Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa. Know what it is? Sounds a little like the latest puzzle game to hit the market, "Kwanzaa - A Game of Suspense and Strategy!" Or maybe something from space, "Astronomy 101, Chapter 11: Quasars and Kwanzaa". In actuality, the meaning of the word is a little fruity...that is if you speak Swahili.

Kwanzaa is an American invention, the practices of which are based on ancient African harvest festivals called first-fruits celebrations. The name Kwanzaa come from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits". There are five characteristics common to many African harvest festivals (ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration) that Kwanzaa incorporates in its holiday. Kwanzaa, a secular celebration, is a week long event occurring annually from December 26 through January 1st.

Created in 1966, Kwanzaa is the brain child of Dr. Maulana Karenga, the Department of Black Studies chairman and professor at California State University, Long Beach. Karenga, also a leading Black Nationalist and political activist, established Kwanzaa as a cultural holiday to celebrate African American heritage, family, and community. According to the official web site, the purpose of Kwanzaa is "to reaffirm and restore our rootedness in African culture", "to serve as a regular communal celebration to reaffirm and reinforce the bonds between us as a people", and "to introduce and reinforce the Nguzo Saba (the Seven Principles)."

Many feel Kerenga intended Kwanzaa to be an alternative to Christmas and meant it to only be celebrated by African Americans. The time period in which Kwanzaa came about gives context to what may have been his initial aim. The creation of Kwanzaa was a direct result of the civil rights movement and cultural struggles going on during the 1960's. As an activist, Karenga set out to gain the attention of all African Americans and bring them together with a celebration of their black culture. Over the years he has refuted the idea Kwanzaa was developed to sabotage Christmas and has revised his statements on the intentions of the holiday. In 1997, Karenga altered his original position, saying Kwanza can be celebrated by people of any race, culture, religion or faith. Many people today in fact do celebrate both Christmas and Kwanzaa.

Each day of Kwanzaa is devoted to a different one of the Seven Principles. These principles are Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. The official Kwanzaa web site describes the Seven Principles as the "basic values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture among African people as well as Africans throughout the world African Community."

Along with the Seven Principles, there are Seven Symbols of Kwanzaa that are incorporated in to the celebration. These symbols are Mazao (the crops, fruit, nuts, vegetables), Mkeka (the place mat), Vibunzi (ear of corn), Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles), Kinara (the candle holder), Kikombe Cha Umoja (the unity cup), Zawadi (gifts). Black, red, and green are the colors of Kwanzaa and are used in decorating for the holiday.

The celebration of Kwanzaa usually includes decorating the home with African art objects, colorful cloth, fresh fruit (on a table) representing African idealism, and a nightly candle lighting ceremony. Many women also wear a type of colorful African style dress called a Uwole. If following the prescribed practices, the observance of Kwanzaa would also include music and drumming, libations, reading of the "African Pledge" and "Principles of Blackness", a feast, and discussions of African current events and history. Each day during Kwanzaa the greeting "Habari Gani" is used, which translated from Swahili means "what's the news?" there by lending itself to the discussion of current affairs.

Starting with the first night of Kwanzaa (December 26) and each night after, one candle on the Kinara is lit. The Kinara, which holds seven candles (3 red, 3 green, 1 black), one for each of the Seven Principles, is traditionally placed on a table on top of the Mkeka (mat). The table should be centrally located in the home. The other seven symbols of Kwanzaa are placed around the Kinara. On the first night the center black candle is lit and the meaning of the corresponding principle is discussed. On the following six nights of Kwanzaa, a new candle is lit, in addition to all those for the preceding nights, and the principle represented by the candle added that night is discussed.

On the last night of Kwanzaa (December 31), the feast, or Karamu is held and gifts are exchanged. This special meal includes dishes utilizing ingredients introduced to the United States by African peoples such as peanuts, sesame seeds, spicy sauces, and collard greens. Gifts can be given all throughout Kwanzaa but are usually exchanged on the last night. The principle of Kuumba (creativity) is stressed with regard to gifts during this holiday. It is encouraged to give creative gifts that are educational in nature. The official Kwanzaa web site states that "Gifts are mainly given to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol". According to the site, the book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt" and the heritage symbol is "to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history."

Kwanzaa is not an official holiday anywhere, but the President of the United States does issue a yearly Presidential Message to those celebrating the holiday. It is mainly celebrated by people in the United States where it began, but Kwanzaa creator, Karenga, maintains it is practiced around the world and celebrated by 28 million people each year. The number of Kwanzaa participants stated by Karenga is questioned by some. A 2004 National Retail Foundation survey found that Kwanzaa is celebrated by about 4.7 million people, which includes about 13% of all African Americans in the United States.