Since my first year of undergraduate in Singapore, I have been asked for this question, which I have never encountered in Sabah. “Are you a Christian? Then why do you have Christian name?” Why not? I asked myself. Most of my Sabahan Chinese friends have Christian name; no matter they are Christian, Roman Catholics, Buddhist, Taoism or even Free-thinker.
Ok. Should I answer, because most of the Sabahan are Christian or R.C. before “Project M”? Or, it is because the number of Churches in Sabah is more than Mosques or Temples. Even though this is a fact, but it could not explain well in my case.
This question brings me to investigate the social culture of Sabah as well as my family history. Finally, I remember that I ask similar question to my mother when I was primary school too. “Your Chinese name is Ng Jia Han, and your ‘English’ name is Bernard.” my mother kept telling me this before I went to Kindergarten school.
The idea of having a Christian name among our siblings comes up from my father. His Christian name is Henry. He got this name when he was actively involved in Christian Youth Fellowship of the church nearby 30 years back. Well, this fellowship provides him a platform for networking since his move to this town. In fact, in this town where I was born, many residents recognize “Henry” instead of the Chinese name of my father.
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