Thandiwe Newton reclaims her roots: 'My name ‘Thandiwe’ is Zulu, my mother’s tribe is Shona'
Image: Rich Polk/Getty Images for Audi
British actress Thandiwe Newton declared in a Vogue interview that her name, which has been misspelt for years, would be reverting back to its original spelling.
Newton said the name meant 'beloved' in Shona.
After getting praise for her decision to now include the 'w' which had been left out in her first movie credit and stayed that way, many pointed out that Thandiwe is not a Shona name.
In the article, Newton says her mother, a Zimbabwean, is of royal Shona lineage while her father is a lab technician from Cornwall, UK.
Newton apologised for the error on Twitter.
Sincerest apologies from me, for error in @BritishVogue My name ‘Thandiwe’ is Zulu, my Mother’s tribe is Shona. That’s what happens when you’re separated from your identity for so long, that you forget who you are #ZimbabweanLivesMatter🇿🇼
— Thandiwe Newton OBE (@ThandiweNewton) April 5, 2021
Despite the apology, the origins of her name quickly became a debate on social media.
The apology has pushed Newton to the top of the trends list in SA.
The name is not Shona. It’s Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele - all with the same meaning which is Beloved. Can we also correct the pronunciation of Thandie/Thandiwe? It’s not Tan-dee, Tan-dee-weh. It’s Tuhn-dee/Tuhn-dee-weh. #ThandiweNewton https://t.co/6RlsE5e1Pr
— Asanda Sizani (@AsandaSizani) April 6, 2021
It's also isiZulu which means u are loved (u Thandiwe)
— MinaisMUA 🏳️🌈 (@minashembe) April 6, 2021
Zulu in South Africa. Thandiwe is Zulu, people in Zimbabwe who speak isiNdebele say Thandiwe too. Colonisers did so much damage in Africa 💔
— Sphithiphithi Evaluator (@_AfricanSoil) April 6, 2021
Not Xosa but Xhosa. 😭
— Ndidikiwe. (@AsemahleMak) April 6, 2021
My mom's name is also Thandiwe. It means You are loved. ❤️
P.s Am big fan & you're 1 of the best to ever do it. Looking forward to your perfomance on @WestworldHBO S4. With an Emmy already in the bag this time we're coming for a Golden Globe. Yessss!!! 💪🏾
Not to ride on semantics, the meaning is correct, but etymology not so much - Thandiwe is either a zulu/ndebele name. In shona, the ≈ of that name might be Tadiwa or something like that... Anyways,from what I read, she identifies with her shona "origins". https://t.co/P6zEihJz37
— Musoro Bhanzi ❁ (@El_PadrinoWolf) April 6, 2021
Even Xhosa. The name Thandiwe is common in all Nguni languages.
— Tshepiso mamps (@tshepisotkzee) April 5, 2021
Thandiwe is a Shona name. Let's move on. 😂
— Antifragile King (@kafeynman) April 6, 2021