Kwanzaa is an annual celebration and recognition of African culture, history, and heritage. This holiday was created fairly recently. This holiday has only been around since 1966, but it is also growing very fast and celebrated by many thousands of people.
Kwanzaa was established by Maulana Kernga, the co-founder of the Black Nationalist and Social Change Organization, in order to revive and reestablish African culture. Kwanzaa originated in America, but many people in African countries have adopted it as well. The name is derived from the Swahili phrase, "Matunda ya kawnzaa" which means, "First fruits of the harvest."
This holiday is celebrated from December 26 through January 1 with feasts, traditional African garbs, decorations, music, and a special candle lighting ceremony each day.
Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa represent one of seven core principals: unity, responsibility, self determination, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. For each of these, one candle is lit. Similar to a menorah, a candle holder called a kinara is used.
Three of the candles are red, three more are green, and the final candle in the center is black. The red to the left side symbolizes
ancestry and the past. The black candle is for pride of being African and the present. Finally, the green on the right is for the
hope and dreams of the future.
Kwanzaa lasts only a single week, but the intention is for the principles to echo throughout the rest of the year in all of
the peoples lives.
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