The Heritage & History of Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 as a secular weeklong celebration of African heritage, culture, and history, and reflects the legacy of the modern civil rights movement that was occurring at that time.

What is Kwanzaa?

• Kwanzaa lasts from December 26 to January 1, and features candle-lighting ceremonies, feasts, and gift exchanges. It is inspired by the first week of the harvest season in Africa.
• Etymologically, it is based on the Swahili phrase for "first" - matunda ya kwanza - and is celebrated by millions of people of African descent or those who identify as members of the African diaspora. 
• Mainstream recognition of Kwanzaa began in the early 1980s.

The History and Heritage of Kwanzaa

• The impetus for Kwanzaa was the civil unrest that swept over America after the Los Angeles Watts rebellion of 1965. In the wake of the riots, Maulanga Karenga, a leader in the Black Power Movement, worked tirelessly to rebuild the predominantly Black neighborhood of Watts--but he also wanted to incite pride in the African identity. This wellspring of Pan-African pride inspired Kwanzaa.
• Karenga’s model was the vision of a community brought together over food and the values of sharing and family. 

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa

Celebrants reflect on the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba) during the seven days of festivities. 

1. Unity - umoja
2. Self-determination - kujichagulia
3. Collective work and responsibility - ujima 
4. Cooperative economics - ujamaa  
5. Purpose - nia
6. Creativity - kuumba)
7. Faith - imani

Symbolism and Rituals

Mkeka

Participants decorate a table in their home with a straw mat (Mkeka) and cover the mat with symbolic items.

Mazao 

Crops representing the harvest.

Mahindi 

Corn representing the children participating in the Kwaanza activities.

Kikombe cha Umoja

The "unity cup" used for toasting and giving shukrani - thanks - to African Ancestors.

Zawadi

Gifts, often of pan-African pride.

Kinara 

• A candle holder for seven candlesticks: a single black candle in the center, three red candles to the left, and three green candles to the right. 
• The red candles represent the struggles of the ancestors and the green candles represent earth and the future.

The Kwanzaa Ceremony

• During the week-long celebration of Kwanzaa, a new candle is lit on the kinara each day. The black candle is lit first, then the lighting proceeds from left to right.
• The candle lighting ceremony begins with an elder filling the unity cup with either wine or juice, with a small portion poured onto the earth in a nod to one’s ancestors. It is then passed around the group while everyone comes together to chant Harambee, Swahili for “let’s pull together."
• On December 31, a banquet - karamu - is held, which features dancing, music, and an atmosphere of joy and hope. 

Kwanzaa Today 

• Commentators have noticed that Kwanzaa is being celebrated with less vigor now, and suggest that the Internet and a new emphasis on African Studies in schools have offered new venues for the exploration and celebration of Black identity and that Kwanzaa is no longer the only visible opportunity to celebrate one’s heritage.
• Historian Keith Mayes writes that Christmas “[engulfs] black America in its crass consumerism and its images of a white Christ.”
• However, many people celebrate both Christmas and Kwanzaa, and the two are not mutually exclusive. 

Do you, or anyone you know, celebrate Kwanzaa?

—Emma Kansiz & Josh Herman