PALMDALE – Family and friends are invited to free local celebrations this Saturday and Sunday to commemorate the African-American cultural holiday Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa, a secular festival honoring African-American culture and traditional values, is observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 each year.
During the weeklong celebration, each of the seven days is dedicated to a principle of African heritage.
The Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa are:
- Umoja (Unity)
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith)
Local celebrations on Dec. 28 & 29
On day three of Kwanzaa (Ujima), there will be a local celebration featuring music, a lecture and refreshments.
The event starts at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Holiday Inn, located at 38630 5th Street West in Palmdale.
The free event is hosted by SZ Solutions, Unlimited Fashions, and The Journal of Pan African Studies. For more information, contact Itibari M. Zulu, Sr. at 661-952-8625 or email Imzsr@yahoo.com.
On day four of Kwanzaa (Ujamaa), there will be second celebration hosted by the Antelope Valley Chapter of the NAACP.
Titled “A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture,” the annual Kwanzaa celebration will take place from 4 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 29 at United Desert Charities, located at 2101 East Palmdale Boulevard in Palmdale.
The event will feature performances by The Drum Circle and Scholar Jamaal Brown, as well as crafts, arts, music, dancers and much more.
For more information on this event, contact Waunette Cullors at 661-544-8439 or email Waunette@avnaacp.org.
Joyce says
Attened my first Kwanzaa this year, and I must say do to ignorance I have avoided it in past years. African Americans need to be informed! This celebration was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced . It is not a religion but principles which are universal, so don’t get it twisted. Christmas is not in competition with Kwanzaa, they are as separate as new years day. As for me and my house I will be acknowledging this celebration every year . Those of you who wish to down play this celebration with negative comments need not to worry, this is not for you! Only the positive forces are invited.
PeaceintheAV says
Christmas is also a ‘made up holiday’ based on Pagan celebrations. Name one holiday that was not ‘made up.’ All of them were created by human beings to celebrate something. Maybe it would help if you define what you mean by ‘made up.’ LOL Whether based on an event or an idea, holidays are celebrations for various reasons. Jesus was not born in December, he was born in the Summer. Not only that, but after over 200 years of enslavement in some shape or form, forced movement from various parts of the world, the genocidal raping of a group of people from various countries of the same continent of their gender, reproductive rights, religion, language, lives, rights of birth, birth/death/marriage records, rites of burial, children, family, culture, and freedom to the point where those on the continent from which they came do not recognize them nor can many of those previously enslaved/descendents of them find their relatives anymore. I think it is the right of those who choose to create new traditions to pass on to their children to DO SO. You only have the right to a couple of things, M. Rodney: to free speech, to your own opinion, and to choose not to celebrate it. Other than that, Kwanzaa is here, and there is nothing you can do about it but sit and stew…..enjoy, the juices that you are stewing in are those of your own design. Happy Holidays, no matter what you celebrate or whether you celebrate anything at all is another right that you have….take advantage of it, because as Americans (if you are one), we are losing more of our rights every year, and life is far too short, the least of our concerns should be how a people choose to celebrate THEIR holiday.
AV Folk says
Very few black people celebrate Kwanzaa, but to each their own. Christmas is kind of hard to compete with, if that’s the reason for centering it around Christmas.
AV Folk says
Kwanza has meant so much to so many. I remember watching ‘A Charlie Brown Kwanza’ as a child. Can’t wait for the kinara!
john Howard says
Man. The first comment and someone has to bring up Charlie Brown Kwanzaa. Don’t stick your keys in an electrical socket and don’t Google that either. SMH..
M Rodney says
Just a made-up holiday and an excuse to be racially exclusive while still claiming to want “equality”…