Kwanzaa is a holiday celebrated in the United States that lasts for a week honoring African heritage and culture, observed by lighting a kinara (candle holder). It is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, basically in the United States. Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift giving. It was created by Ron Karenga and was first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967.
Kwanzaa Celebration
Families celebrating Kwanzaa decorate their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth, especially the wearing of kaftans by women, and fresh fruits that represent African idealism. It is customary to include children in Kwanzaa ceremonies and to give respect and gratitude to ancestors. Libations are shared, generally with a common chalice, "Kikombe cha Umoja" passed around to all celebrants.
Non-African Americans also celebrate Kwanzaa. The holiday greeting is "joyous Kwanzaa" A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the "African Pledge" and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast .The greeting for each day of Kwanzaa is "Habari Gani, which is Swahili for "What's the News?"
Kwanzaa Holiday
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday about the festival of the first harvest of the crops. It begins on December 26, and lasts for seven days. The name Kwanzaa, sometimes spelled Kwanza, comes from a phrase which means "first fruits" in Swahili, which is an East African language.