Brooklyn Celebrates Kwanzaa

KWANZAA,* the African-American cultural holiday conceived and developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, was first celebrated on December 26, 1966. Kwanzaa is traditionally celebrated from December 26 through January 1, with each day focused on the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles.

Derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits," Kwanzaa is rooted in the first harvest celebrations practiced in various cultures in Africa.

Kwanzaa seeks to enforce a connectedness to African cultural identity, provide a focal point for the gathering of African peoples, and to reflect upon the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles, that have sustained Africans.

Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths and backgrounds practice Kwanzaa. By the 1990s Kwanzaa was celebrated by over 18 million blacks in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.

(*Information derived directly from Melanet.com)

The Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles) are:

• Umoja - Unity - "To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race."
• Kujichagulia - Self Determination - "To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named created and spoken for by others."

• Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility - "To build and maintain our community together. To make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems to solve together."

• Ujamma - Cooperative Economics - "To build and maintain our own businesses and profit together from them."

• Nia - Purpose - "To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community and to restore our people to our traditional greatness."

• Kuumba - Creativity - "To always do as much as we can in any way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it."

• Imani - Faith - "To believe with all our hearts in our God, our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle."

Here around the neighborhood, there are some events happening to celebrate Kwanzaa:

Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture

December 26 – January 1; 11:30 a.m., for children 5 and under.

Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue.

A candlelit feast and gift giving often times mark the festivity of Kwanzaa. Learn about the holiday's traditions while you create and design a hanging candle. Get hands-on with your kuumba, or creativity, and take home your own Kwanzaa candle.

35th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration

December 26 – 30.

Boys and Girls H.S., 1700 Fulton Street.

The Kwanzaa Collective is having their 35th Anuual "Keeping Kwanzaa in the Tradition" celebration at Boys and Girls High School, honoring co-founder Baba mzee Moyo. Founder Dr. Mualana Karenga will speak at the event, and there will be tributes to the elderly and to the youth. The last night will be capped off with a special Kwanzaa Reunion Concert, featuring Doug and Jean Carne. For information, call 718-773-2252.

Meet the Author: Dimitrea Tokunbo

January 1, 1 p.m.

Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street.

Ring in the New Year and the final day of Kwanzaa with Tokunbo, the author and illustrator behind "The Sounds of Kwanzaa." All ages.