Today is the first day of the Kwanzaa Celebration.
In my sister's words, "following the most important religious celebration—the birth of Christ—Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, community, self growth, and ancestor remembrance and appriciation."
Wikipedia describes Kwanzaa as "an annual celebration of African-American culture that is held from December 26 to January 1, culminating in gift-giving and a feast of faith, called Karamu Ya Imani. It was created by Maulana Karenga and first celebrated in 1966."
According to the official Kwanzaa website, Kwanzaa is an African-American and pan-African which celebrates family, community, and culture. The 2021 theme "Ensuring the well-being of the World", reminds us to be concerned about and to care for those around us.
Kwanzaa Principles:
- Unity
- Self-Determination
- Collective Work and Responsibility
- Cooperative Economics
- Purpose
- Creativity
- Faith
Click Kwanzaa to learn more.
Photo: courtesy of my sister Zakkyyah Abdullah