What does kwanzaa

The mishumaa saba seven candles stand for the Seven Principles. The muhindi are the ears of corn which represent the offspring children of the stalk parents of the house. The zawadi gifts represent the fruits of the labor of the parents and the rewards of seeds sown by the children.

During the celebration of Kwanzaa, it is customary to greet friends and family with the Swahili phrase, "Habari gani", meaning, "What is the news? Umoja, for example, is the response given on December 26th. Fasting, or abstaining from food, is often done during Kwanzaa, as a means of cleansing of the mind, soul, and spirit. The candlelighting ceremony, central to the celebration of Kwanzaa, takes place at a time when all members of the family are present.

Children are encouraged to take an active role in all activities. Freebase 0. Matched Categories Festival. How to pronounce Kwanzaa? Alex US English. David US English. Mark US English. Daniel British. Libby British. Mia British. Karen Australian. Hayley Australian. Natasha Australian. Veena Indian. The kinara and the candles it holds are two of the seven symbols of Kwanzaa, which also include a sampling of crops fruits and vegetables , ears of corn, gifts, a ceremonial cup kikombe cha umoja , and a mat on which all of these items are usually displayed during the holiday.

Celebrations of Kwanzaa vary, but they often include family gatherings, music, and storytelling. A feast karamu is held on December In the U. Although it occurs around other religious wintertime holidays, Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, though some may observe it as a spiritual one.

Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa also celebrate other holidays that fall around the same time, including Christmas. Example: Every Kwanzaa, my grandmother tells the story of our ancestors and our homeland in Nigeria.

Kwanzaa was created in the s by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African American scholar and activist. It's a seven-day non-religious holiday observed in the US, meant to honor African Americans' ancestral roots. The celebration lasts until January 1. The name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits. Created in by Maulana Karenga, a black nationalist and professor of Pan-African studies at California State University at Long Beach, Kwanzaa became popular in the s and s in tandem with the black power movement -- making up the trio of winter holidays along with Hanukkah and Christmas.

The holiday is defined by Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Each day of the festival is dedicated to a specific principle, marked by lighting a new candle on the kinara, a seven-branched candelabra.