Tyler Brooks
Kwanzaa is a week-long, non-religious celebration of African-American culture, observed annually from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa was created by African-American scholar and activist Maulana Karenga in 1966, in the aftermath of the Watts Riots, to empower the Black community and give them a chance to celebrate their history and African roots. The celebration involves the lighting of candles on a Kinara (candleholder), with each candle representing one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, which are values of African culture. While Kwanzaa is celebrated by millions worldwide, it is unclear if it is celebrated in Africa.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the celebration | Kwanzaa |
| Dates | December 26 to January 1 |
| Year of creation | 1966 |
| Creator | Maulana Karenga |
| Number of candles | 7 |
| Type of celebration | Non-religious, specifically African-American |
| Purpose | To give black people an alternative to Christmas and an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history |
| Number of celebrants | 500,000 to 2,000,000 Americans |
| Symbols | Mkeka (mat), Muhindi (corn), Mazao (fruit), Kinara (candle holder), Zawadi (gifts) |
| Rituals | African drumming, dancing, inspirational messages, storytelling, learning about heritage, crafts, feasting |
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What You'll Learn
Kwanzaa: a pan-African holiday celebrated worldwide
Kwanzaa is a pan-African holiday celebrated annually from December 26 to January 1, honouring African and African-American culture and history. It was created by activist and scholar Maulana Karenga in 1966, following the Watts Rebellion, a series of riots that broke out in the predominantly Black neighbourhood of Watts in Los Angeles. Karenga aimed to uplift Black Americans, unite them as a community, and allow them to celebrate their history and African roots.
The name "Kwanzaa" derives from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," meaning "first fruits." Swahili is a widely spoken language in East African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. The holiday is based on African harvest festival traditions from various regions of West, East, and Southeast Africa.
Kwanzaa celebrates the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, developed by Karenga in 1965. These principles, all Swahili words, embody a synthesis of nationalist, pan-Africanist, and socialist values. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of these principles:
- Umoja (Unity): Striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-determination): Defining, naming, and speaking for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): Building and supporting our community together, solving problems as a group.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): Establishing and profiting from community-owned businesses, especially Black-owned enterprises.
- Nia (Purpose): Setting goals that benefit the community and restoring African and African-American cultures, customs, and history.
- Kuumba (Creativity): Enhancing the community through art, dance, music, or literature.
- Imani (Faith): Believing in people, families, leaders, teachers, and honouring the righteousness of the African-American struggle.
During Kwanzaa, families gather each evening for a candle-lighting ceremony. The black candle in the centre of the kinara (candleholder) is lit on the first night, with one additional candle lit each subsequent night, alternating between the three red and three green candles surrounding it. The seven candles represent the colours of the pan-African flag, symbolising African people, their struggle, and their hope for the future. The lighting of each candle is accompanied by a discussion of the corresponding principle, readings, poetry, songs, storytelling, African drumming, and feasting on African diaspora-inspired foods.
Kwanzaa is primarily celebrated in the United States, with an estimated 500,000 to 2,000,000 Americans observing the holiday. It has also gained recognition from American institutions, with Hallmark cards, postal stamps, and presidential greetings marking the occasion.
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Nguzo Saba: seven principles of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture, observed from December 26 to January 1. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga in 1966, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West, East, and Southeast Africa.
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba), which were developed in 1965, a year before Kwanzaa itself. These seven principles are all Swahili words, and together they comprise the Kawaida or "common" philosophy, a synthesis of nationalist, pan-Africanist, and socialist values. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles.
The seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, are as follows:
- Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. The back candle, lit on December 26, symbolizes Umoja.
- Kujichagulia (Self-determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our own and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Nia: Nia is represented by one of the three green candles.
- Imani: Imani is represented by another of the three green candles.
- Kuumba: Kuumba is represented by one of the three red candles.
Each night of Kwanzaa, celebrants light a candle on a candle holder called a Kinara, which can come in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and materials. The defining feature of a Kinara is its seven wells for seven candles—three red, one black, and three green—reflecting the colors of the pan-African flag created by Marcus Garvey in 1920 to unite people of African descent. Each candle represents one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba) that promotes the pillars of African culture.
