Tuesday, December 26, 2006
















Kwanzaa, (matunda ya kwanza, Swahili for “first fruits”),
an African American holiday observed by African communities
throughout the world that celebrates family, community, and culture.
It is a seven-day holiday that begins December 26 and continues through
January 1. Kwanzaa has its roots in the ancient African first-fruit harvest
celebrations from which it takes its name. However, its modern history
begins in 1966 when it was developed by African American scholar
and activist Maulana Karenga.

Kwanzaa is organized around five fundamental activities
common to other African first-fruit celebrations:
(1) the ingathering of family, friends, and community;
(2) reverence for the creator and creation
(including thanksgiving and recommitment to respect the environment
and heal the world);
(3) commemoration of the past (honoring ancestors, learning lessons and emulating achievements of African history);
(4) recommitment to the highest cultural ideals of the African community
(for example, truth, justice, respect for people and
nature, care for the vulnerable, and respect for elders);
and (5) celebration of the “Good of Life”
(for example, life, struggle, achievement, family, community, and culture).

Kwanzaa is celebrated through rituals, dialogue,
narratives, poetry, dancing, singing, drumming and
other music, and feasting. A central practice is the lighting of the mishumaa
(seven candles) of Kwanzaa. A candle is lit each day for each of the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles). These principles are umoja (unity);
kujichagulia (self-determination);
ujima (collective work and responsibility);
ujamaa (cooperative economics);
nia (purpose); kuumba (creativity);
and imani (faith).
Kwanzaa ends with a day of assessment on which celebrants
raise and answer questions of cultural and moral grounding
and consider their worthiness in family, community, and culture.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course you know that this makes you a terrorist in The War On Christmas...

Sherry Pasquarello said...

yes, a sergeant at least. ; )

Anonymous said...

Nice post. I'm an African and Kwanzaa does not mean a thing to me. I know about it because I went to school in America, and from having read of such a feast in some regions of west Africa. perhaps it exists in other regions as well.

I don't know if it is "observed by African communities throughout the world."

Like i say, very nice and informative post.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

hi, and welcome. i think it is a wonderful celebration no matter the origins. i think we all should ponder these values and try to live by them so i posted this. maybe it will make others think about them. i hope so.

Mark said...

BJ Ellis, has put together a great post about Kwanzaa and those who endorse it.

Despite the fact that ignorant blacks spend countless hours in church every week, they still feel obligated to celebrate this nonsense. Virtually nothing presents a clearer case of blindly following others for NO LOGICAL REASON than their unyielding support of this fake holiday, Kwanzaa.

http://www.bjellis.com/blogFULL.htm

btw: Jesus does not celebrate Kwanzaa and nor should any follower of Christ.

As we approach another watered-down Christmas (and we have political correctness to thank for that, as well as the spell of liberalism this country is presently under) we are also approaching the celebration of black racism, otherwise known as Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is a MADE-UP celebration that was invented in 1966 by Maulana “Ron” Karenga (he calls himself Dr., but I REFUSE to call him that ON PURPOSE). Karanga is a former black militant, an obvious Marxist (Communist Manifesto), and a FELON who HATES white people. What’s so amazing to me is that the very people who constantly bitch, gripe, and moan about how hateful white people (except RACIST white liberals, of course, i.e., their “slave masters”) are towards blacks are the very same people that have no problem flamboyantly expressing their hatred for whites. Before I introduce my tangent of racism, I will cite the definition of racism, which is “A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.” As I’ve said on previous editions of The B.J. Ellis Show, I believe that the modern day champions of racism are African-Americans. When I speak of African-Americans, I don’t speak of black Americans in general, per se’, I speak of those ignorant black Americans that profess to call themselves hyphenated Americans (African-Americans) for idiotic reasons that do nothing but express their separation from their country of origin. Furthermore, ignorant black Americans that call themselves “African-Americans” CANNOT even name 10 countries in Africa, nor 3 CITIES in the entire continent. However for whatever reason, they still feel the need to call themselves “African-Americans”, which leads us back to this Kwanzaa nonsense.

Mark said...

oh BJ Ellis...is black, but that don't matter to liberals or well intentioned folk, does it?

Mark said...

re read your post Ms Sherry, does the word socialist come to mind?

Sherry Pasquarello said...

mark, i did not go to your blog and insult you or any of the people that comment there. please have the common decency not to come here and insult me of anyone that chooses to post here. i did not insult you at BG's blog either.
oh, and i am not a socialist. i am a democrat but i have crossed part lines to vote for the candidate that i thought was the best for the job. i am not that easily labeled. few people are.
i have friends and aquaintances of all races and most religions, including some who are very firmly bible based fundamentalists. they would never be as rude as you seem to be. please, do not come back here agin. thank you.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

oh and mark, i have a serious question for you.

what color do you think JESUS was??

Sherry Pasquarello said...

Mark said...
oh BJ Ellis...is black, but that don't matter to liberals or well intentioned folk, does it?

why would you think that any one person of a race or a religion or ANY group would speak for that ENTIRE group?

do you agree with every white christian male in the world?

why should every black person agree with this man??

free will, and the ablity to make a rational choice. they are gifts we have been given. i've had quite enough, go find someone else to annoy and insult.