A Kwanzaa Tutorial

To most people outside the African-American and pan-African cultures, the celebration of Kwanzaa is a mystery. Yet, it doesn't have to be. This holiday was created to celebrate African culture and heritage, but its principles have broad relevance for us all, and many individuals of different cultures and ethnicities can gain a deeper understanding of this holiday. This Kwanzaa tutorial offers a brief history and background of this cultural celebration.

Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor at California State University-Long Beach, introduced Kwanzaa in 1966 as a way to promote a sense of community among African-Americans. Karenga, who was also chairman of the university's Black Studies Department, was inspired in part by the Los Angeles Watts riots. The sense of community that Karenga strove to cultivate is reflected in the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which are collectively referred to as "Nguzo Saba." Presented here in both their English and African terms, these seven principles are: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamma), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani). These principles overlap with the four elements that made up the original meaning of Kwanzaa, which were: unity, recommitment to traditional African values, an awareness of African heritage and ancestry, and a reverence for The Creator and The Creation.

In keeping with the seven principles, Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days -- from December 26th to January 1st. Each of the seven days focuses on a single principle, and a daily candle is lit in representation of that principle. This holiday is also celebrated by dancing, singing, and reciting traditions. When developing the Kwanzaa holiday, Karenga researched several African harvest, or "first fruit," celebrations, which continue to play a role in the holiday's current celebrations. Although many friends and family may gather together for meals during Kwanzaa, the holiday is more about a metaphorical harvest than a physical one -- bringing people together in celebration and remembrance, and not necessarily on feasting.

Unlike the Christmas holiday, which shares its season, Kwanzaa doesn't revolve around religious traditions or gift giving; rather, it's about commemorating African heritage and promoting togetherness. The seventh day of Kwanzaa does celebrate The Creation, which ties the holiday back to religion to some degree. Small gifts are also given on this day, but Kwanzaa gifts should be handmade rather than store-bought, in an effort to emphasize the day's principle: creativity.

Kwanzaa's focus on ancestry and heritage makes it a primarily African celebration, but the holiday's guiding principles have much to offer modern society as a whole, especially those that teach us about community, collective responsibility, and remembrance of those who've come before us.