| The celebration of Kwanzaa began on
December 26, 1966 and was developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga. Kwanzaa is not a
religious celebration. It is a festive and joyous celebration of the goodness of
life. It is celebrated by more than 20 million people in the United States,
Canada, England, the Caribbean, and Africa. Kwanzaa celebrates the African
American heritage, pride, family, community, and culture. The seven-day
celebration begins the day after Christmas and ends on New Year's Day. The word "Kwanzaa" means first fruits in Swahili. The celebration takes it roots from the African first-fruit harvest celebrations. There are seven principles of the Kwanzaa celebration: unity, serf-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and lastly faith. The seven principles are celebrated by activities which include singing, dancing, poetry, drumming, other music and feasting. One major ritual of Kwanzaa is the lighting of a candle on each of its seven days. The candles called "mishumaa" are the colors of the Black Liberation Flag. There are three red candles, three green candles, and one black candle. The candle holder is called a "kinara". Families at Kwanzaa celebrate the accomplishments of the members of their family during the year, remember their ancestors, commit themselves to working harder to achieve their goals during the coming year, and to unifying the family. |