Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture that is held from December 26 to January 1. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa. The name Kwanza a derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning ‘first fruits of the harvest’
About Kwanzaa in brief
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture that is held from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa, including West and Southeast Africa. The name Kwanza a derives from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning \”first fruits of the harvest\”. It was decided to spell the holiday’s name with an additional ‘a’ so that it would have a symbolic seven letters. Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzea do so in addition to observing Christmas. After its initial creation in California, Kwanzas spread outside the United States.
The holiday greeting is ‘Joyous Kwanzaia”. A ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the Pan-African Principles, reflection on the Pledge and a discussion of the African principle of the day, a candle-lighting ritual, and finally, a feast of faith. The greeting for each day of Kwanzoa is “Habari Gani?”, which means ‘How are you?’ Some observers have avoided the mixing of the holiday or its symbols with other holidays, as doing so would violate the principle of kujagulia, which is partially intended as a reclamation of African values.
You want to know more about Kwanzaa?
This page is based on the article Kwanzaa published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 10, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
