The History of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that celebrates culture, community and family. It spans seven days, beginning on December 26. Although it is a relatively new holiday, Kwanzaa's roots can be traced to African harvest celebrations.
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Origin
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Kwanzaa was started by Dr. Malulana Kareng who was the chairman of Black Studies at California State University in Long Beach. He created it after the 1966 Watts riots in Los Angeles as a way to bring the African-American community back together.
African Roots
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The celebration has its roots in African harvest celebrations. Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" meaning "first fruits." These types of celebrations date back to ancient Egypt. The official colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green, colors that Marcus Garvey assigned to represent all African people throughout the world. Black is for the people, red for their struggle and green for the future and hope.
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Celebrating Kwanzaa
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There are established traditions that go along with observing Kwanzaa. African Americans are encouraged to be mindful as they celebrate the holiday and to truly appreciate its cultural meaning. The symbols and traditions should not be combined with any other celebrations. Participants are also encouraged to take extra time in selecting elements for the Kwanzaa celebration, such as the most beautiful African cloth to adorn the table and the finest fresh vegetables available. Each family can celebrate Kwanzaa in their own way, but most celebrations include songs, dances, storytelling, poetry reading and a large meal.
Seven Principles
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Kareng created seven principles for Kwanzaa: unity, self determination, collective work, responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Each night one of seven candles is lit to represent each Kwanzaa principle. Three candles are red, three are green and one is black. The black candle represents unity and is lit first on December 26. The rest of the candles are lit throughout the week.
Seven Symbols
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Kareng also created seven symbols for the Kwanzaa celebration: crops, place mat, corn, candles, candle holder, unity cup and gifts. The crops symbolize work and are the basis of the celebration. The place mat symbolizes a historical foundation for the celebration. Corn represents fertility and is a symbol for the number of children in the family. One ear of corn for each child is put on the place mat. The candles serve two functions --- to provide light and symbolically re-create the sun's power. The candle holder is the center of the Kwanzaa setting. It can be any shape or size as long as the candles are separated enough so that each flame is separate and distinct. The unity cup is used during the feast on the sixth day. Gifts are given on the seventh day. They are exchanged to encourage growth, self determination, achievement and success.
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References
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