The celebration of Kwanzaa is uniquely African-American in origin, like jazz music. It means “First Fruits of Harvest” in Swahili, an East African language. The concept of Kwanzaa was developed in 1966 by Professor Ronald McKinley Everett (now known as Maulana Karenga). To quote Karenga on the creation of Kwanzaa: ..the.. goal was to “give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.”] It is inspired by African “first fruit” traditions, and the name is derived from the name for the Swahili first fruit celebration, “matunda ya kwanza.” Wikipedia
Kwanzaa is celebrated, as are the other holidays in this blog event, during the time exactly when the Winter Solstice commences, or during the days following it, as the days are growing longer. Kwanzaa commences on December 26 and lasts for seven days. There are seven values that are celebrated during Kwanzaa, known as the Nguzo Saba, Swahili for Seven Principles.
Kwanzaa celebration with founder Maulana Karenga, (center, wearing glasses) in 2003.
The seven African values of Kwanzaa are: Umoja (Unity), Kuji-chagulia (Self-determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).
Kwanzaa table setting traditionally includes seven candles, ears of corn, fruit, a cup and a cultural woven mat all symbolizing principles of the new holiday. Celebrants put a green tablecloth over a table they place in a central place in their home, and place a woven straw mat called a Mkeka on top of that table which symbolizes the historical foundation of African ancestry.
On top the mat is a Kinara (a candle holder) with seven candles. It holds three red candles on the left, three green candles on the right, and a black candle in the center. A candle is lit every day, as during Hanukkah. The black candle is lit first, the lighting then going back and forth between red and green, starting with the outermost candles and moving in to the center.
The table also should include Mazao, crops from the community including a bowl of fruit; Muhindi, an ear of corn for each child in the household; Zawadi, gifts for the children; and Kikombe cha Umoja, a cup to represent family and community. (various sources)
How widely is Kwanzaa celebrated? From the Huffington Post: Karenga has claimed that 28 million people worldwide celebrate the holiday, but only an estimated half-million to 2 million million Americans do, according to Keith Mayes, author of Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition.
“It just no longer shows up in some of the places that it did 30 to 40 years ago,” Mayes told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “You still have people who actually celebrate it. You have third generations of Kwanzaa celebrants… but Kwanzaa no longer has its movement which brought it forth, which is the black power movement. That movement has waned.”
If Mayes—a University of Minnesota professor in African-American studies who is considered by national outlets to be an expert on the subject—has his numbers right, somewhere between 1 and 5 percent of the 40 million people in the U.S. who identify as African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. Telling a random black person on the street “Happy birthday month!” is a safer bet than “Happy Kwanzaa!” But this time of year, people, white people especially, tend to toss the greeting at black people they don’t even know. (Huffington Post)
Well, I don’t, and I never heard anyone else do it. I have been to a number of Kwanzaa celebrations over the years, and the closeness of the family and the dignity of the rituals are lovely.
My giveaway for the Kwanzaa post will be my award-winning perfumes, Amberess. All of the aromatics in Amberess are from Africa, and the most treasured and rare Musk Rose, in both otto and absolute form are the crowning, shimmering jewel of this perfume. It is available in only one form, the 3.5ml pure perfume. Leave a comment about Kwanzaa and you’ll be entered into the random drawing. Deadline for a comment is 10 a.m. Dec. 27th.
I love to read something new about different cultures and different traditions of celebrating. Kwanzaa is definitely something new to me, thank you.
what a beautiful night I hope you’ve all had. Happy Holidays whatever they are!
I love your perfumes Anya especially Amberess and Kewdra – they just really work on me.
Zee
Yes, Zee, I remember your reaction to Kewdra when you got it. It’s been quite a love affair 🙂
xoxo
Anya
Kwanzaa sounds a little bit like Thanksgiving!
I wish I knew how to speak Swahili, learnt a bit when I was in Kenya as a child, but except for a silly kids song, I don’t remember anything.
Hemla, I have a funny Swahili story. We had fellow students over for Thanksgiving dinner when we were at Cal Poly. I think I was saying something about an instructor, saying he said a lot of ‘mumbo jumbo’ which I knew as a slang term, which mean ‘talks a lot of nonsense’. The Tanzanians all exclaimed happily ‘you speak Swahili?!’ Seems it has the same meaning there 😉
That’s the extent of my knowledge of Swahili!
xoxo,
Anya
I would be happy like Christmas to try one of your perfumes specially your “gold” one – Amberess. <3
I have never heard of Kwansaa but yesterday I looked at the calendar and wandered what Kwansaa was. Thank you for the information. It is always interesting to learn about other cultures. The Kinara and candles remind me of Hanukkah.
I have a sample of Amberess and it is gorgeous.
