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Kwanzaa
Dec 8, 2007 13:41:43 GMT -7
Post by RAIVEN on Dec 8, 2007 13:41:43 GMT -7
How It Came About: The History of Kwanzaa
The celebration of Kwanzaa (common alternate spellings are: Kwanza, Qwanza) is a seven day celebration that runs from Dec 26th to January 1st. It has its origins (albeit mythically) in ancient African customs dating back to the time of the Egyptian pharaos. It is a celebration of the "first fruit" of the first harvest.
The phrase that it gets its name from is "matunda ya kwanza", which means "first fruits" in Swahili. This holiday, while not historic as such, was created in honor of African peoples and their culture going back thousands of years by Dr. Maulana (Ron) Karenga during his leadership of the black nationalist United Slaves Organization. Dr. Karenga himself said in retrospect that "it was chosen to give a Black alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society."
Kwanzaa was finally recognized in the United States in 1966 – an activist success of the Black Freedom Movement as African Americans began to got more in touch with their heritage and developed a new pride in who they are as a people.
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Kwanzaa
Dec 8, 2007 13:43:17 GMT -7
Post by RAIVEN on Dec 8, 2007 13:43:17 GMT -7
Each of the principles is celebrated on its own day.
Umoja (Unity) – celebrates the unity of your family
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) – when we celebrate who we are on a personal level
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) – celebrating our efforts to build a strong community
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – celebrate bringing our values into the business community
Nia (Purpose) – celebrate taking and active role in shaping our community and becoming a role model for our youth
Kuumba (Creativity) – celebrating our natural creativity and what it brings into our lives
Imani (Faith) – celebrate the faith you have in yourself, your family, your community and your culture.
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Kwanzaa
Dec 8, 2007 13:44:30 GMT -7
Post by RAIVEN on Dec 8, 2007 13:44:30 GMT -7
There is a set way to celebrate Kwanzaa and to violate this is to violate the very spirit of Kwanzaa
You must enter the celebration with a deep respect for yourself, your family, your community, your culture and your faith. This holiday is a celebration of the values, integrity and beauty of our lives as individuals and as members of a family, community and a culture. It's about being who we were made to be and not what others have defined us as. There is a set way to celebrate Kwanzaa and to violate this is to violate the very spirit of Kwanzaa
There are many symbols that are used during the celebration. There are symbols for each of the principles that we celebrate and there are other symbols that have other meanings. Each of the symbols and rituals that are observed during Kwanzaa are intended to help us focus on who we are as a people. We celebrate our heritage and our contribution to the community as a whole. We look inward to see the best that we can be and strive to bring that forward into our family, community and the world by being a role model for others.
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Kwanzaa
Dec 8, 2007 13:47:45 GMT -7
Post by RAIVEN on Dec 8, 2007 13:47:45 GMT -7
All the activities that happen during Kwanzaa are intended to keep the focus on us. It is in the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the songs we sing. Each activity is a celebration of who we are as a people and what we have to offer family, community and ourselves as well.
Kwanzaa is ended in meditation in which we stop and reflect on what we have done over the last year. Have we lived up to our highest ideals of what we can be? And what will we do in the coming year to live up to our highest ideal?
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Kwanzaa
Dec 8, 2007 13:49:28 GMT -7
Post by RAIVEN on Dec 8, 2007 13:49:28 GMT -7
All Information taken from the website 'What Is Kwanzaa'© copyright 2006 by Uhuru P. Brown and Qwanza Information Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
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