Kwanzaa 101: Your Guide to the African-American Celebration

What is that: Kwanzaa is a 7-day holiday celebrated each year from December 26th to January. This holiday is to commemorate the heritage of African-American.

Who celebrates it: This holiday was originally created for African Americans, but millions of people around the world including African people celebrate it today. Experts estimate that up to 2 million people in the United States will celebrate the vacation

History: Professor and activist Maulana Karenga founded Kwanzaa in 1966. Karenga founded this vacation to celebrate and strengthen the relationship between African Americans and their African counterparts. The founder also linked festival celebrations to struggle for social justice.

The name Kwanza comes from the Swahili word matunda ya kwanza, which means the first fruit. Kwanza is modeled on the festival of other "first fruit" in southern Africa

Kwanzaa celebrates the various aspects of Nguzo Saba, the seven principles everyday. These principles are unity, kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collaborative work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity) and iman (faith). According to Karenga, Kwanza is not a substitute for Christmas.

General Tradition: Celebrating Kwanza put black, red, and green flags on candlesticks, public cups, and decorative mats called corn, quinara, or mkeka

The quinara has seven candles: three red, three green and one black. On the first day of Kwanza, a black candle glows, which means a celebration of a holiday.

In the Kwanza style, there are drumming, dancing, public eating, lighting of the quinar etc. During the festival, do you often celebrate "fried crabs" to greet others? Or "Do you have news?" Then the guardian answers the principles of the day. Normally, only gifts to children are given during this period.

Kwanza is a celebration of African-American / pan-African families, living, culture, community week (December 26 - January 1). Kwanza was created by Maulana Karenga in the 1960's. The first Kwanza was celebrated in 1966 with black nationalism, the power of the black people, and the height of the black freedom movement. It is said that Kwanza was originally designed to allow blacks to celebrate Christmas choices. However, looking at the inevitable disagreement resulting from the Christmas celebration, Kwanza is open, and blacks often celebrate Kwanza and Christmas.

As part of his cultural program, Karenga has developed a popular African-American holiday Kwanza Festival to teach seven principles during the one week Black Heritage celebration. Today, Kwanza is celebrated by millions of African Americans. As part of its political plan, the United States has organized a black parliament, an important unified front organization that encompasses many new extremist groups in Los Angeles. The influence of Maulana Karenga spread rapidly when he organized the National Black Power Conference from 1966 to 1969. Finally, as part of the American organizational ideology program, Karenga wrote a doctrine for a new black nationalism he calls Kawaiida. It means 'tradition and reason.'

The Kwanza Festival (/kwɑːn.zə/) is a celebration that will be held for one week in other countries of America and African American Diaspora. The celebration is designed to recognize the African culture of African-Americans and is a celebration from December 26th to January 1st, with feasts and gifts. Kwanza has 7 basic principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga and was celebrated for the first time in 1966-67. Maulana Karenga, also known as Ronald McKinley Everett, established Kwanzaa in 1966, especially for African Americans (which was also seen on June 16). According to Karenga, the name of Kwanzaa comes from Swahili's matunda ya kwanza which means "the first result of harvest". More traditional translation is just a "first sightseeing spot"