Posted by
INDYTHINKER on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 2:59:52 AM
Kwanzaa is a week-long holiday celebrated throughout the world, honoring African heritage, marked by participants lighting a kinara (candle holder). It is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year. The First Kwanzaa stampwas printed in1997.
Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift giving. It was created by Ron Karenga and was first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967.
An African-American scholar and social activist, Ron Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 as the first African-American holiday. Karenga said his goal was to "...give Blacks an 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."The name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza", meaning "first fruits". The choice of Swahili, an East African language, reflects its status as a symbol of Pan-Africanism, especially in the 1960s.
Kwanzaa is a celebration that has its roots in the black nationalist movement of the 1960s, and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study of "African traditions" and "common humanist principles." The first Kwanzaa stamp was issued by the United States Postal Service on October 22, 1997 at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, California. In 2004 a second Kwanzaa stamp, created by artist Daniel Minter was issued which has seven figures in colorful robes symbolizing the seven principles.
In 2008, Maya Angelou narrated The Black Candle, the first feature film about Kwanzaa.
Now here is my opinion about
Kwanzaa:
As A Black American I was raised on Christmas
and I have fond memories of a the birth of Jesus, tree, church, and
family and this is how I will continue to celebrate Christmas! I
thought that was the purpose of the exercise. I'm not trying to be
mean but I'm a little tired of people assuming that just because I'm
a Black American I do the Kwanzaa thing! Not that Kwanzaa is a bad
thing it's not for me. But the one thing I can say thank god we live
in a country that allows us to celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa!
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