On each of the seven nights, the family gathers, and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara, then one of the seven principles is discussed. Kwanzaa celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal.
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Kinara: candle holder with seven candles
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture, observed from December 26 to January 1. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West, East, and Southeast Africa. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza", which means "first fruits" in Swahili.
Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candle holder), and one of the seven principles is discussed. The principles, called the Nguzo Saba (seven principles in Swahili), are values of African culture that contribute to building and reinforcing community among African Americans.
The Kinara is the centrepiece of the Kwanzaa setting and represents the original stalk from which we came: our ancestry. The Kinara can be of any shape—straight lines, semicircles, or spirals—as long as the seven candles are separate and distinct, like a candelabra. Kinaras are made from all kinds of materials, and many celebrants create their own from fallen branches, wood, or other natural materials. The Kinara symbolises the ancestors, who were once earthbound, and it is believed that they understand the problems of human life and are willing to protect their progeny from danger, evil, and mistakes.
The seven candles on the Kinara—three red, one black, and three green—reflect the colours of the pan-African flag created by Marcus Garvey in 1920 to unite people of African descent. Each candle on each day of Kwanzaa represents one of the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba) that promotes the pillars of African culture. The black candle in the centre is lit on the first night, and it represents Umoja (Unity)—to strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. The three red candles, representing the struggle of African people, are lit on the following nights, and they stand for Kujichagulia (Self-determination), Ujamaa (Cooperative economics), and Kuumba (Creativity). The three green candles, representing hope for the future, are lit on the last three nights, and they stand for Ujima (Collective work and responsibility), Nia (Purpose), and Imani (Faith).
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Karamu: a communal feast
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture, usually observed from December 26 to January 1. It culminates in a communal feast called Karamu, held on the sixth day of Kwanzaa, December 31.
Karamu is a Swahili word that translates to "Feast of Faith". It was first proposed as a community-wide promotional and educational campaign by Hannibal Afrik of Shule ya Watoto in Chicago during a 1971 citywide movement of Pan-African organizations. The initial Karamu Ya Imani took place on January 1, 1973, at a 200-person gathering at the Ridgeland Club.
The Karamu feast is a time for families and communities to come together, share a meal, honour their ancestors, and celebrate African and African-American culture. The table is decorated with the essential symbols of Kwanzaa, such as the Kinara (candle holder), Mkeka (mat), Muhindi (corn to represent the children), Mazao (fruit to represent the harvest), and Zawadi (gifts).
During the Karamu feast, the Kikombe Cha Umoja, or Unity Cup, is used to perform the libation ritual. The meal served during Karamu is inspired by African diaspora cuisine and is accompanied by African drumming, dancing, songs, poetry reading, and storytelling.
Karamu is a time to reflect on the principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, which were created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. These seven principles are all Swahili words that represent values important to African culture, such as unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, and cooperative economics.
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African harvest festival traditions
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture, inspired by African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West, East, and Southeast Africa. It was first celebrated in 1966, created by activist Maulana Karenga, who aimed to "give black people an alternative to the existing holiday of Christmas".
The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza", which means "first fruits" in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal.
The Kinara, a candle holder, is central to the celebration. It holds seven candles, three red, one black, and three green, reflecting the colours of the pan-African flag. Each night of Kwanzaa, a candle is lit, and one of the seven principles, or Nguzo Saba, is discussed. These principles are values of African culture that contribute to building and reinforcing community among African Americans. The seven principles are:
- Umoja (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and solve problems as a community.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain businesses and profit from them together.
Kwanzaa culminates in a communal feast called Karamu, usually held on the sixth day of Kwanzaa, December 31.
In addition to Kwanzaa, there are other African harvest festivals celebrated in specific regions. For example, the Homowo Festival is a traditional harvest festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana, West Africa. It is the largest and grandest cultural festival in Ghana, occurring each year in May.
Another example is Kenya's largest annual festival, a carnival of floats, costumes, music, and dance showcasing the region's cultural diversity. This festival includes traditional and contemporary music, local delicacies, and participants often dress in traditional Kikoy and Kanga.
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