Happy Kwanzaa

[Joanne98]

The Founder's Welcome

http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

As an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated by millions throughout the world African community, Kwanzaa brings a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense. Given the profound significance Kwanzaa has for African Americans and indeed, the world African community, it is imperative that an authoritative source and site be made available to give an accurate and expansive account of its origins, concepts, values, symbols and practice.
Moreover, given the continued rapid growth of Kwanzaa and the parallel expanded discussion of it and related issues, an authoritative source which aids in both framing and informing the discussion is likewise of the greatest importance. Therefore, the central interest of this website is to provide information which reveals and reaffirms the integrity, beauty and expansive meaning of the holiday and thus aids in our approaching it with the depth of thought, dignity, and sense of specialness it deserves.

The holiday, then will of necessity, be engaged as an ancient and living cultural tradition which reflects the best of African thought and practice in its reaffirmation of the dignity of the human person in community and culture, the well-being of family and community, the integrity of the environment and our kinship with it, and the rich resource and meaning of a people's culture. It is within this understanding, then, that the Organization Us, the founding organization of Kwanzaa and the authoritative keeper of the tradition, has established and maintains this website.

/////// /////// ///////
Dr. Maulana Karenga
Creator of Kwanzaa
Chair, The Organization Us
Chair, The National Association of
Kawaida Organizations (NAKO)

http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

[Critters2]

1. FWIW, my friends in Zimbabwe tell me they never heard of Kwanzaa

and don't celebrate it. It's important to African Americans, but it isn't "pan-African".

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. I don't think that many African-Americans celebrate it either

I have a very large extended family, and I don't know anyone who celebrates it.

[Critters2]

4. My Zim friends asked me why it uses Swahili terms,

when most African Americans trace their roots to the slave trade of Western Africa, not eastern Africa, where Swahili is spoken. All I could say is that I have no idea.

[CJCRANE]

8. My guess

is because it's the most widely spoken and well-known language in sub-Saharan Africa and it has lots of cool words.

[Solo_in_MD]

9. None of my African American friends and colleagues celebrate it

and more than several are quite negative on it, mostly due to the past history of its founder. Its really outside my personal field of regard.

[goclark]

13. We enjoyed celebrating it with our young relatives

We would have pot lunch dinners and talk about the holiday.

We would share family pictures and talk with each child about their progress in school and what they wanted to do when they grew up.

It is a marvelous time for sharing and caring as a family.

[CJCRANE]

3. And

Happy Kwanzaa to you too!!!!!!!

:):):):):):):)

[Joanne98]

5. I'm more sensitive since FOX let me know there's a war on Xmas

Kwanzaa started today and I thought I should say...

HAPPY KWANZAA!
:P

[Kurovski]

6. HAPPY KWANZAA!

And a K & an R.

[Joanne98]

7. LOL!

[CJCRANE]

10. It seems like a cool idea

but bear in mind that most native speakers of Swahili are Christian or Muslim and probably happy to celebrate the festivals from those religions.

[Joanne98]

12. I don't have a problem with it... The more the merrier!

[Joanne98]

11. On the first day on Kwanzaa......

With the Christmas tree sparkling in her Clayton living room, Rhonda Cooper begins preparing for her family's annual celebration of Kwanzaa.

From her garage she's retrieved a basket in which she keeps symbols of the holiday, including a large piece of black and gold African cloth, a woven mat, a candleholder and a carved figure denoting an African warrior.

And later today, the first day of Kwanzaa, she'll spread the cloth on the table and position the candleholder on the middle of the mat. She'll place the wooden "unity" goblet to one side and place the black, red and green candles in their designated spots.

Next, she'll go to the kitchen and fill a smaller wooden basket with brightly colored fruits and vegetables and add it to the setting along with a live, potted plant. Finally, she'll line up eight ears of corn on the mat, one to represent her daughter, the others her seven nieces and nephews.

Then she'll be ready for the seven-day observance that will climax on New Year's Day with a big family gathering attended by Cooper, her parents, daughter, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Dressed in African attire, they will reaffirm their familial bonds and cultural ties to the motherland of their ancestors.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/16319281.htm

[Speck Tater]

14. So after we win the war on Christmas will we have a war on Kwanzaa?

And did everyone get the memo about the war on Easter? You don't want to be left out.

[Joanne98]

15. No, we're more sensitive now. We're nice to all religions...

:)

[bobbolink]

16. Happy Kwanzaa!

It's such a fine celebration.

[Joanne98]

17. .......

[Kurovski]

18. Kick.