KWANZAA is a non-religious holiday founded by Dr. Maulana Karenga. It derives its name from the African harvest celebartion and the phrase, "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits" in Swahili. Kwanzaa builds on the five fundamental activities of Continental African "first fruit" celebrations: ingathering; reverence; commemoration; recommitment; and celebration.
Kwanzaa was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor, Department of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach,in the midst of the Black Freedom Movement and thus reflects its concern for cultural groundedness in thought and practice, and the unity and self-determination associated with this. It was conceived and established to serve several functions.
First, Kwanzaa was created to reaffirm and restore our rootedness in African culture. It is, therefore, an expression of recovery and reconstruction of African culture which was being conducted in the general context of the Black Liberation Movement of the '60's and in the specific context of The Organization Us, the founding organization of Kwanzaa and the authoritative keeper of its tradition. Secondly, Kwanzaa was created to serve as a regular communal celebration to reaffirm and reinforce the bonds between African-Americans as a people. It was designed to be an ingathering to strengthen community and reaffirm common identity, purpose and direction as a people and a world community. Thirdly, Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce the Nguzo Saba (the Seven Principles.) These seven communitarian African values are:
- Umoja (Unity)
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith).
This stress on the Nguzo Saba was at the same time an emphasis on the importance of African values of community in general, which stress family, community and culture and speak to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense.
The symbols associated with Kwanzaa are:
Mazao (The Crops)
These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.
Mkeka (The Mat)
This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.
Kinara (The Candle Holder)
This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people -- continental Africans.
Muhindi (The Corn)
This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.
Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles)
These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.
Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup)
This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.
Zawadi (The Gifts) *I LOVE the Zawadi!!*
These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.
Greetings during Kwanzaa are in Sawhili.
Usually a person will say "Habari gani?" or "what's the word?" and a person will answer with the word corresponding with that particular day of Kwanzaa (ex. Umoja).
Please be advised that this is NOT a religious holiday but rather a Cultural one.
Hope that answered all your questions.