Traditions
are like the roots of a tree, foundations on which all life is built upon. Babylon has
eroded many African traditions. Traditions of life, death, and rites of passage celebrated
in America were defined by the conqueror. The winners, or colonizers, write history;
therefore, they choose what special dates to reaffirm. These holidays reveal the
importance and relevance in a society. African-Americans have been denied this
opportunity, denied access to what is needed to perpetuate a higher level of understanding
that will eventually liberate the Black race. Kwanzaa, a holiday celebration based on
agricultural principles of ancient Africa, offers a solution to the imbalance caused by
the Black diaspora. The diaspora is like a tree of branches with no roots—growth has
ceased. The Kwanzaa celebration (practiced worldwide) offers the roots (traditions) that
African-Americans require for continual growth.The Kwanzaa holiday was
created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African-American scholar, to celebrate the best
aspiration of the Black community. Kwanzaa comes from part of a Swahili phrase
"Mantunda Ya Kwanza"—first fruits. The philosophy of the first fruit
celebration or harvest, existed throughout Africa and was first recorded in Ancient Egypt
around 3000 BC.
Kwanzaa, a seven-day celebration, begins on Dec. 26 and is practiced until the
first of the new year. An extra "a" was added on the end of "Kwanza"
to distinguish the African American celebration from the traditional one celebrated in
Africa. The entire week of Kwanzaa is shadowed by Nguzo Saba; the seven principles of
Kwanzaa, and each principle is given a day of meditation. The seven principles: Unity
(Umoja), Self-Determination (Kujichagulia), Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima),
Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa), Purpose (Nia), Creativity (Kuumba) and Faith (Imani) are
the offshoots from the core stem called Kawaida, an ancient African philosophy of the
first fruit celebrations.
The first fruit celebration is called by different names in various regions
throughout Africa. The Ashanti names include Afahye or Odwira and in Yoruba, Eje Oro
Olofin or Odun Ijesu. These festivals are more commonly called "New Yam
Festivals" (harvesting of the first yam). Although the names vary from different
regions of Africa, the five underlying philosophies (Kawaida) are the same:
1) ingathering, 2) reverence, 3) commemoration, 4) recommitment, 5) celebration.
These five principles are the roots from which the African-American holiday,
Kwanzaa, sprang. The first root, "Ingathering of the People" is a traditional
practice and value system from Africa, which pertains to people coming together in
celebration of crops and the community. According to Karenga: "It is a harvesting of
people; bringing together the most valuable fruits or products of the nation, it is a
living human harvest i.e. the people themselves." Ingathering of the people also
reinforces the collective work ethic principle, which is fundamental in agricultural
societies. Harvesting the fruits and preparing the ground to seed again, all occur on the
basis of a communal system. Everyone in the community is involved in the happy occasion;
family living far away return to celebrate with loved ones. Historically, the first fruit
celebration was a collective time for renewal, forgetting past offenses and looking toward
a bright future.
The second root stems from the value system and practice of "Reverence for
the Creator and Creation." Ingathering of the People is a way to give praise to the
Almighty being, the one responsible for creation of the first fruits. The first fruit
celebration was an opportunity for one to show appreciation for nature and to give thanks
for continued fertility (of the land and race). African sacred science is based on a
belief that bountifulness required the right relationship with God. In other words, it was
a way to harmonize with nature, and establish equilibrium between the divine, the natural
and the human experience.
A third root of the seven principles of Kwanzaa is "Commemoration of the
Past." Commemoration of the past is another common code of ethics that was seen
throughout African first fruit celebrations. This important ritual involves libations. A
liquid (like wine) is poured out as an offering to the ancestors. Rituals performed in
honor of the ancestors, according to Karenga, "is to honor the blessed ones who have
achieved immortality based on their good and righteous life on earth."
The fourth common root among African first fruits celebration demonstrates
"Recommitment to Cultural Ideals," Culture encompasses all learned traditions:
values, practices and religions. Recommitment to cultural ideas supports the notion of
reaffirming oneself and reaffirming what is good in the universe. Traditionally, African
first fruit festivals were times for renewing family, community, and spirit. According to
Karenga, this renewal of cultural and spiritual good benefits humans and satisfies the
Creator.
The final root common to all African first fruit celebrations, which give rise
to the ideas of Kwanzaa, is based on a "Celebration of Good." According to
Karenga, these celebrations have been a time for ceremonies, observances, honoring and
praising, dancing, singing, celebrating the creator and creation, in other words all that
is good. Elements used in celebration of Kwanzaa include:
The Crops (Mazao), symbolic representing the reward of hard work.
The Mat (Mkeka), symbolic representing our interwoven history.
The Candle Holder (Kinara), symbolic of our roots, our ancestors in Africa and
those who have had died in the struggle for liberation.
The Corn (Muhindi), symbolic of our children.
The Seven candles (Mishumaa Saba), symbolic of the Nguzo Saba (one candle is
lighted each day to represent one of the principles).
The Unity Cup (Kikombe cha Umoja), representing unity and the Gifts (Zawadi)
symbolic of the relationship between parent and child.
Kwanzaa is a joyous spiritual festival, revealing all the good elements of life
that will break the oppressors hold on the minds of the victims of the black diaspora if
practiced faithfully. Remember the words of Marcus Garvey, and look towards Africa. For
more information on Kwanzaa visit: http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/
Respect. A
