Performances of transparency

Abstract

The names by which luxury items are marketed are often interpreted as names that trigger forms of mimesis. By considering the connections made through naming, products such as perfumes seem to be powerful metaphors for a particular lifestyle, wealth, and specific identity constructions, thereby obviously suggesting the possibility that through owning and using such products, clients can – for a while – become what is promised on the package. The names of perfumes and fragrances in postcolonial contexts, however, are semantically more complex. They refer to various locations, languages, and narratives, serving different purposes. This contribution examines the meanings of names in African perfumery practices in order to shed light on the different connections and relations they symbolize, the ritual contexts in which they are used, and the memory-making associated with both language and sensory experience.