Kwanzaa

According to Wikipedia.org, Ron Karenga created Kwanzaa in California in 1966, during his leadership of the black nationalist United Slaves Organization, in order to give African Americans an alternative holiday to Christmas. The holiday celebrates the "Seven Principles of Kwanzaa," which are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purposes, creativity and faith. There are a number of ritual items that are intrinsic to the celebration of Kwanzaa. And although the founders of Kwanzaa consider commercialization of the holiday to be against the spirit of the holiday, there are a number of Kwanzaa-themed items are available as well.

Ritual Items

There are seven ritual items associated with Kwanzaa, plus two supplemental items. Gifts, one of the seven items, are discussed in the section below.

Mkeka  (Mat) Symbolic of tradition and history; the foundation.	Kinara  (Candleholder) Symbolic of historic roots and ties to the African peoples.	Mishumaa Saba  (Candles) Symbolic of the seven principles; reflect the colors of the pan-African flag.	Kikombe cha Umoja  (Unity Cup) Symbolic of the unity which makes everything else possible.

Muhindi  (Corn) Symbolic of children and the future. Each family needs one ear of corn for each child. If there are no children in the family, one ear of corn represents the children of the community.	Mazao (Crops) Symbolic of the African harvest and the rewards of collective labor. Some fruits native to Africa include the horned melon,  tamarind,  musk melons,  honeydew melons  and cucumber.  Bananas, plantains, mangoes, peaches, and other warm-weather fruits are also popular.	Bendera  (Flag) Pan-African colors. A supplemental symbol of Kwanzaa.	Nguzo Saba Poster  (Seven Principles Poster) A supplemental symbol of Kwanzaa.

Gifts

Gifts are one of the traditional Kwanzaa items and symbolize the care that parents have for their children.  Although gifts are more variable than most of the ritual items used in a Kwanzaa celebration, there are a few things that are traditional and symbolic.

Books

One of the two necessary gifts for Kwanzaa is a book, to symbolize continued learning and the importance of education. Although the main idea is that the book should be educational, you may want to choose books about African history, heritage, and culture. When giving a book to a child, consider getting a book that is slightly above his or her reading level. Reading a more challenging book together can become a shared family experience, and this way the book can be "grown into" rather than something that will be seen as childish in just a few months.

Children's Books  There are a number of books written for children of all ages about Kwanzaa.	Biographies Biographies are a great way for children of all ages to learn about African and African-American leaders in politics, science, civil rights, music, and sports.	History Books  Older children and young adults may enjoy reading books about ancient African civilizations  or the history of Africans in the United States.

Heritage Symbols

The other traditional Kwanzaa gift is a heritage symbol. These are very varied and can be art, jewelry, or almost anything else symbolic of African cultures.

Ankh Jewelry  Ancient Egyptian symbol for life.	African Sculpture	African Music  Traditional,  modern,  jazz.  For information about music from all parts of Africa, check out AfricanMusic.org.	African Clothing  Might be a better choice for a teenager, who won't outgrow new clothing by next year.

Related Items

Stickers	Greeting Cards	Cookbooks  and Craft Books	Picture Frames	Decorations

External Links

• The Official Kwanzaa Web site
• MelaNet -- Kwanzaa Information Center.
• Queens Library -- a few links to Kwanzaa celebration suggestions.
• Holiday.net -- an explanation of many of the symbols of Kwanzaa.
• Amazon -- a Listmania list of books for Kwanzaa.
• African Music Encyclopedia -- artists from all over the continent of Africa, in all genres.