The Meaning of Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a holiday celebrated worldwide by millions of people around the world. The celebration starts a day after Christmas and ends on Jan-1.

The name "Kwanzaa" comes from the Swahili phrase, "matunda ya kwana," or "first fruits."

The "first fruits" holiday dates back to ancient Egypt and Nubia, the celebration known today as Kwanzaa was first constituted in 1966, in the midst of the Civil rights Movement, by Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Kwanzaa is an ancient and living cultural tradition, which reflects the best of African thought and practice in its reassertion of the self-respect of the human person in their community and culture, the well-being of family and community, the integrity of the surroundings and kinship with it and the rich resource and meaning of the African culture.

Part of this celebration is spent teaching children about their heritage. The children may show their artwork or find other ways to pay homage to their past as well as their present.

The days leading up to Kwanzaa are spent decorating the house with black, red and green paper decorations. The kids also hang homemade crafts on a Kwanzaa bush.

A table set up with an ear of corn symbolizing each of the children, and a decorated unity cup, which is used for the toasts made each night of Kwanzaa.

The doctrine of Kwanzaa is guided by seven guiding principle: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

The family gathers for seven nights to light the seven holed candleholder or Kinara. The first night the children are asked to light the central candle, which is black. It symbolizes unity. The second night the red candle is lit, it symbolizes self-determination and it goes on like this for the next five days. Along with lighting the candles, they also drink from the unity cup filled with libation. Kwanzaa ends on Jan. 1. This is known as the day of meditation.

Three traditional questions asked after the Kwanzaa celebration are: Who am I?; Am I really who I say I am?; and Am I who I ought to be?

Though Kwanzaa's origins are African, it is an inclusive celebration with a principle that believes that all people, regardless of race, gender, age, class, or religion, can share and participate.

Kwanzaa in my belief is a celebration of man, nature, family and a belief that all these things can co-exits in peace