This is a really great breakdown of Kwanzaa. We have a lovely book for our son called “Seven Spools of Thread” that explains the seven values. Great giveaway. Thanks!
Is there one thing I learned is to enjoy all belief systems as part of the whole and one aspect was to enjoy old cultures beliefs is to honor Mother God. African Kwanza culture is part of that too.
Thank you for introducind Kwanzaa – I never knew about this holyday.
I too love reading, learning about the different traditions from other Cultures. I usually find that there is a very common tie to all cultures and people. We truly are all connected. Thanks Anya for the opportunity to try Ambress..
I was particulary interested in reading about the seven values of Kwanzaa (unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith). In focusing on these principles for a few minutes I think they would build beautiful character in an individual. I’ve written then down and put them next to my computer. Thanks Anya for details on a celebration I have never heard of before.
I grew up in Atlanta, “the Black Capital of America”, and grew up with several friends that celebrated (or had parents that celebrated) Kwanzaa.
Nice to see it get a little recognition in a time when it is merely left as the butt end of jokes! High Five for educating us all a little about Kwanzaa! =)
People make jokes about Kwanzaa? That’s rude. Well, I know Rastfarianism is ridiculed, too.
Best,
Anya
Very interesting post- I didn’t really know anything about Kwanzaa, and it’s been great to learn through this and your other solstice postings. Thank you! (PS: Amberess sounds amazing!)
Great information , Anya. The Kwanza table setting reminds me a little of the celebration of the No Ruz “sofreh-ye haft sinn” (seven “s” dishes) table setting. Happy holidays to us all at every season of the year!
I’m loving these blog posts!
I’ve never known anyone who celebrates Kawanzaa, but it sounds beautiful. I’m glad to see people creating their own traditions that speak to them and passing them to their children.
Wow that is crazy that telling someone of African descent “Happy Birthday Month” is more probable than them celebrating Kwanza. Though I can understand why, December can feel like a flood of holidays to anyone. It’s still a shame to lose the rich cultural heritage behind their traditions though.
Hi Anya, and Happy New Year!
Thank you for another really interesting article. It was great to read about the origin and evolution of the holiday. Although I’ve worked in office buildings that included Kwanzaa decorations in their lobby areas, I’ve never met anyone who knew much about it or celebrated.
On another topic, the fragrant care package from you and the Natural Perfumers Guild that I received as a person living in an area affected by Hurricane Sandy was a wonderful and moving surprise. I will be posting a thank you to the group, but I just wanted to mention it here as well. Yours and others’ kindness brought tears to my eyes. My family was actually very lucky to have been spared major damage and loss. So many in the shore areas particularly, but in some others are well, are still without homes.
Sharon
Hi Sharon:
Our package was called Perfumers Relief Aid. Even if you weren’t directly affected, you may find yourself suffering from PTSD in the future when storms threaten. i know it’s endemic in Florida!
xoxo,
Anya
People will only accept as part of their culture what embodies a living meaning to them and I suppose Kwanzaa doesn’t do that for a majority of African Americans. Noble-minded as it may be, top-down efforts at cultural education by idealist intellectuals rarely take root broadly (cf. Esperanto). Anyhow, the vessel is secondary, it’s the humanitarian principles that matter, whether in Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Neo-Pagan, animistic or non-religious ethical garb. Peace from an old-fashioned universalist liberal…
Well said Tom. It’s so interesting to see how things play out.
Best Wishes.
Anya
While I’ve certainly heard of Kwanzaa I had never known anything about it beyond the name. Thank you for teaching me something today!
It’s interesting that it started the year I was born. I’m African American, but I’ve never celebrated Kwanza. My parents are rather traditional. I always thought I would once I had my own family, but I’m still a single chick! I do like the idea of it.
Fragrance should always be an integral component of celebrations. Marking Kwanzaa with the exclusive Amberess is very gracious. I would love to experience Amberess!
Your Amberess perfume sounds divine!
How neat that all the aromatics in Amberess are from Africa! I didn’t know that. Always something new to learn here. Thank you for your lovely series of posts and the giveaway.
I am loving your posts Anya. Bravo! I am also enjoying the feedback from the other readers.. I don’t know anyone who celebrates Kwanzaa. The 7 Principles are more universal and humanistic than most religious dogma. I would love the opportunity to try your fragrance giveaway, Amberess. Floral Amber. Count me in:)
Hi Anya,
Happy New Year. Interesting post. I didn’t know much about Kwanzaa because I don’t know anyone that celebrates it. Your fragrances sound lovely and I would love to have a chance to sniff Amberess. Love the name, too!
Lisa
Kwanzaa was created by a professor at a college about 4 blocks from where I sit right now in my home: CSU Long Beach. Our church celebrates it, though we do not have a predominantly African American congregation. It is a lovely, lovely time of year, and it would be lovely if we all celebrated such principles.
