Bed-Stuy Celebrates Kwanzaa: "First Fruits"

KWANZAA,* the African-American cultural holiday conceived and developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, was first celebrated on December 26, 1966. Kwanzaa is traditionally celebrated from December 26 through January 1, with each day focused on the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles.

Derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits," Kwanzaa is rooted in the first harvest celebrations practiced in various cultures in Africa.

Kwanzaa seeks to enforce a connectedness to African cultural identity, provide a focal point for the gathering of African peoples, and to reflect upon the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles, that have sustained Africans.

Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths and backgrounds practice Kwanzaa. By the 1990s Kwanzaa was celebrated by over 18 million blacks in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.

*Information derived directly from Melanet.com

The Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles) are:

Umoja - Unity
[oo MOH jah]

To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

Kujichagulia - Self Determination
[KOO jee cha goo LEE ah]

To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named created and spoken for by others.

Ujima - Collective Work and Responsibility
[oo JEE mah]

To build and maintain our community together. To make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems to solve together.

Ujamma - Cooperative Economics
[oo JAH mah]

To build and maintain our own businesses and profit together from them.

Nia - Purpose
[NEE ya]

To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community and to restore our people to our traditional greatness.

Kuumba - Creativity
[koo OOM bah]

To always do as much as we can in any way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.

Imani - FAITH

[ee MAH nee]

To believe with all our hearts in our GOD our people our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Join the Kwanzaa Collective at its 35th Annual "Keeping Kwanzaa in the Tradition" Celebration at Boys and Girls High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, 1700 Fulton Street (between Schenectady and Utica Aveneus), From December 26th, through December 30th.

December 26th

• Time: 2:00pm–9:00pm
• Next on: Sunday, December 26, 2010
• Children's Program, Roundtable Discussion on Economics, Education and the Community, Karamu (Feast), Tribute to the Ancestors, Community Awards, Cultural Entertainment
• Features: Families, Free, Kids, Open to All

December 27th

• Time: 6:00pm
• Dr. Mualana Karenga - creator and founder of Kwanzaa – will host the day's program, along with Camille Yarborough
• Musical entertainment!
• Features: Families, Free, Kids, Open to All

December 28th

• Time: 11:00am–3:00pm Top of Form
• A Tribute to the Elders
• Features: Families, Free, Open to All

December 29th

• Time: 3:00pm–8:00pm Bottom of Form
• A Tribute to the Youth
• Features: Families, Free, Open to All

December 30th

• Time: 7pm to midnight. 
• Kwanzaa Reunion Concert For the Family featuring Doug and Jean Carne presented by the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, International African Arts Festival, Sun Productions and Roots Revisited
• "Infant Eyes" "Spirit of The New Land" "Revelation" for the reunion of Doug and Jean Carn, plus Mamadou Dahoue, and The Ancestral Messengers dance troupe.
• Tickets $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For tickets or information contact CBJC 718-773-2252 Micheal Hooper 718-773-0246 or Iaaf 718-638-6700 Maliki 609-410-3315.