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The classic Shakespearian quote from Romeo and Juliet, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”, suggests that names are highly significant and sacred, especially within the contexts of ancestry, history, identity and memory of African Caribbean elders with dementia and other cognitive disorders at the Sheffield Memory Hub. The reminiscent dementia workshop, which was co-facilitated by the author and an award-winning London-based Fashion company, Kiyana Wraps, in partnership with the Sheffield Memory Hub and Cultural Appropriate Resources (CAR's) was held at the Sheffield Memory Hub on 10 March 2025. The intercultural workshop had set objectives to evoke cherished intergenerational memories, encourage storytelling, enhance cognitive abilities, celebrate cultural diversity and foster creative connections.

The event coincided with International Women’s Day and had thirty-five (35) older adults in attendance, of which seven (7) were interviewed. There was intense excitement and fun, as well as food, drinks and music, as the participants had their regular song drill and anticipated the opening by the co-founder of the day service, Mr Carl Case: ‘Madras headwrap in the Caribbean region during the Transatlantic period and its cultural influence on modern fashion.’ Most African Caribbean participants present engaged with the history and made laudable remarks—next, one of the guest facilitators from the University of Nottingham, Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode, nose-dive into a ‘Brief Intro and Memory Drill on Yoruba African Men’s Cultural Headdress among Yoruba, West Africa.’

As planned, the facilitator's colourful Yoruba Nigerian attire (agbada and fila) triggered instant feedback from the participants, who requested pictures and permission to feel the texture and colour of the fabric. The practical engagement was the distribution of sample traditional woven Yoruba African caps and pieces of clothing for the participants to ‘see, touch and describe’ (STD). Ayokunmi utilised question prompts to stimulate discourse around Caribbean caps, clothing, and related childhood experiences. The icing on the cake was ‘Wrap Demonstrations and Memory Sharing’ with practical training on head wrapping styles from different African regions co-facilitated by the British-Congolese sisters and co-directors of Kiyana Wraps (Pronounced Kee-ya-nah in Swahili denotes ‘beautiful’).

During the post-workshop interviews, a Guyanese-Caribbean participant in her 80s recounts her beautiful memories of being a licensed teacher in South America, where she taught multicultural and ethnically diverse students. Out of her students, her three favourites were Iyabode [Grand(mother) returns], Remilekun (This child has come to console me) and Omotola (The child equates prestige and wealth). The former student Iyabo was born to a Nigerian father and a Guyanese mother several decades ago. The participant eventually christened her daughter Iyabo, unaware of the significance of the Yoruba tradition, which caught the attention of one of the facilitators (an onomastician, a name expert).

Traditionally, a name functions more like a social ‘DNA’ in Africa and is beyond an identity tag. It is the alpha password of a child into the world of the living, often utilised to encode social data (about parent’s aspiration, name bearer’s circumstantial birth, birth position, age, profession, status, and religion, among others).

Regarding Iyabo, it is a Yoruba circumstantial name given to female children believed to be born through a reincarnation process. The male equivalent is Babatunde [Grand(father) returns]. Significantly, such name-bearers often share physiognomy and physiological features identical to a deceased grandmother/father. The Guyanese-Caribbean confirmed that her daughter Iyabo took after her mother’s caring abilities and disposition. She recounted when her daughter, as a toddler, ignorantly fed her sick grandmother hot stew on her bed. What’s in a name? To African Caribbeans and South American elders with dementia and cognitive disorders at the Sheffield Memory Hub, a name is a cultural asset that evokes fun, history and identity and archives and celebrates the lived experiences of those with dementia and cognitive disorders. Windrush elders' beautiful names, memories and stories are a platform to interact with time and space and are worth digitising for younger generations.

Most importantly, using culturally appropriate interventions and resources like the African and Caribbean fashion will immensely benefit biomedicine in managing the prevalence of dementia among the UK’s ethnic communities, preserving cultural and historical roots and treasured and untold stories.