Kwanzaa is a celebration - Nguzo Saba!
Kwanzaa is a week-long Pan-African tradition established by, created for, and celebrated by blacks and browns of the Afrikan diaspora. The term Kwanzaa, while not a word of the Swahili language, is influenced by the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza meaning “first fruits of the harvest”. Kwanzaa’s concept, in turn, translates to the first fruit and is celebrated from December 26 through January 1.
Kwanzaa originated in 1966 from the communal mind of Professor of Africana Studies, Maulana Karenga. Like many great Afrikans before us, Professor Karenga shared the belief that black and brown people of the African diaspora’s worldview should positively reflect traditional African values. The Afrikans and the diaspora have been captive, colonized, and enslaved for centuries. Our traditions, history, homeland values, and cultural practices have been tainted, stripped from us, and twisted into lies that have created generational disparities. To respond to the indoctrination of a people and embrace the strengths within our numbers, Kwanzaa is celebrated by many across the United States of Amerikkka and throughout the Caribbean and places where black and brown people reside.
Kwanzaa is not a replacement for Christmas; this comparison is very common but should not be confused or interchanged. While there are traditional symbols, principles, days, and practices within the week-long celebration, participants are encouraged to add their values and traditions while keeping in line with African traditions and principles.
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