Kwanzaa is a holiday created by Maulana Karenga, first celebrated on 1966. It’s a week-long celebration and holiday observed by African-Americans and Pan-Africans worldwide. Kwanzaa honors African heritage and history, primarily created so that Pan-Africans have an opportunity to celebrate a holiday that did not come from practices of a dominant society.

The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanzaa” which means “first fruits”. Kwanzaa is held and observed during December 26 to January 1. It features activities such as candle-lighting, pouring libations, and is capped with a feast and exchanging gifts.

The first six days of Kwanzaa are observed with family. On the seventh day, the culminating event called the Karamu gathers friends and family together for a big feast and celebration.

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa

Each evening in the week Kwanzaa is held, a candle is lit to represent the holiday’s seven principles. Again, the first six days just include the immediate family. The seven principles make up the Kawaida, which in Swahili means tradition and reason. A child lights the candle, called a Kinara, and the associated Kwanzaa principle is discussed. The seven principles of Kwanzaa are:

1. Umoja. Unity, to strive and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
2. Kujichagulia. Self-determination. Define one’s self, to name one’s self, to create one’s self and to speak for one’s self.
3. Ujima. Collective work and responsibility to build and maintain the community together. To solve the problems of the community and its members together.

Umoja

Ujima

4. Ujamaa. Also known as Cooperative Economics. This is to build and maintain the community’s own stores, shopes, businesses and to make profit from it as a community.
5. Nia. Purpose, the united vocation of developing and building the community to restore to its traditional greatness.
6. Kuumba. Creativity, to always do the best to one’s ability to make the community more beautiful and beneficial.
7. Imanj. Faith, to believe in one’s people, parents, teachers, leaders, the righteousness and victory of the struggle.

Decorating for Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa’s primary colors are red, black and green. Black represents the people, red represents the struggle their ancestors went through, and green represents the hope that comes with the struggle. You can use African cloth and art to decorate your walls. Fly the Kwanzaa flag, the bender ya taifa, outside your home. You should also put up a poster that illustrates the nguzo saba, the seven Kwanzaa principles. Other decorations like balloons and streamers can center around Kwanzaa’s color themes.

Kwanzaa also stresses on the fruits of the earth, so it’s best to keep your decorations natural and organic, like plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Make handmade decorations from natural materials, which also keeps in line with Kwanzaa’s sixth principle, kuumba or creativity.

Kwanzaa decorations aren’t just limited to your surroundings. It’s typical for men, women and children to wear traditional African clothing, like the Uwole for women.

Kwanzaa also frowns upon mixing Kwanzaa decorations with other holiday decorations, so clear out your house first of any Christmas decorations, if you have any, before putting up Kwanzaa ones.

Kwanzaa’s Seven Symbols

The table is the central symbol for Kwanzaa, and the center of its traditions. Here, families gather around and celebrate tradition and culture. The tablecloth is usually an African cloth with Kwanzaa’s corresponding colors. There are seven important symbols that can be found on the table that shouldn’t be missed for Kwanzaa

Mazao


1. The Mazao. Families put fruits, nuts and vegetables to represent the work they have done on the Mkeka, a traditional place mat. The Mazao symbolizes the gathering of the Africans for their harvest festivals sharing joy, unity and thanksgiving for the fruits of their labors.
2. Mkeka.It’s the traditional placemat where the Mazao is placed. It represents the historical and traditional foundation of the people who celebrate Kwanzaa. African art, fruits and vegetables are also placed on it as part of the decoration. Books on African art and history should also be placed upon the Mkeka.
3. Vibunzi. A Kwanzaa decoration in the form of an ear of corn. The stalk of corn represents children as the hope for the future. The single ear of corn represents the individual child and his/her importance to the community.
4. Mishumaa Saba. The seven candles symbolizing the sun, with one black candle, three red candles and three green ones. The black candle is lit on the first day, symbolizing the first Kwanzaa principle. The green ones follow, rounded up the the red candles, which are placed on the left.

Kinara


5. Kinara. The candleholder that holds the Kwanzaa candles. It symbolizes the original stalk of the ancestors. There is no prescribed shape or material for the Kinara. (Learn how to make stained glass candle holders)
6. Kikombe Cha Umoja. Also known as the “Unity Cup”, passed around with friends and family to drink from and promote unity. On the sixth day of Kwanzaa, the eldest member of the family pours water, wine or juice from the direction of the four winds to honor the ancestors.
7. Zawadi. The exchange of gifts that are meant to be meaningful to the symbolism of Kwanzaa. Handmade gifts are encouraged to be given. Accepting a gift is accepting a moral obligation to fulfill the promise of the gift.

Kwanzaa Activities

Although there are traditional rituals and activities for Kwanzaa, it is just like any other holiday celebration. At the culmination of the week-long observation of the holiday, enjoyable activities are practiced, like singing, dancing, telling stories of African culture and history and playing African music and instruments.

You can also get the kids to be more involved by asking them to help you make decorations like Kwanzaa flags and handmade gifts. Since Kwanzaa focuses on children and passion on traditions, you can encourage children’s participation and interest in the holiday by arranging games, such as:

Story telling


• Mamba. Ask the kids to gather in a marked-off area, with one child as the “Mamba”. The Mamba must chase the other children while they try to stay within the marked-off area, or else be taken out of the game. Once the Mamba has caught one child, the child will then link with the Mamba by placing his or her hands around the Mamba’s waist. The chase will continue, but only the Mamba’s “head” can capture children, and the Mamba must keep the growing line connected. The child who is last caught by the Mamba wins the prize.
• The Elements Game. Gather the children around in a circle. One child must start the game by throwing a ball to another child while shouting one of the elements air, earth, fire or water. As another child catches the ball, the other child must name an animal who can be found on the element that has been shouted out. For example, for earth, the answer must be an earthworm, for air, bird, and so on. If the child catching the ball does not name an animal or repeats one that’s been mentioned, the child is out of the game. Continue until only one child is left.
• Storytelling. Kwanzaa is a great opportunity to share traditional African stories and folk tales. Have a simple sit-down with your little ones and share about the culture that Kwanzaa really is all about.

Kwanzaa Food

You can find these food items on any Kwanzaa menu, and for a reason: They’re yummy and very healthy! Kwanzaa encourages the use of fresh fruit and vegetables, and it’s evident with these classic dishes:

• Sweet Potato Pie. Here’s an easy sweet potato pie recipe: boil two cups’ worth of sweet potato, mashed with four tablespoons of melted margarine and mixed with three eggs, one cup sugar, ¾ cups milk, one teaspoon vanilla, one teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of grated nutmeg. Pour into a pre-prepared pie shell and microwave until baked. Sprinkle pecans on top and serve.




Potato pie

Vegetarian stew

Squash and yams

• Vegetarian Stew. A flavorful, healthy stew made from kohlrabies, onions, raisins, sweet potatoes, ground coriander, ground turmeric, zucchini, tomatoes, ginger, cumin, garbanzo beans, all boiled in water. The stew is served with couscous.
• Futari. Made from African squash and yams, and cooked with coconut milk and left to simmer until the vegetables are soft.

Check out this video for kwanzaa celebration.

You’re encouraged to try other traditional African dishes as well such as benne cake, fried okra and sweet potato fritters. Take this time to appreciate the united history and cultural tradition of Africans, to really feel the spirit of Kwanzaa. If you enjoy reading this article, maybe you should try to learn african culture by reading South Africa: The Multitude Rainbow Country and Nigerian Sounds And Sights.