Kwanzaa

American  

[kwahn-zuh] / ˈkwɑn zə /

Or Kwanza

noun

plural

Kwanzaas

1. a harvest festival celebrated from December 26th until January 1st in some African American communities.

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Kwanzaa British  

/ ˈkwænzɑː /

noun

1. a seven-day festival beginning on Dec 26 when African-Americans celebrate family, community, and culture

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Usage

What is Kwanzaa? Kwanzaa is a holiday in celebration of African heritage and Black culture and values that’s observed from December 26 to January 1.It is primarily observed by African Americans in the U.S. but is also celebrated in some other countries by members of the African diaspora—those whose ancestors came from Africa. Kwanzaa is an Afrocentric holiday but is not typically observed in Africa itself.As part of its celebration of the values of family and community, Kwanzaa has seven principles, each of which is named with a word in the African language of Swahili:

• umoja (unity)
• kujichagulia (self-determination)
• ujima (collective work and responsibility)
• ujamaa (cooperative economics)
• nia (purpose)
• kuumba (creativity)
• imani (faith)

Observation of Kwanzaa often includes the discussion of these principles along with daily lighting of a candle representing one of them. The seven candles (three green, one black, and three red, representing the traditional colors of Africa) are held in a candleholder called a kinara. The kinara and the candles it holds are two of the seven symbols of Kwanzaa, which also include a sampling of crops (fruits and vegetables), ears of corn, gifts, a ceremonial cup (kikombe cha umoja), and a mat on which all of these items are usually displayed during the holiday.Celebrations of Kwanzaa vary, but they often include family gatherings, music, and storytelling. A feast (karamu) is held on December 31.In the U.S., Kwanzaa is considered part of what’s known as the holiday season—the period that starts on Thanksgiving and continues until New Year’s Day and also includes the holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.Although it occurs around other religious wintertime holidays, Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, though some may observe it as a spiritual one. Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa also celebrate other holidays that fall around the same time, including Christmas.Example: Every Kwanzaa, my grandmother tells the story of our ancestors and our homeland in Nigeria.

Etymology

Origin of Kwanzaa

First recorded in 1965–70; from Swahili kwanza “first, firstly”; short for matunda ya kwanza, “first fruits (of the harvest)” (the spelling -za was changed to -zaa to lengthen the word so that each of the seven children who were first taught the festival would have their own letter)

Example Sentences

Jordan, who was on the show as a child, will be part of a Kwanzaa segment.

From Los Angeles Times

Salon recently spoke with Dr. Harris about the republishing of her book, her personal Kwanzaa traditions, the significance of Carla Hall’s involvement and more.

From Salon

Musical groups touch on jazz, klezmer, reggae, polka, gospel and more, as the festivities strive to reflect Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other cultural traditions, this year delves deeper into Southern California’s Filipino and Aztec communities.

From Los Angeles Times

The holidays were almost here: Christmas and Chanukah and Kwanzaa!

From Literature

Kwanzaa, which starts on December 26, stands alone.

From National Geographic