What Kwanzaa Means: The Short Story

Breaking news—the US has some aspects of its history that are…what’s the opposite of admirable? Let’s just say that not all immigrant groups chose to be here. How exactly to deal with that reality comes in various shapes and sizes—reconnecting with roots is one. Enter Kwanzaa. Here’s a bare-bones breakdown of what Kwanzaa means.

 

History

As is often the case when it comes to history, I used Encyclopedia Britannica as a guide.

Kwanzaa was conceived in the 1960s by Maulana Karenga (born Ronald Everett), a Black Power activist in his early years and a professor of Africana studies in his later years. Motivated in part by the 1965 Watts riots in Los Angeles, Karenga saw the need for unity and empowerment of the African American community, using the concept of Pan-Africanism to help achieve those goals.

Drawing upon elements of various harvest festivals across the African continent, Karenga developed Kwanzaa, whose name derives from the Swahili matunda ya kwanza (first fruits). It was formulated as a secular occasion to give African Americans an opportunity to recognize their own collective history rather than the one handed to them (e.g. Christmas).

Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966 in Los Angeles, gaining mainstream acceptance over the ensuing years. The holiday’s popularity peaked in the 1980s and 1990s, though its relative importance is generally felt to have waned since then.

 

Celebrations

Given the above geographic history, Kwanzaa remains primarily an American phenomenon. That said, other parts of the world with a sizable portion of the African diaspora such as the Caribbean, Canada, and Europe may partake in the festivities as well.

Celebrated from December 26 – January 1, the seven-day event highlights the holiday’s seven principles, namely unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. A candleholder (kinara) with seven candles—black, red, and green in keeping with the colors of the Pan-African flag—serves as a visual reminder of these principles. Each day, one candle is lit, and gifts—often homemade and in keeping with the day’s principle—are exchanged.

On the sixth day, it’s common to hold a feast (karamu). Traditional African decorations and clothing can be incorporated as desired.

It goes without saying that despite this suggested structure, Kwanzaa can mean different things to different people, and observances are not perfectly uniform. It should also be mentioned that despite early branding as an Afrocentric alternative to existing holidays, Kwanzaa is no longer intended to replace Christmas.

 

Issues

As you might expect, Kwanzaa has its naysayers. Some take exception to the holiday’s origins in movements that were not devoid of violence. Adding fuel to that stance is the fact that Karenga was imprisoned in the early 1970s in relation to the assault, torture, and false imprisonment of two women, charges that he has denied.

In terms of observance, not all in the African diaspora feel a deep connection to Africa, particularly those whose links to the continent date back centuries. Such individuals may feel uneasy when receiving Kwanzaa greetings based solely on their skin color.

Finally, given the massive size and remarkable diversity of Africa, not everyone is on board with the concept of Pan-Africanism, finding it a bit too constrictive for such a large entity. Along the same lines, Kwanzaa’s terminology is rooted in Swahili, widely spoken in East Africa but not representative of the continent as a whole.

 

A Kwanzaa Karol

I’m not sure if this is a thing, but just in case, here’s my top pick.

“Zombie” by Fela Kuti

When jazz and funk returned to their West African roots and mixed with the traditional sounds (and political strife) that were still there, we got the brilliance of Nigerian Fela Kuti, on full display here.

 

 

And with that, I’ll tentatively say Joyous Kwanzaa. Of course, if you’re not feeling what Kwanzaa means, go ahead and change that to Happy Holidays.