Difference between revisions of "Kwanzaa"
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| − | [[Category:Observances]][[Kwanzaa]] is an [[African-American]] [[holiday]] created in 1966 by [[Ron Karenga]], and consisiting of one week of celebrating, in honor of African-American heritage. The most well known-symbol of Kwanzaa is the Kinara, a candle holder with seven candles, which | + | [[Category:Observances]][[Kwanzaa]] is an [[African-American]] [[holiday]] created in 1966 by [[Ron Karenga]], and consisiting of one week of celebrating, in honor of African-American heritage. The most well known-symbol of Kwanzaa is the Kinara, a candle holder with seven candles, which bears a similar, though not necessarily intentional, appearance to the [[Jewish]][[Category:Holidays]] hanukiah used in Chanukah. |
It's purpose is both to honor African-American heritage and to provide a holiday especially for African-Americans, so that they don't have to simply accept existing traditions, as shown by Dr. Karenga's following quote: "...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." <ref>1</ref> | It's purpose is both to honor African-American heritage and to provide a holiday especially for African-Americans, so that they don't have to simply accept existing traditions, as shown by Dr. Karenga's following quote: "...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." <ref>1</ref> | ||
Revision as of 18:48, December 27, 2008
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday created in 1966 by Ron Karenga, and consisiting of one week of celebrating, in honor of African-American heritage. The most well known-symbol of Kwanzaa is the Kinara, a candle holder with seven candles, which bears a similar, though not necessarily intentional, appearance to the Jewish hanukiah used in Chanukah.
It's purpose is both to honor African-American heritage and to provide a holiday especially for African-Americans, so that they don't have to simply accept existing traditions, as shown by Dr. Karenga's following quote: "...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." [1]
Seven Principles of Kwanzaa
Each day of the week-long celebration is dedicated to one of Dr. Karenga's "Seven Principles of Kwanzaa":
- Umoja (Unity) To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
- Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
- Imani (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. [2]
Criticism
Some criticize Kwanzaa as being a secular celebration which detracts from the religious meaning of Christmas and Hanukah. One article questions why Dr. Karenga popularized Kwanzaa in winter if it is a harvest festival, the proper celebration time of which is fall. [3]