Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Kwanzaa
THE NAME KWANZAA COMES
FROM THE EAST AFRICAN LANGUAGE OF SWAHILI
IT MEANS FIRST FRUITS OF
THE HARVEST.
Kwanzaa is an American holiday inspired
by African traditions. It is not intended as a religious,
political, or heroic
holiday, nor is it a substitute for
Christmas. During the seven-day Kwanzaa festival,
observed from December 26
through January 1, people of African
descent rejoice in their ancestral values. A Swahili word, kwanza means "first".
An extra "a" was added to the end of the
word to give it seven letters, representing the holiday's seven principles.
Kwanzaa's origins have been in countries
throughout Africa for centuries. Many of these celebrations last seven
days. Some occur in late December at the
end of the year, and are celebrated until early January, the beginning of
the next year. The dates for Kwanzaa
correspond to the days of these African harvest festivals. Kwanzaa was created
in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, Ph.D, chair
and professor of Black Studies at the California State University at Long
Beach, and executive director of the
Institute of Pan-African Studies. The seven principles are at the heart of
Kwanzaa, and these are based on the
gathering together of families, the commemoration of the ancestors, the
rededication to the growth of the
community, and the offering of gratitude for life's good. Today millions of
families
in the United States celebrate the joys
of Kwanzaa and look forward each year to a wonderful African-inspired
celebration.
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