fault because as we discussed in an earlier paragraph, uniformity is not always the rule. Exceptions do exist.

IN TIME, WE COULD COME UP WITH PREFERRED NAMES for all four for wider formal use.

ADD YOUR SUGGESTIONS.

Do you really think the Gokata identity is strengthened in this way? Is it relevant? Please share your thoughts in the comments section. I learn as much from you all as you do from me. Only our frank discussions can help us build better insight on how we value ourselves and responsibly chart our progress.~ p