Kwanzaa: All you need to know about seven-day celebration

Kwanzaa (pronounced as “kwahn-zuh”) originates from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” meaning ‘First Fruits’. This holiday, which has links to harvest festivals in Africa and communities across the world, was started by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor, and chair of the department of African Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

The festival formed during the 1964 Watts Riots in Los Angeles, California, parallel to the Black Freedom Movement in the US is secular in nature and does not associate with any religion in particular. According to National Geographic, Dr. Karenga was inspired by the harvest festival where the communities came together to celebrate the fruits of their collective labor.

Seven Principles of Kwanzaa

Each day of this week-long festival is dedicated to reflecting upon one of the seven communitarian principles known as “Nguzo Saba”. The seven principles are:

1. Umoja (Unity)
2. Kujichagulia (Self-determination)
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
5. Nia (Purpose)
6. Kuumba (Creativity)
7. Imani (Faith)

Kelly Navies, museum specialist and oral historian at the National Museum of African American History and Culture told USA Today that this festival marks African American celebration. She said the festival highlights the culture of the entire African diaspora and gives the community a chance to come together to reflect upon important values. With no religion attached to the festival, the holiday allows to unify people rather than divide on religious beliefs, she added.

How is Kwanzaa celebrated?

Every day of the week the families come together to light one of the seven candles, each candle representing the principle value that is going to be discussed on a particular day. The lighting of the candles begins with the black candle which is placed in the middle of ‘Kinara’ (the candle holder). From left to right, the rest of the candles are lit. The order indicates that people (Black Candle) come first, then the struggle (Red Candle), and later comes Hope (Geen Candle) from that struggle.

FAQs:

1. What are the colors of the Kwanzaa festival?
   The official colors of the festival are black, red, and green.
2. What do the colors of this festival represent?
   Black color represents the people while Red color represents their struggle. And Green represents Hope for the future that comes from the struggle.