What is Kwanzaa? Why is Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration that honors African American heritage, December 26 – January 1st. The word Kwanzaa or matunda ya kawanza, comes from the Swahili language of East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda. It means “first fruit” – relative to the first fruits of the harvest. Most all people around the world celebrate the first harvest in some fashion or another. It orignated in 1966, created by Dr. Mualana Karenga, teacher of African American studies at Cal State Long Beach. I knew him as Ron Karenga.
The Watts riots in August 1965 were brutal to the Black population, especially in Los Angeles. The riots went on for nearly a week. About 35 Black people were killed by police and National Guards. Over a 1200 injured. The Watts district was “toe” up and burnt down. The area was suffering and festering with racial discrimination, high umemployement and inferior living conditions. Then WHAM – it’s Christmas time. Humph!
Dr. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa to give Black people and alternative to the capitalism of Christmas. The opportunity to celebrate ourselves, our heritage and to keep the money in our communities by supporting one another in business. There are 7 principles of Kwanza:
- UMOJA – to strive for and 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 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 oder to restore our people to the 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.
As I was writing this and remembering the birth of Kwanzaa and the 7 principles I was saddened. Gentrification had divided and conquered our neighborhoods and businesses. We are left with our “leaders” being movies stars, rap artist and athletes, most being controlled by the strings of greed and selfishness. It seems Kwanza and it’s principles are only thought of and practiced by those of us from the 60’s. Our children have bee distracted by greed, instant gradification and individualism. HOWEVER, now with this adminstration more people are negatively affected. More people are feeling the sting and burn of injustice and greed. TIGHTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS – it’s going to be a rough ride. UMOJA!
HAPPY KWANZAA
MarshaAgogo – gone
