Aiken County man celebrates Kwanzaa through the generations

Dec. 25—Growing up as a child in Charleston, Wayne O'Bryant remembers celebrating Kwanzaa.

From the red, black and green candles on the kinara to African attire like a dashiki, O'Bryant looks forward to celebrating the holiday that has been passed through his family for generations.

After celebrating Christmas, O'Bryant looks forward to Kwanzaa with his family and community each year because not only does it celebrate unity, but he learns more about his African roots.

"I have been doing it most of all my life," O'Bryant said.

The African-American, non-religious holiday was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maluana Karenga, who wanted to look for ways to bring the community together after the 1965 Watts riots, according to History.com.

The holiday is held from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and celebrates a different principle each day. A different candle is lighted each day to represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa which are unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility, (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani).

O'Bryant said the seven principals are the heart of Kwanzaa. The holiday also has seven symbols which include candles, corn and more.

Various words and phrases spoken during the holiday are spoken in Swahili, O'Bryant said.

The idea of the holiday is to have something positive and going back to their African roots, O'Bryant said.

As a child, he remembers celebrating how his mom introduced him to the holiday and how they would celebrate it. He remembers his mom lighting the candles on the kinara and learning about each principle.

"We were familiar with it even though we didn't know the deep significance of each symbol, but she would have the candles and the kinara out," he said.

O'Bryant said once he became an adult, he started to teach his children about the holiday and would look for Kwanzaa programs across the area. For the last couple of years, O'Bryant has been holding Kwanzaa events at the Bec Plex off Jefferson Davis Highway in North Augusta.

During those events, he stresses the importance of applying the principles of Kwanzaa should be included in people's daily lives and not just during the week of Kwanzaa, O'Bryant said.

"They need to actually practice those principles throughout the year and then they can build from what you have learned throughout the year," he said.

O'Bryant said for some celebrations like Kwanzaa to continue it is important for older generations to teach the younger generations those traditions.

He said the true meaning of the holiday is the community coming together and for the Black community to learn about their culture since it isn't taught in schools.

"Even now it is lacking, so we have always had to learn Black history outside by doing things like Kwanzaa and Black History month, which focuses on learning more about your African roots," he said.

On Dec. 26, O'Bryant will live stream the celebration on Facebook for the community.