Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Kwanzaa celebrates core values, fosters community

This year, for the seven days spanning December 26 through January 1, millions of people of African descent here in the US and worldwide will celebrate the holiday of Kwanzaa, created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga of Cal State Long Beach.

According to Karenga, the name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase ‘matunda ya kwanza,’ meaning ‘first fruits of the harvest,’ or simply ‘first fruits.’ Swahili was chosen as the language of Kwanzaa because it is something of a pan-African lingua franca and because the acceptance of Swahili as an international language acknowledged the decolonization of numerous African nations in the 1950s and 60s.

Kwanzaa is a value-centered holiday with roots in the Black Nationalist movement of the 1960s. Karenga believed that the African-American community in the US needed a positive identity and fundamental set of values that were based on the moral and ethical ideals of its home and parent culture, both of which had been stripped from the men and women forcibly brought to the New World.

By annually uniting in meditation and study of the African traditions of Nguzo Saba, the “Seven Principles” which Karenga called “a communitarian African Philosophy,” a cultural renewal is effected capable of sustaining the spiritual energy needed to make progress in the face of racism, disenfranchisement, and social inequality. Speaking at the height of the Civil Rights movement, Karenga noted that the fight for social justice before anything needed a spiritual focus: “The cultural revolution,” said Karenga, “gives identity, purpose and direction.”

The celebration neither promotes nor reflects any particular religion, and while the Seven Principles on the surface feel universal, a reflection on the history of African-descended people here and abroad helps understand why Karenga chose these particular values, and the resonance they have within the communities of the African Diaspora.

The Nguzo Saba are celebrated one per day in the order given below:

Umoja (Unity): The focus here is to think about unity on several fronts, including family, community, nation, and race. Unity values what people have in common while recognizing the contributions made by their differences.

Kujichagulia (Self-determination): Here the point is that people should have the right to give themselves a name, take credit for their own ideas and contributions to society, and use their own voices in forming their society and deciding on what is ethical and right.

Ujima (Collective work and responsibility): The form of a community is the right and responsibility of all members. No one should suffer alone, and neither should any one person receive the spoils of work that is the result of community effort.

Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): Businesses, shops, and professions need to understand that while competition improves the quality of goods and services, the needs of human beings and the maintenance of a level playing field creates the healthiest environment for all community members.

Nia (Purpose): The collective vocation of a community is the building and development of the community in order to restore people of African descent to “traditional greatness.” This value recognizes that beyond the mission of individual business and practitioners, the greater purpose of the community should be replace worn-out stereotypes held even by the most well-meaning (non-African) people regarding African peoples. Africa has a rich history of sophisticated societies and intellectual development, but the impoverishment of the African Diaspora, most often the result of institutional racism, negatively informs public discourse about Africans and African-Americans in particular. African-Americans’ views of themselves have not entirely escaped the debilitating effects of the negative images held by non-Africans. The ‘traditional greatness” sought, therefore is as much about African-descended communities resuscitating their own self-esteem as it is about positively changing the worldview of non-Africans.

Kuumba (Creativity): All the community is encouraged to participate fully, using the particular strengths and talents bestowed upon individuals. Every generation should strive to leave the community more beautiful and better working than they found it. Whether it be through the arts, engineering, economics, professional development, or any other endeavor, individuals either alone or on cooperation should understand the role their indispensible efforts play. Community is not a concept, but a living organism that requires conscious and deliberate effort; moreover, everyone has something to bring to the table, and should.

Imani (Faith): This is about faith in people—about parents, teachers, and leaders. Implied also is that respect is due to those who have come before, who have learned the hard lessons, and who desire to pass on their knowledge. It is also about faith in the ultimate victory against inequality. If there is no hope that the world will someday value all beings equally and without prejudice, everything else is just going through the motions. For some reason, people the world over and throughout history have invented ways to be better than someone else. A world where that is no longer true is a vision truly to be sought.

On any given evening of Kwanzaa, a Karamu, or feast, is held. Gifts can be given, though mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.

The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green. Decorations should include traditional African items, for example, African baskets, cloth patterns, art objects, harvest symbols, and such. The greeting for each day of Kwanzaa is ‘Habari Gani?’ which is Swahili for “How are you?”

This year’s Kwanzaa theme is “Practicing the Principles of Kwanzaa: Repairing, Renewing, and Remaking Our World.” Every year the Afro-American Cultural and Historical Society, a cultural and historical society based in the Hayward and Tri-Cities area, sponsors a Kwanzaa celebration. This year it will take place on Friday December 9 at Palma Ceia Baptist Church in Hayward. There will be displays of crafts and a program of drumming and poetry, followed by a Karamu Feast.

Kwanzaa Celebration
Friday, Dec 9, 2017
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Displays and Crafts
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Program
Palma Ceia Baptist Church –Bennett Hall
28605 Rufus Rd, Hayward
For more information: (510) 471-9040 or www.aachsi.com

Free

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