It woudl also be lovely if I won the Amebress perfume. It sounds magnificent. 🙂
I’m not the “right” nationality, but I would love to be entered in the drawing anyway!
Beautiful. I loved this post. I have often wondered about the history and principles of Kwanzaa. I believe that, in honoring and respecting the practices of others, we can all experience a deeper sense of connection and peace.
I do not know anybody that celebrates Kwanzaa either, but I did know that it is a week long celebration and Celebrates African heritage, unity and culture. I think that is wonderful and I am not familiar with your fragrances Anya so I would love to be entered into the draw to possibly have a chance to test Amberess. Thank you so much.
The concept of Kwanzaa seems very interesting & the perfume inspired by it would be lovely. Thanks for the giveaway.
Anya,
Thank you for being culturally sensitive and introducing Kwanzaa to your readers who were unaware of the celebration. Kwanzaa plays a part in my family traditions. Today is also Boxing Day in the UK. Amberess would be a lovely addition to the festive season.
Kwanzaa is a holiday I had only learned the very basics of. Thank you for fleshing it out and sharing the lovely ideas behind it with us all!
Oh sweet Anya! I just read the story of your beautiful church and your Mom! It sent thoughts of my Beloved Mother to my Heart! She crossed over in 2008 and I still drop a Little tear each day when I think of her! I love her so much and even though I know she is still my Angel, I miss her hand in mine! My spiritual leader asked me to ask her how I will know when she is very near! I asked her that night! The very first thing I saw the next morning was a Beautiful Butterfly! Then I either saw many live Butterflies EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR AN ENTIRE 2 YEARS!
Hi Anya,
I’ve never been to a Kwanzaa celebration or knew anyone who celebrated it. When I was married my ex was interested in perhaps starting it because of her son(whose father is African American).
I also did not know that the aromatics used in Amberess are African.
PS: Typo Correction : Most of the Butterflies were live and a few were pictures, however a Butterfly appeared Every Single Day for 2 years! The edge of the pain slowly became less sharp each year, however missing her never stops! The Butterfly is a symbol of transformation to me! I believe she was saying “I’m still here with you every day my daughter, I just exist in a different form now! She believed in these principles! I love her forever and I’m so grateful that she helped me Heal!
Amberess sounds wonderful:)
I love that the Solstice is a marker for so many holidays – the darkest night of the year slipping into days with more and more light. The way you discuss Kwanzaa’s days unfolding after the solstice, honoring a principal each day, also makes me think of fragrance opening – each pure essential oil revealing its character in harmony with the other oils. I would love to try Amberess, to give it time to open and reveal itself while thinking about each oil coming from Africa. Pondering the varied ways we honor heritage through sensory experiences – holidays are filled with memories rooted in scents, history, food, dreams, legends.
Beautiful post as always, Anya and I have got to learn so much from it. I would love to enter the drawing as half of my roots are African as well.
Love xxx
I hope that Kwanzaa has a revival! I’ve haven’t met anyone who celebrates it and it isn’t much in the media anymore. I think that I’d love your African perfume. Thank you, Anya, for this wonderful blog and giveaways.
The red, black and green candles represent the colors of the Pan African flag. My sister and I hung out at the Ujamaa Center in Tacoma, WA after we returned to the states from the Philippines. I learned all about Kwanzaa there. I actually had a Swahili class in the 9th grade. This was at the height of the Black power movement. While my parent’s principles were certainly in alignment with Kwanzaa, my mother was never one to break tradition. We always celebrated Christmas.
Thank you Anya for giving us an in depth description of Kwanzaa: a holiday I only heard about but was never exposed to… Amberess sounds gorgeous!!
What a wonderful celebration, I’ve never heard of Kwanzaa before. I loved the seven African values. It seems that people around the world celebrate life around winter solstice. I think our winter solstice celebration (that we call “Craciun”) had the same meaning, before it was converted to christianism.
Happy Celebration of Life, dear Anya!
P.S. Amberess is truly amazing, very sexy 🙂
Any positive celebration what ever your nationality, religious views, or orientation is welcome and one to respect and participate in if so desired!
Thank you for this Anya!
Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing this. It is so important to learn about other cultures.
Happy Holidays!!
Another beautiful and informative entry. I love that Kwanzaa honors values, rituals and the harvest. Those ideals seem much more pertinent to me than a story from a book (but then again I’m an atheist and regard our earth as a sacred entity).
Amberess sounds amazing and I would love to try it!
Thank you for your generosity of spirit.
Hi Everyone:
Tamara S. was chosen at random and she is the winner of the 3.5ml of pure Amberess perfume. Thank you everyone, for leaving your comments, because they add to the richness of information being shared.
xoxo,
Anya