LANCASTER – African American residents in the Antelope Valley came together Tuesday for the annual Kwanzaa celebration and potluck at the Center for Spiritual Living in Lancaster.
“We’re just individuals in the community that come together and want to celebrate Kwanzaa in our community,” said Palmdale resident Laneay London.
The event, now in its third year, was founded by Nannette Barrie, who relocated from the San Francisco Bay area, found no Kwanzaa celebrations in the Antelope Valley, and decided to start her own.
“I just felt like we needed to do it,” said Barrie.
“No one gave us permission and we didn’t ask permission; we just saw a need and filled the need,” said guest speaker Jaamal Brown. “I think that’s what we need more in our community, folks stepping out and manifesting positive things that represent the best of who we are.”
Kwanzaa, an annual week-long festival that takes place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, was created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture, which contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture among African American people, according to literature distributed at the event.
The seven values are called Nguzo Saba, which is Swahili for the seven principles. Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the seven principles.
Umoja (Unity)- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith)
Tuesday’s local celebration fell on the second day of Kwanzaa; therefore, the event was dedicated to Kujichagulia (Swahili for ‘self-determination’).
“It’s about defining ourselves for ourselves,” said Brown.
The event began with opening remarks by Barrie and Willie Jenkins, followed by the singing of the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Customary to Kwanzaa celebrations, there was a ceremonial candle lighting and then the pouring of tambiko (libation) to ancestors.
The program closed with the traditional Harambee Chant (pulling together, working together).
No, Mr. Ace Carter, the proponents of the African American Holiday known as Kwanzaa DO NOT celebrate Kwanzaa in deference to any deity. Kwanzaa – just as Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, and other NON-RELIGIOUS holidays, is a CULTURAL CELEBRATION of THANKSGIVING and CULTURAL VALUES to which all decent, people throughout the world subscribe.
Kwanzaa is a celebration which espouses the family values of unity, independence, working together, shared responsibility for the entire community -economic self-sufficiency-, recognition of an individual’s mission or purpose in life and acknowledgement of the fact that since we are all created in the image, and likeness of God – we are all imbued and endowed with the capacity to exercise unlimited creativity. Lastly, the celebration of Kwanzaa teaches all people (not only those of obvious African descent) to have faith in God, faith in those who teach us, faith in our children, faith in our families and faith in all good things in life. Paraphrasing Dr. Maulana Karenga, the Chair and Professor of African Studies at California State University of Long Beach (Dr. Karenga created Kwanzaa in the late 60s as a positive response to the civil tumult which our country was experiencing at that time), the celebration of Kwanzaa is geared towards reminding us all that, through hard work, long struggle, and a whole lot of love and understanding, we can again step back upon the stage of human history as a free, proud and productive people. Now, what person who is truly interested in the betterment of our country – America – would not want to both witness and be involved in such a positive and monumental transformation?
Because so many of our children in these United States have lost access to the guidance of parents (due to a plethora of widely-documented reasons) they have consequently lost their way and have succumbed to the desolation inflicted upon many American families through rampant drug usage (illicit and legal drugs alike), promiscuity and other transient, temporal avenues of escape. The celebration of Kwanzaa is an attempt to reclaim some of those discarded principles and moral values.
For the record, in 1994, collaborating with a former LAPD officer and Mr. Ratibu Shadidi (Co-chair of the Inland Area Kwanzaa Association) I organized and co-facilitated the first Kwanzaa celebration at what is now known as the Larry Chimbole Cultural Center on Palmdale Avenue. The following year (1995), I collaborated with Mrs. Millie Jones and Ms. Donna Wossne of the Griot Bookstore in Lancaster, and facilitated a workshop at a business on owned by a past President of the Antelope Valley NAACP. I have celebrated the cultural holiday of Kwanzaa for the past 22 years, since 1990.
Everyone is welcome to Kwanzaa celebrations. Kwanzaa represents the celebration of all that is positive, good and elevating in life. You should attend a celebration in your area, Mr. Carter. You will be welcomed and perhaps even embraced – as long as you come with an open mind and a receptive heart. Peace to you.
Wanna bet whether The Refreshments served were crappy?
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This is a racist celebration
Do they Salute OUR flag?
Or sing OUR National Anthem..?
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Do believers worship a diety..?
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