The Meaning Of Kwanzaa And Its Celebrations
The Christmas season is a time for giving thanks, bonding with family and friends, and looking ahead to the future. For those who observe Kwanzaa, this holiday period is over, and the year 2019 begins with an event that celebrates the pan-African history and culture. The observers light candles, remember the most important principles and ideals, and spend time with their friends and family members from December 26 through January 1.
Take a look at this guide to get ready to host your very initial Kwanzaa holiday celebration or require a refresher on some of the terminology used in the holiday. From the source of the name of the holiday to the seven fundamentals and symbols, This is the language you must be able to comprehend Kwanzaa.
What is Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa can be described as a relatively new event. Professor, scholar, activist Maulana Karenga came up with Kwanzaa during the 60s, when he was just 25. He brought elements from different African harvest celebrations to emphasize the strength and values of the African-American population, including the struggle for equality, self-determination and justice. In an interview with a newspaper in 2008, Karenga said he created the celebration for the purpose of “give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history.”
Kwanzaa is an occasion to celebrate African culture and heritage. Black culture. It’s also intended to oppose holidays that are centered around consumerism and mainstream culture. While it’s the most widely observed holiday within the United States, people in the African diaspora are celebrating Kwanzaa across other parts of the world, too. According to a study from 2012, around four percent of Americans said they were having a celebration of Kwanzaa–which is over 12.5 million people.
The word “kwanza” for this holiday originated directly from the Swahili word “kwanza which means “first, firstly,” and refers to the Swahili saying matunda ya Kwanza or “first fruits of the harvest.” Karenga employed African festival of harvest to make Kwanzaa due to the communal elements that are the basis for an efficient harvest are factors that create and maintain strong communities.
Kwanzaa is the name of the holiday. It includes an additional letter -a added at on the last letter of the Swahili word. It’s believed that this extra letter was added to ensure that all seven children who attended the initial Kwanzaa events in the year 1966 could be given an initial letter. It’s a fitting number given that seven is an important role within Kwanzaa ceremonies and it is a number that is a common theme throughout the holiday. The seven-day celebration includes Kwanzaa as well as seven symbols, seven candles within the ceremonies (more on this later) and seven important concepts that focus on family and the community.
What is HTML0? Kwanzaa is observed
Kwanzaa can be a part of the Christmas time within the US, as are the Thanksgiving holiday, Hanukkah, as well as Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s a non-religious holiday and is therefore not associated with any religion that is a major one. Actually, people that celebrate Kwanzaa typically have one or more other holiday celebrations during the time of Kwanzaa.
