Kwanzaa begins 12/26/06
By rainyl
@rainyl (671)
United States
December 21, 2006 2:41pm CST
A non-religious holiday, Kwanzaa celebrates African-American heritage, pride, community, family, and culture. The seven-day festival commences the day after Christmas and culminates on New Year's Day.
Inspired by the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and based on ancient African celebrations, Kwanzaa has become increasingly popular over the last decade. More than 20 million people celebrate in the United States, Canada, England, the Carribean and Africa.
Kwanzaa's ancient roots lie in African first-fruit harvest celebrations, from which it takes its name. The word Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits."
Kwanzaa is organized around five fundamental activities common to other African first-fruit celebrations:1
the ingathering of family, friends, and community;
reverence for the creator and creation (including thanksgiving and recommitment to respect the environment and heal the world);
commemoration of the past (honoring ancestors, learning lessons and emulating achievements of African history);
recommitment to the highest cultural ideals of the African community (for example, truth, justice, respect for people and nature, care for the vulnerable, and respect for elders); and
celebration of the "Good of Life" (for example, life, struggle, achievement, family, community, and culture).
3 people like this
22 responses
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
21 Dec 06
I have something to ask, about the black Santa on your user picture.
Long time ago, I was watching "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and it was a Xmas episode. Will Smith had decorated the posh mansion with tacky decorations, one of them being a black santa. This made me wonder, why do black people always dress up white characters as black? Some might say it's so black people can relate to them, but is it THAT impossible for a black person to relate to the values of Santa Claus (altruism, giving, charity, love) if he is white? This applies to many other things, like that black version of The Wizard of Oz (with Michael Jackson!). Isn't that a bit racist? This is something that's been on my mind for years now, and never had the opportunity to drop into conversation. Consider it dropped :|
2 people like this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
21 Dec 06
Well, the origin of Santa Claus is DEFINITELY not a black man.
See this page:
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38
But what I'm saying is, if Santa had been a black character, I wouldn't feel the need to make him white just to identify with the values that he stands for. Now picture Martin Luther King: being white, do I need to turn his face white in order to understand and relate to the concept of racial equality? I also wonder about the black Barbie dolls that appeared a few years back. While it's great that they have a variety of dolls that cover different races and lifestyles, can't a black girl have a white doll, or vice-versa? I think that we are sometimes racists when we just stick to these categorizations. It shows how small-minded we are. My Santa is as whitest as they get and my Dr. King doesn't get any blacker. I'm not offended by your picture in any way, but it's something that makes me wonder. I hope I conveyed my point properly.
1 person likes this
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
21 Dec 06
I'm not meaning to come across rude in any way... but I believe that there were black slave owners - but not in the US. And black people sold their own into slavery for profit.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
21 Dec 06
But I don't have any problem with black santa, the Wiz... or anything like that.
@SageMother (2277)
• United States
21 Dec 06
I have mixed feelings about Kwanzaa. It seems, to me, to be a way to cloak healthy pagan practice in a prettypackage so that celebrants don't find conflict with the worship of the god of Abraham, just as the tern "new Age" Is a cloak for Christians who incorporate pagan practices into their personal belief system.
I would be more comfortable with Kwanzaa if it was a recognized as a religious practice or spiritual path. As one who is openly pagan, I don't celebrate Kwanzaa. I remain as true to my pagan practices as I can.
1 person likes this
@not4me (1711)
• United States
22 Dec 06
In my opinion, Kwanzaa was not designed with religion in mind. African-Americans were taken away from their home country unwillingly and put through so many atrocities. Plus now they are stuck in a country where racism still lingers and many times African-Americans don't get the same life opportunities as their white (not just white, of course) neighbours. They have taken hundreds of years of repression and being displaced and made something positive and unifying out of it - Kwanzaa. I might be wrong but that's how I see it.
@ItTakesAllSorts (4096)
•
22 Dec 06
Although I do not live in America it is evident that rascism still exists. By Afro-Americans celebrating this festival, even though their heritage is African their nationality is American, goes to show how they still do not feel equals within their country.
