- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- recipes today articles
- recipes today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Kwanzaa
A Magical and Meaningful Holiday
By Jennifer Newton Reents
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday observed by more than 28 million people worldwide that celebrates family, community and culture.
The seven-day holiday is observed throughout the world from December 26 through January 1 and is rooted in the ancient African first-fruit harvest celebrations. In Swahili, Kwanzaa means "first fruits."
The modern day holiday, however, began in 1966, developed by African-American activist Maulana Karenga. African-Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so for the same reasons those from other cultures celebrate other holidays – "to teach and reaffirm cultural views, values and practices of a people," says Karenga, who serves as head of the Department of Black Studies at California State University in Long Beach, Calif.
The celebration encompasses five fundamental activities:
- Gathering of family, friends and community
- Reverence for the creator and creation (including thanksgiving and a recommitment to respect the environment and heal the world)
- Commemoration of the past such as honoring ancestors and emulating achievements of African history
- Recommitment to the highest cultural ideals of the African community such as truth, justice, respect of nature and people
- Celebration of the "Good of Life" such as life, struggle, family and community
Kwanzaa is based on the cultural principles of a theory called Kawaida, according to the Kwanzaa Information Center of Norfolk, Va. The premise of the Kawaida theory is that social revolutionary change for blacks in America can be achieved by the act of revealing and disclosing to individuals their cultural heritage.
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||
