Celebrating Kwanzaa

Aida Mallard
·3 min read

Celebrate family, community, culture and make new friends at “Celebrate Kwanzaa 2021” with the lighting of the candles that represent the principles of Kwanzaa.

the seven principles, speakers, music, poetry, food and lots of mingling.

NKWanda Jah recites a poem in front of the seven lit candles during a community Kwanzaa Celebration at the Wilhelmina Johnson Center hosted by the Cultural Arts Coalition several years ago in Gainesville. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is focused on one of the seven traditional principles including unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith [File photo by Matt Stamey/Special to The Guardian]

Faye Williams, community activist and founder of Music, Art, Movement, Action Club (M.A.M.A.'s Club) will present "Celebrate Kwanzaa” by providing a platform on her M.A.M.A,’s Club website for the community at large to share information about the Kwanzaa events they will be hosting.

Kwanzaa is observed annually from Dec. 26 - Jan. 1.

The holiday was created in 1965 by Maulana Karenga as a way for African Americans to reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage. Mulanga ,80, is a professor of Africana studies, activist and author and he chairs the Africana Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach.

The week-long celebration is centered on seven principles. They are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

According to Kwanzaa aficionados, the holiday celebration is not political or religious in nature, They say it was created to foster pride and unity among African-Americans. It’s a week-long celebration honoring universal African-American heritage, family life and culture.

During Kwanzaa, families, organizations, individuals and others have their own Kwanzaa traditions that include lighting of the candles with the principles, discussion of the principles, traditional dinner, speakers, music, poetry and other unifying traditions.

Below are scheduled Kwanzaa events in the Gainesville area:

• The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center will celebrate the Kwanzaa principle of umoja (unity) to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. It will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday at the center, 837 SE Seventh Ave.

The public is invited to come and learn more about Kwanzaa, get wisdom from the elders, participate in games. create crafts. enjoy entertainment, sing songs. win prizes and more.

“The CCMCC is joining organizations all over the city in this week-long affirmation of our culture,” Vivian Filer, founder of the CCMCC, said via email. “ The seven principles of Kwanzaa are designed to unite and empower African-American people. We see ourselves as one community equally prepared to join together in validation of the unique qualities we bring to the community.”

• Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility: A discussion focused on Sankofa, financial wellness, education, health, housing and social issues will be held from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at Greater Bethel AME Church, 701 SE 43rd St. Hosted by AyokaGifts International African Cultural Center, it will be held in person and virtually.

For more information, call 352-485-2079.

• The public is invited to participate in the M.A.M.A.'s Club Celebrate Kwanzaa discussion from 3-5 p.m. Dec. 29 at Shady Grove Primitive Baptist Church, 804 SW Fifth St. The discussion will be led by Gainesville City Commission District 1 Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker.

• A discussion of the principle of ujamaa, which focuses on cooperative economics, will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 30 via Zoom.

For more information, email nathanrossinc@gmail.com.

• "Gainesville Umoja Conference: From Confusion to Clarity. What’s the Answer to Gun Violence? Village Talk" will be held from 6:30–8:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at the GTEC Building, 2153 SE Hawthorne Road # 101. (Hosted by Dr.K.A. Shakoor, of AUM & Cheron Hampton of ICE CREATIONS GRAPHICS).

• Principle Ujamaa: Cooperative Economics Discussion via ZOOM. It will be held at 6 p.m. Dec.30. Contact Nathan Ross, Inc. nathanrossinc@gmail.com

• "Kwanzaa: Restoring our Families and Neighborhoods" will be held from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Dec. 30 at 2106 NE Eighth Ave. It will focus on the principle of Nia (purpose), and will feature music, games, freebies and food.

For more information, call 352-216-6619 or email contact@chanaejackson.com.

• The Rev. Ron Rawls of Greater Bethel AME Church will host a:"A Conversation on Faith and Community Kwanzaa Celebrations" at 5 p.m. Jan. 1 at the church, 701 SE 43rd St.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Celebrating Kwanzaa