My heritage is Irish/Scottish but my nationality is English. I am allowed to feel English because my skin is white.
It is such ashame that we still live in these times and I am hoping that the next few generations that are more intergrated will bring about change.
We all need to know who we are and where we come from and if this is not part of where we are born then we will look else where for that identity. Why can't we all just get on. What a great world it would be.
@Tatsuya (1149)
• United States
22 Dec 06
Ever since I've heard of Kwanzaa I wanted to know exactly what it was. Now I have a question. Say a black and white person were married. Would the white person be allowed to partake in Kwanzaa? It's something I've always wanted to know about too. I knew that Kwanzaa was celebrated by african-americans, but I feel I know a lot more about it now. Thank you for imforming the masses, and myself too.
@jewel76 (2305)
• Canada
22 Dec 06
Unfortunately, I think your post has taken a new direction with this black santa picture inquiry. For what's it's worth, i think everyone should be allowed to have any caracter they color they want. There. As for your actual post, I wish you and your close ones a good Kwanzaa! ;)
@bam001 (940)
• United States
22 Dec 06
Thank you for this post. Being non-African American, I have never really had the holiday explained to me. Even the articles in my local newspaper never really explain the meaning of the holiday. I have always wondered. You have made the meaning of Kwanzaa clear to me and I think it is a great way to celebrate your culture.
Have a great Kwanzaa. Since I know what the holiday stands for, I will now wish others a happy Kwanzaa!
@vipul20044 (5793)
• India
22 Dec 06
Sadly there is a MAJOR misconception that it is an ages old African celebration - but most Africans have not heard of Kwanzaa.., well maybe some modern day Africans as it had to leak over there by now.
But it was started here in America. People should be made aware of that.
Kwanza was birthed in 1966 in California by, Ron Karenga. Ron is an African author But not African by birth, He was born in Maryland in the USA - but non the less Kwanzaa has not been around for hundreds of years as an African celebration.
@hariharbhat (1312)
• India
22 Dec 06
Oh thank you for the information. I was not knowing this.The most I admired in your discussion is about ideals of African Community - truth,justice,respect for people and nature,care for vulnerable and respect for elders.
Good Wishes to you on this coming festival.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
22 Dec 06
I have to say, I love this topic.
I did not know about Kwanzaa. As far as Black Santa, hmm St Nicolas was white.
I have different problem. Many of my friends are black,but I just say black, not African-American (hate this)
Anyway, I will call my friends and talk about Kwanzza.
@katprice (805)
• United States
22 Dec 06
Thanks for explaining about Kwanzaa. I hadn't known about all the details of it. I love the part about respecting the environment and wanting to heal the world. I wish there were more groups who practiced that trait. Happy Kwanzaa to you! Have a blessed Holiday.
@angel_eyes88 (181)
• India
22 Dec 06
I do not know much about african culture, but I am very much interested in it. I would like to read more of your posts about african culture..Thanks for the information about the Kwanzaa festival..
@caraj444 (1075)
• Canada
22 Dec 06
I already posted a comment just because it was a bit off topic to the original post but i just wanted to say thanks for the explanation of Kwanzaa, i actually just asked my husband a week ago what the heck it was and he had no idea either, so silly it sits on your calender every year and ive never looked it up to see what it really is. It certainly sounds like a more pure version of celebration than christmas has become for some people. Thanks again for explaining just what it is im sure there are a lot of people who really had no idea. +
@not4me (1711)
• United States
22 Dec 06
Kwanzaa seems like such a great holiday! I'm white and can't relate to the African aspect of the holiday but I love the message it gets across!! I think the world would be a much happier place if all races could celebrate a similar holiday and get back to the basics - like stop fighting over religion and just recognize the power of friendship, community and life lessons. :)
@onesiobhan (1327)
• Canada
22 Dec 06
Where did Kwanzaa originate? I've always been curious about the history of this event.
@ais_nedla (162)
• United States
22 Dec 06
hi thank you for writing a discussion about it. it is a very interesting celebration.
