`FIRST FRUITS'; MILLIONS TO CELEBRATE KWANZAA FESTIVAL TODAY.Byline: John Sanders John Sanders is the name of
Itbari Zulu has been celebrating the African-American holiday Kwanzaa for nearly 30 years, but the one marking the new millennium may seem extra special. ``This whole 100 years is important and Kwanzaa is a part of that,'' Zulu said. ``And I think it's good that people know that a holiday tradition came out of the African-American experience that people celebrate yearly.'' Today marks the beginning of Kwanzaa, started in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chair of the Department of Black Studies at California State University Enrollment  , Long Beach. His goal was to revitalize and promote African-American culture. Celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, Kwanzaa is based on the agricultural celebrations of Africa called ``the first fruits'' celebrations which were times of harvest, ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment re·com·mit tr.v. re·com·mit·ted, re·com·mit·ting, re·com·mits 1. To commit again. 2. To refer (proposed legislation, for example) to a committee again. and celebration. Each day in the festival is named for a value or principal: unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa Ujamaa was the concept that formed the basis of Julius Nyerere's social and economic development policies in Tanzania just after it gained independence from Britain in 1964. ), purpose (Nia), creativity (Kuumba) and faith (Imani). Zulu, head of the African-American studies library at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , said his family and others will celebrate Kwanzaa by spending each night at a different family's house. Each night they will celebrate the festival's particular principle. Zulu said his house will be used to celebrate the first principle, ``unity.'' A typical night of celebration would include a welcome speech, with everyone seated in a circle. Then a libation li·ba·tion n. 1. a. The pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual. b. The liquid so poured. 2. Informal a. A beverage, especially an intoxicating beverage. b. ceremony would be performed, followed by an acknowledgment of ancestors and elders. The symbols of Kwanzaa would be explained, then the seven principles of Kwanzaa, followed by the lighting of the candles. A motivational speaker A motivational speaker is a professional speaker, facilitator or trainer who speaks to audiences, usually for a fee. The keynote speech generally takes place either at the beginning of the event, or the close of the event. will talk about the particular principle of the night. Then the unity cup is passed around and explained. The feast then begins, with guests enjoying the dishes that everyone brought. Zulu, 46, said the feast can include anything from fruits to a Kenyan bread known as mandazi to Nigerian black-eyed peas to a popular dish in Senegal called jollof rice Jollof rice, also called 'Benachin' meaning one pot in the Jollof language, is a popular dish all over West Africa. Its base consists of rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt, and chili pepper, to which optional ingredients can be added such as vegetables, meats, . ``I'm excited about this year,'' Zulu said. ``It's different every year.'' Kwanzaa is like Christmas in that presents are given to the children on the last day, but unlike Christmas it is a cultural holiday, not a religious one. ``I think it's more widespread than it was before,'' he said. ``There's about 6 million people that actually celebrate Kwanzaa.'' The U.S. Postal Service The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) processes and delivers mail to individuals and businesses within the United States. The service seeks to improve its performance through the development of efficient mail-handling systems and operates its own planning and engineering programs. has printed a Kwanzaa stamp, triggering more people's curiosity about the festival, he said. For more information on Kwanzaa, contact (310) 281-9772. THE SYMBOLS OF KWANZAA 1) Mazao (crops) - symbolic of the traditional harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor. 2) Mkeka (mat) - symbolic of tradition and history and thus, the foundation on which African Americans build. 3) Kinara (candleholder can·dle·hold·er n. A candlestick. ) - symbolic of African-American roots: continental Africans. 4) Muhindi (corn) - symbolic of African-American children and the future they embody. 5) Zawadi (gifts) - symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children. 6) Kikombe Cha Umoja (unity cup) - symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible. 7) Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles) - symbolic of the seven principles, the matrix and minimum set of values by which black people must live in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. their own needs. SOURCE: Maulana Karenga, `The African American Holiday of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture.'' CAPTION(S): Photo, box PHOTO Itibari Zulu, right, and his son Togba, 12, will celebrate the festival of Kwanzaa, which begins today. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: The Symbols of Kwanzaa (see text) |
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