Kwanzaa
December 26, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Kwanzaa is an annual week-long holiday honoring African culture and traditions. It falls between December 26th and January 1st each year.
Kwanzaa is a time for families and communities to come together to remember the past and to celebrate African American culture.
Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates history, values, family, community and culture.
The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa.
The seven principles which form its core were drawn from communitarian values found throughout the African continent. These principles are:
- Umoja (Unity)
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
- Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
- Nia (Purpose)
- Kuumba (Creativity)
- Imani (Faith)
Kwanzaa gets its name from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza.” The holiday is rooted in first fruit celebrations which are found in cultures throughout Africa, both in ancient and modern times.