Kwanzaa: Celebration At Its Best!

Habari gani?!

Happy Kwanzaa!

Today is "Kujichagulia" (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-yah), the second day of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa (kwahn-zuh) is not a religion, it's a holiday widely celebrated by African Americans from December 26th- January 1st. This year marks the 46th annual Kwanzaa holiday!! The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means the first fruits of the harvest, and it's based on the year-end harvest festivals that have taken place for thousands of years in Africa. During Kwanzaa, celebrants greet each other by saying "Habari gani?" or "What's the news?" This seven-day holiday is filled with honorable principles and actions marking each day as unique and special. The seven principles provide the answers to the question, "Habari gani?" Today's principle Kujichagulia means self-determination and its action is- to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves to benefit our communities.

The whole idea is to bring people together as one to build strong families and be more productive within the community. The seven Kwanzaa principles are said to have played a key role in this. With principles like Umoja (oo-MOH-ja) or unity, which marks the first day of Kwanzaa, all of us should take part in such a meaningful celebration that promotes connecting families and building strong communities. The world seems to be in a state of emergency, I think all people of all races and ethnicities could benefit from the seven days of Kwanzaa.

For each day of Kwanzaa there is also a symbol. Today's symbol is kinara. A kinara is the candle holder which holds the seven candles and represents African American roots. Its action is said to symbolize stalks of corn that branch off to form new stalks, much like that of the human family. Other symbols consist of the unity cup, ears of corn, fruits and veggies, the seven candles that represent the seven principles, and more.

2003 Kwanzaa Celebration with founder Maulana Karenga and others

Kwanzaa celebrations are usually decorated with bright colors, especially red, black and green. Those three colors symbolize the blood shed for freedom (Red), the color of the people (Black) and the fertile land of Africa (Green). Celebrants are often adorned in colorful African garments and homes are decorated with beautiful African artwork. Family and friends gather together for a wonderful dinner on December 31st called 'the feast of karamu.' At karamu some dishes consist of traditional African foods as well as dishes featuring ingredients Africans brought to the United States like sweet potatoes, sesame seeds (benne), collard greens, peanuts (groundnuts), and spicy sauces!

On January 1st, the last day of the Kwanzaa celebration, it is a tradition that gifts are given to the children, usually an educational or cultural gift. Kwanzaa ceremonies always include children as a way of giving gratitude and respect to ancestors. During the ceremony there are musical selections, drumming, reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, and libations. They is also a discussion the principle of the day and lighting the candles.

It is estimated that some 18 million African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, including some Christians. Kwanzaa, the first African American holiday, was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana "Ron" Karenga with the goal in mind to "give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society."  Kwanzaa is not meant to take the place of Christmas, just to give African Americans something of their own to celebrate, with an entirely different meaning.

I believe this week long holiday and its seven principles or Nguzo Saba (the seven principles of African Heritage) can help strengthen families and communities all over the world if practiced. How can we go wrong with Unity, Self-Determination, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith! So I ask youmy friends, Habari gani?

 

Seven Kwanzaa Principles:

1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together.
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
6. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in God, our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.