Kwanzaa

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What holiday comes to mind when I mention the month of December? Christmas? HANUKKAH (or CHANUKAH)? Kwanzaa? Have you heard of KWANZAA? Kwanzaa
is a holiday that celebrates African American culture. You don’t have to be African American to celebrate it. Think of the Irish holiday, Saint Patrick’s Day. Just like
Saint Patrick’s is celebrated globally by people who aren’t Irish. People who aren’t African American can celebrate Kwanzaa, also! Let’s learn more about Kwanzaa!

Spell holiday Christmas celebrate Irish
In America, what is the season these holidays take place? Winter
What is the holiday we are learning about today? Kwanzaa (kwanza)
Which culture does Kwanzaa celebrate? African American
Tell me one of the holidays I mentioned that occurs in December. (Hanukkah (Chanukah), Kwanzaa, Christmas)
What is an Irish holiday I mentioned? Saint Patrick’s Day
Irish come from which country? Ireland

In America, there was a time of civil unrest where racial DISCRIMINATION and protests prevailed across the country. In an effort to pull the African communities together, a professor of African American studies at the California State University named MAULANA KARENGA created a holiday called Kwanzaa in 1966. During the festival, the community takes the time to gather as a family, and reflect on the REVERENCE (respect) of the creator and creation, COMMEMORATION of the past lessons from ancestors, and recommitment of cultural ideals for best practices. The celebration lasts seven days, beginning each year on December 26 through the first day in January.

Spell Kwanzaa holiday unity ancestors.
Which year was Kwanzaa introduced? 1966
How many years ago was 1966? 52 (2018 – 1966)
Who created this holiday? Maulana Karenga
What was the occupation of Maulana Karenga? Professor
At which university? California State university
What department did he teach? African American Studies
What month and day does Kwanzaa begin? December 26
What month and day does Kwanzaa end? January 1
How many days is Kwanzaa celebrated? Seven days
Why was this holiday created? (Pull African American community together)
Name one example of what people do during the festival. (Gathering as a family, and reflecting on reverence of the creator and creation, the commemoration of the past lessons from ancestors, and recommitment of cultural ideals for best practices)

The name is Kwanzaa comes from the SWAHILI (most commonly spoken African language) phrase ‘MATUNDA YA KWANZA,’ which means ‘first fruits.’ ‘First fruits’ refer to the first harvest celebration started in Africa in ancient times. During these harvest celebrations, people would pray in thanksgiving for the harvested crops, family, and other thankful things to sustain life.

Spell fruits harvest thanksgiving sustain
What does the name Kwanzaa mean? First fruits
Which language is “matunda ya kwanza”? Swahili
First fruits refer to the first ___________ started in Africa. (harvest celebrations)
According to the passage, when was the very first-time harvest celebrations or the first fruits taking place in Africa? Ancient times
People pray in ___________ for crops, family, and things needed to sustain life. Thanksgiving
What are people thankful for? (Harvested crops, family, things to sustain life)

Dr. Karenga took ideas from various African cultures and some new ideas to come up with a neat celebration called Kwanzaa. The meaning of Kwanzaa, the time period it takes place in, and the agricultural celebration of Kwanzaa are taken from that of the South African ZULU tribe. One of the GHANAIAN (which refers to things from Ghana) ASHANTI traditions that Dr. Karenga borrowed is the Day of Meditation and Reflection on Self and Faith. Another tradition one cannot forget at a festival is a feast! During Kwanzaa, a big feast called KARAMU is held on the last day of the year with various traditional African dishes such as yam, groundnut stew, pinto beans, and rice. One new custom was added where children are given meaningful handmade gifts that remind them of their heritage.

Spell ancient African celebration handmade.
Name a country ideas of Kwanzaa are borrowed from. South Africa, Ghana
Zulu tribe is from which country? South Africa
Ashanti tribe is from which country? Ghana
What is a tradition taken from Ashanti? Day of meditation/reflection
What is the big feast called? Karamu
Which day does Karamu take place? December 31
What is a dish I mentioned was served in karma? Yam, groundnut stew, pinto beans, and rice
Which new idea did Dr. Karenga add to Kwanzaa that did not come from an African tradition? Gift giving
How did Dr. Karenga come up with Kwanzaa? Used various African ideas and some new.

The symbols of Kwanzaa are African harvest symbols like ears of dried corn, colorfully woven tablecloths, and a wooden candle holder called a KINARA. The Kinara holds seven candles, three red ones on the left and three green ones on the right, with a black candle in the center. The center candle is black and signifies unity. Each day a child lights one candle. The black center candle is lit first, and then it alternates between the red and green candles, starting with the ones on the outside and moving inwards. This is quite similar to the lighting of the MENORAH in the Jewish Festival of Lights, HANUKKAH.

Spell black, red, and green candles.
Who lights the candles? A child
What is the wooden candle holder called? Kinara
How many candles does the Kinara hold? 7
What is the color of the candle in the center? Black
After you light the black candle in the center, you ______ lighting between the red and green candles on each side. Alternate
The Kinara is similar to the candles of another festival of which religion? Jewish
What do Jewish call the candles they light? Menorah
What is an example of one symbol of Kwanzaa mentioned in the passage? Ears of dried corn, colorfully woven tablecloths, candleholders.

Each candle signifies something different. The first candle, called KUGICHAGULIA, is lit on the first day and signifies UNITY, the second UJAMAA is SELF DETERMINATION, the third KUUMBA is collective work and responsibility, fourth UMOJA is building COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS (building business to profit all together), fifth UJIMA is sharing of purpose, sixth NIA is creativity, seventh IMANI is sharing of faith. During Kwanzaa, families do activities that reflect the seven values in order each day. Understanding these values and learning about one’s origin play an important factor in understanding oneself.

Spell: Share Reflection Values Origin
Each ____________ signifies something different. (candle)
Which language is Kugichgulia, ujamaa, kuumba, etc., in? (SWAHILI)
Understanding these values and learning about one’s ________ plays an important factor in understanding __________. (origin, oneself)
What is one of the seven values? (Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, sharing of purpose, creativity, sharing of faith)
How are the seven principles celebrated during Kwanzaa? (families reflect different values in order each day)

Creative Writing:
We learned about the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Pick one of these principles and share what it means to you.

VAKT
Now that we learned about Kwanzaa and the significance of Kinara to African communities let’s all make our own Kwanzaa bracelets.
Directions: Get green, red, and black beads and a string to make Kwanzaa bracelets. You can poke the symbolization of each bead before the kids put their bead on the string to work fine motor! Refer to the picture below for an example.

Resources:
http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/origins1.shtml
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/kwanzaa-history
https://www.pinterest.com/stevenjebo/indian-corn/