meaning “first,” from the Swahili phrasematunda ya kwanza, adding the seventh letter, an extraa, to make the word long enough to accommodate one letter for each of the seven children present at an early celebration. (The name Kwanzaa is not itself a Swahili word.) The concept of Kwanzaa...
Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kwanzaa derives its name from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning "first fruits". An additional "a" was added to Swahili...
The original Swahili word meaning "first" isKwanza. Dr. Karenga added another"A"to the word =Kwanzaabecause he wanted the word to have 7 letters. Why? Because 7 is a number of great symbolic value in the African culture. And therefore he also made it a 7-day celebration (because most...
These three colors were important symbols in ancient Africa that gained new recognition through the efforts of Marcus Garvey's Black Nationalist movement. Green is for the fertile land of Africa; black is for the color of the people; and red is the for the blood that is shed in the ...
Kwanzaa is aPan-African holiday, meaning that it is meant to unite people of African descent, wherever in the world they live. It runs fromDecember 26 through January 1. Unlike Christmas and Hanukkah, which are religious holidays, Kwanzaa is acultural holiday(in fact, many people celebrate bot...
Palm Oil (also called Dende in the Caribbean):Palm oil comes in a variety of strengths and colors, ranging from a deep red-orange to almost transparent. The more color there is, the higher the nutrient content will be, so choose unrefined red palm oil whenever you buy it. Some people...
colors of green, black, and red are reminiscent of the African heritage, making it an ideal choice for Kwanzaa celebrations or any African-themed event. The intricate printed pattern featuring the Seven Principles Kwanzaa motifs serves as a beautiful centerpiece, enhancing the spiritual meaning of ...
Kwanzaawas created in the 1960s by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African American scholar and activist. He coined the nameKwanzaafrom theSwahiliwordkwanza, meaning “first,” from the phrasematunda ya kwanza, meaning “first fruits (of the harvest).” The extraaat the end of the word is said ...
The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” meaning “first fruits” in Swahili. Swahili is considered a pan-African language, and also happens to be the most widely spoken language in Africa. Basing the language of the holiday in Swahili represents unity throughout the African...
unity. Point out that the colors are the same as those in the Bendera Ya Taifa, the African-American flag designed by Marcus Garvey in the early 1900s. Invite students to investigate the meaning of the colors and images in the United States flag and in other flags from around the world...