What
is Kwanzaa?
from The Story of Kwanzaa, by Donna L. Washington
Kwanzaa
is an American festival based upon the celebration of seven principles or
beliefs
called the Nguzo Saba. There are seven days in Kwanzaa, one principle for
each day. Kwanzaa is celebrated once a year, but the principles of Nguzo
Saba are important for every day.
Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an important participant in the civil rights movement. Kwanzaa means first fruits in Swahili, a language spoken in much of Africa. Dr. Karenga chose Swahili words for Kwanzaa so that African Americans would remember that all of Africa is their ancestral land, not just one country.
Greetings:
Many
people start the nightly celebrations by asking "Habari gani?" which means
"What's the news?"
The response is the Nguzo Saba of the day.
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