In 1966, Dr. Maulana “Ron” Karenga, then a professor of Black Studies, wanted to create a celebration to highlight and honor African cultures and their values. Although the holiday follows Christmas, it is not a religious holiday and was not intended as a replacement for Christmas or Hanukkah.
Instead, the holiday, whose name was taken from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning first fruits of the harvest, commemorates the year-end harvest festivals held in Africa for thousands of years.
Kwanzaa begins on December 26 and lasts seven days, ending on January 1, and has an estimated 18 million celebrants annually. Seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, are highlighted, each on a different day and each seen as a tool to build strong, productive families and communities. The common greeting during Kwanzaa is “Habari gani,” or “What’s the news?” The answers take the form of the daily principle.
These important principles include umoja, or unity; kujichagulia, or self-determination; ujima, or collective work and responsibility; ujamaa, or cooperative economics; nia, or a sense of purpose; kuumba, or creativity; and Imani, or faith.
The feast of karamu is held on December 31, often held at a home, community center or church. Traditional African dishes are served, as well as ingredients Africans brought to the United States such as sesame seeds, peanuts, sweet potatoes, collard greens and spicy sauces.
The traditional colors of Kwanzaa are red, which represents the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, black, which represents the color of the people, and green, which represents the fertile land of Africa. These colors were given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world, and they are frequently used in decorations for Kwanzaa, along with traditional African art and crafts.
Along with the seven principles are seven symbols, arranged together for the holiday. These include the Kikombe cha umoja, or the unity cup, from which celebrants drink in honor of their ancestors; kinara, or candleholder, which holds seven candles and represents stalks of corn that branch off to form new stalks, like a human family tree; mazao, or fruits, nuts and vegetables, which represent the harvest of fruits; mishumaa saba, or the seven candles, which represent the seven principles and are lit one per day; mkeka, or mat, made of straw or cloth, upon which the other items are arranged, which represents the foundations of communities; vibunzi, or ear of corn, with one ear placed on the mkeka for each child present; and zawadi, or gifts, given to children on January 1, the last day of Kwanzaa.
These gifts are not intended to be entertainment or clothing, as are often given with Christmas. The gifts are traditionally given only to the children and include a book to encourage education, which was stressed in African cultures since the days of ancient Egypt, and a heritage gift, encouraging commitment to tradition and history.
The last day of Kwanzaa, January 1, is the Day of Meditation. Celebrants reflect inward, assessing self, and outward, assessing their community. These questions are asked: who am I, am I really who I say I am, and am I all I ought to be? Recommitments to highest ideals are made.
For those wishing to learn more about Kwanzaa and how to celebrate this year, visit http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org.
