Celebrating Our Heritage
Greetings and welcome to the African American Dance Ensemble's Kwanzaa Fest page! We are delighted to see you as a part of our community.
We honor the seven principles of Nguzo Saba, fostering a space where cultural awareness and community celebration thrive together.
History of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a yearly celebration that honors African-American and Pan-African culture, taking place from December 26th to January 1st.
Creation and Purpose: Established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach, Kwanzaa emerged during the Black Freedom Movement. Karenga's goal was to create a holiday for African Americans to recognize and celebrate their unique history and culture, distinct from Christmas.
Origin of the Name: The term "Kwanzaa" is derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which translates to "first fruits," symbolizing the holiday's roots in African harvest traditions.
Roots in African Harvest Festivals: Kwanzaa is inspired by a variety of ancient and contemporary African celebrations of the "first fruits," including those of the Ashanti and Zulu communities. The holiday revolves around five key activities that are integral to these celebrations: ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration.
The Seven Principles
Nguzo Saba: The foundational pillars of our heritage and collective growth.
Umoja
Unity: We stand together as one family, united in our shared heritage and purpose
Ujamaa
Cooperative Economics: Supporting, building, and maintaining Black-owned businesses to profit and thrive together.
Kujichagulia
Self-Determination: Defining, naming, creating, and speaking for ourselves rather than being defined by others.
Nia
Purpose: Looking inward and outward to set collective goals that restore the community to its traditional greatness.
Imani
Faith: Believing with all our heart in our people, parents, teachers, and leaders, as well as the victory of our righteous struggle.
Ujima
Collective Work and Responsibility: Building community together, making our peers' problems our problesm and solving them collectively.
Kuumba
Creativity: Utilizing creative and artistic endeavors to leave the community more beautiful and beneficial than it was inherited.
