Many people often hear about Kwanzaa but do not know what it is. Some, however, like those on Fox News, wish to say that it is a “made up” holiday, when they do not even understand what it is about.
So, what is Kwanzaa? Why is it celebrated? As part of our series on holidays for dummies, let’s find out!
5 Facts about Kwanzaa.
- It is an African American celebration that was created in 1966 to celebrate African heritage and to promote the African culture.
- There are seven principles- unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
- Candles are lit for each of the days of Kwanzaa, from December 26 to January 1.
- A black candle is lit on the first day- it symbolizes the people.
- There are three red candles on the left of the black candle and three green on the right. The red symbolizes the struggle of the African American people and the green symbolizes hope for a future.
The candles are lit in order, from left to right. On December 26, the black candle is the first lit. Greetings in Swahili are exchanged, the question “Habari gani?” is asked and the principle of the day that is being celebrated is the answer to the question.
So, perhaps not a holiday in the traditional sense, but still a day of festivities nonetheless- and a day that does deserve to be honored.
Edited/Published by: SB
