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May 27, 2024 · Kwanzaa, annual holiday affirming African family and social values that is celebrated primarily in the United States from December 26 to January 1. Both the name and the celebration were devised in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana studies and an important figure in Afrocentrism.
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Pan-Africanism, the idea that peoples of African descent...
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Christmas, Christian festival celebrating the birth of...
- Maulana Karenga
Maulana Karenga (born July 14, 1941, Parsonsburg, Maryland,...
- Pan-Africanism
Kwanzaa (/ ˈ k w ɑː n. z ə /) is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga , based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West , Eastern Africa as well as Southeast ...
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- Mazao, the crops (fruits, nuts, and vegetables) Symbolizes work and the basis of the holiday. It represents the historical foundation for Kwanzaa, the gathering of the people that is patterned after African harvest festivals in which joy, sharing, unity, and thanksgiving are the fruits of collective planning and work.
- Mkeka: Place Mat. The mkeka, made from straw or cloth, comes directly from Africa and expresses history, culture, and tradition. It symbolizes the historical and traditional foundation for us to stand on and build our lives because today stands on our yesterdays, just as the other symbols stand on the mkeka.
- Vibunzi: Ear of Corn. The stalk of corn represents fertility and symbolizes that through the reproduction of children, the future hopes of the family are brought to life.
- Mishumaa Saba: The Seven Candles. Candles are ceremonial objects with two primary purposes: to re-create symbolically the sun’s power and to provide light.
Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates history, values, family, community and culture. The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa.
Nov 29, 2023 · Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration of family, culture, and community. Each day honors a particular African-derived principle and the final day culminates in a feast (called Karamu) on New Year’s Day. If you’ve never celebrated Kwanzaa before, there’s no time like the present to start.
There are Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, that help us to continue building and maintaining unified and empowered communities.
Nov 28, 2018 · It is observed every year between December 26 and January 1. Derived from the Swahili term, matunda ya kwanza, which means first-fruits, Kwanzaa is based on African harvest celebrations such as the seven-day Umkhost of Zululand.
