Exactly what's Kwanza?

Question

You hear it all the time, and almost all the people i know don't know what Kwanza is... What is Kwanza, what religion is it, what country is it??? How do people celebrate Kwanza

Answer 1

KWANZAA, the African-American cultural holiday conceived and developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, was first celebrated on December 26, 1966. Kwanzaa is traditionally celebrated from December 26 through January 1, with each day focused on Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits", Kwanzaa is rooted in the first harvest celebrations practiced in various cultures in Africa. Kwanzaa seeks to enforce a connectedness to African cultural identity, provide a focal point for the gathering of African peoples, and to reflect upon the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles, that have sustained Africans. Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths and backgrounds practice Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa was born out of the whirlwind of social and political changes of the sixties decade. The sixties represent one of many eras during which the African and African-American struggle for freedom and self-identity reached its historical peak, spawning multiple revolutionary movements.

By creating Kwanzaa, African-Americans sought to rectify the cultural and economic exploitation perpetrated against us during the months of October, November, and December (the Christmas season). During this season, corporate America typically ignored the quality of life concerns of African-Americans, yet encouraged participation in the commercialism of Christmas. Additionally, African-Americans did not observe a holiday that was specific to our needs. A review of the major holidays celebrated in the United States would reveal that not one related specifically to the growth and development of African-Americans. The development of Kwanzaa assumed a reassessment, reclaiming, recommitment, remembrance, retrieval, resumption, resurrection, and rejuvenation of the "Way of Life" principles recognized by African-Americans. These principles have strengthened African-Americans during our worldwide sojourn.

Today, Kwanzaa is recognized by millions throughout America and the world. It is celebrated often in community settings provided by homes, churches, mosques, temples, community centers, schools, and places of work. Kwanzaa allows us to celebrate the season without shame or fear of embracing our history, our culture, and ourselves.

Introduction


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kwanzaa is a spiritual, festive and joyous celebration of the oneness and goodness of life, which claims no ties with any religion.
The focus of Kwanzaa is centered around the seven principles (Nguzo Saba) with particular emphasis on the unity of our Black families. It is a time for gathering of our families, and for a rededication to manifesting the principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba) as a way of life for Black Americans.



Kwanzaa has definite principles, practices and symbols which are geared to the social and spiritual needs of African-Americans. The reinforcing gestures are designed to strengthen our collective self-concept as a people, honor our past, critically evaluate our present and commit ourselves to a fuller, more productive future.

Kwanzaa is a way of life; not just a celebration. As a living social practice, it is a week of actual remembering, reassessing, recommitting, rewarding and rejoicing. For evaluation of ourselves and our history, we relate to our past, reassess our thoughts and practices, and recommit ourselves to the achievement of Black liberation and the betterment of life for all Black Americans.

Finally, the concept of Kwanzaa, the African-American holiday, is to help Black Americans relate to the past in order to understand the present and deal with the future.

This is on-line Kwanzaa Information Center is designed to provide you with vital information to help in your understanding of the concept of Kwanzaa.

Why Celebrate Kwanzaa?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whenever new information is presented to an individual or a group of people, the information must be accurate, clear and have a specific meaning for that particular individual or particular group. Therefore, the information should be presented in a specific format and should include certain factors. These factors are:
Focus
The center of an activity or the area of attention.

It is important to relate to the past in order to understand the present and deal with the future. A people will never look forward to posterity who never looked backward to their ancestors.
Sense of Direction
The way and manner in which the event will take form.

To practice the principles in our lives that helped our ancestors to endure oppression, slavery and racism. Emphasize Unity of the Black family.


Purpose
The plan, intention or reason for an activity or event.

To maintain a history. History is Knowledge, Identity and Power.
Goals
The things that will be achieved.

To develop self and facilitate a positive Black self-esteem by exposing individuals to "KWANZAA", a culturally desirable pattern of principles, to help them live their lives and to encourage the highest level of positive Black self-esteem and spiritual development. To establish a culturally oriented "WAY OF LIFE."

Answer 2

Kwanzaa is a non-religious African American holiday which celebrates family, community, and culture. It is celebrated for seven days: December 26 - January 1.

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits" in Swahili. The kinara is the center of the Kwanzaa setting and represents the original stalk from which we came: our ancestry.

Answer 3

It's something that the "African" nation developed to separate themselves further from the "evil" white man. Every person I have ever asked has said that they do not know what Kwanza is and do not know anybody who celebrates it unless it can get them out of work or school.

Answer 4

Its a celebration in africa in which the acts of kwanza are celebrated by the harvesting in the earlier months. In a easier sentance, they celebrate because they had a good harvest season.

Answer 5

"In 1966 Ron Karenga (who at the time still went by his given name Ronald Everett) created Kwanzaa while living in California[2]. There, he was the leader of the black nationalist United Slaves Organization (also known as the "US Organization" in order to differentiate between "US" and "THEM"), and claims that his goal was to give African Americans an alternative holiday to Christmas. He later stated, "...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. In 1967, a year after Karenga proposed this new holiday, he publicly espoused the view that "Jesus was psychotic" and that Christianity was a white religion that blacks should shun." These principles correspond to Karenga's notion that "the sevenfold path of blackness is think black, talk black, act black, create black, buy black, vote black, and live black." And the US Government printed a stamp? Wow.

Answer 6

Kwanzaa is a iciness holiday in line with countless african cultures it somewhat is nicely known via many blacks interior the US. i think of it somewhat is the two unusual and comprehensible. Slavery stripped away the subculture of enslaved Africans and Kwanzaa is an threat to recapture something from the region Africans in American as quickly as lived. you recognize, the day after Jesus died lots of folk concept Christmas became a crock. provide it time human beings, Kwanzaa has basically been around 20 or so years.

Answer 7

They push on kids in the schools, along with Hannukah. It is informative to know about, but even the kids are like, "who celebrates kwannza?" A lot adults don't even know someone who does. It is obvious they are trying to be politically correct, all the while cancelling christmas parties, and having winter parties. So sad..... You do hear it all the time, like it is supposed to be a normal occurance among people in our country, the USA ,but it just isn't. So, sorry I cannot answer it better, just wanted you to know, its a mystery to me as well.

Answer 8

malcolm x created it, it's a holiday to celebrate african heritage, they have some sort of candle lighting similar to a menorah but for different reasons. there are something like 2 red candles 2 green candles and 1 black candle and each different color is supposed to represent something, I don't really know much about it but it isn't for any religion or country and it was created not too long ago.

Answer 9

lol kwanza is an african-american made up holiday which african-americans think developed in africa, but the irony is that
there no such holiday in africa
so its pretty much a holiday that americans made-up

Answer 10

A Holiday for African Americans...it has nothing to do with Christmas as most ppl believe.

Answer 11

It's spelled Kwanzaa.

It is an African-American holiday, look it up on Google.