Categories
Uncategorized

Kwanzaa: What is it and How is it Celebrated?

Kwanzaa is an African-American cultural observance that falls in the month of December. In the United States, it was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966 as an alternative to Christmas and Hanukkah, but more representative of African-American culture and history. The first Kwanzaa celebration was held on December 26th, 1966, and continues today as a recognized holiday by African-Americans across the world. It celebrates the African harvest and key cultural values.

Happy Kwanzaa from us! Plan: B Cleaning strives to heighten cultural awareness in our community of Fishers, Indiana, and beyond. Continue reading to learn more!

About Kwanzaa

Who: Kwanzaa was coined in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga as a way to bring African Americans together after the Watts Riots and tumultuous times.

What: Kwanzaa is a seven-day African American holiday that celebrates family, community, and culture. The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which roughly translates to “first fruits of the harvest”.

When: It is typically observed from December 26 to January 1st.

Where: Since Kwanzaa is primarily an African American holiday, it is mainly celebrated in the United States and other parts of North America. However, it has been popularized and is celebrated across the world, particularly in the Caribbean and other countries where there are large numbers of descendants of Africans.

Why: Families celebrate Kwanzaa and their culture by cleaning and decorating their homes, exchanging gifts, and spending time with loved ones.

The History of Kwanzaa

On each day, one of the seven principles is honored through an activity related to its meaning. For example, on December 27th the principle of unity is celebrated with a feast, while on December 31st self-determination is honored with cleanliness rituals. It is historically significant as it encourages African Americans to appreciate and bask in their heritage or culture, regardless of where they now live. This is extra meaningful as they faced many struggles and were often discriminated against. So, it gives them an opportunity to celebrate all that they have overcome as a community, as well as motivation to continue the legacy.

What Are The Seven Principles For Living

As aforementioned, Kwanzaa is a seven-day African American holiday, and each day focuses on one of the seven key principles. The seven principles of Kwanzaa are ….

  1. Self-determination
  2. Collective work
  3. Responsibility
  4. Cooperative economics
  5. Purpose
  6. Creativity
  7. Faith.

People celebrate Kwanzaa by lighting a kinara (candle holder with seven candles), giving gifts, decorating with colors that represent the holiday (black, red, and green), and feasting. On the first day of Kwanzaa, a black candle is lit in the center of the kinara followed by three red candles on the left side and three green candles on the right side.

Cleaning and Decorating for Kwanzaa

Before Kwanzaa can begin, you need to make sure your home is clean and decorated. After all, this is a time to celebrate! Start by giving your home a good cleaning. Wash the windows, vacuum the floors, and dust everything off. Once your home is clean, you can start decorating. To celebrate Kwanzaa, many people clean their homes and decorate them with African symbols. One popular decoration is the kinara, which is a seven-branched candelabra. Each branch represents one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Other decorations include colorful fabrics, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Many people use red, black, and green to decorate for Kwanzaa.

These colors represent different aspects of African culture. Red represents the blood that was shed during the struggle for freedom, black represents the African people, and the green represents the growth and prosperity of Africa. You can use these colors in any way you like – whether that be through traditional decorations like candles or through more modern decorations like hanging banners or streamers.

Contact Us!

Contact Plan: B Cleaning! You do the holiday decorating, we’ll do the cleaning! If you are looking to hire a cleaning service to treat yourself or your loved ones this Kwanzaa or holiday season, you know who to call!

We recommend signing up for a one-time, weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleaning service with Plan: B Cleaning. This will give you the time to do what you love most and enjoy the holiday festivities in Fishers, Indiana. Plan: B Cleaning serves the Hamilton County area in Indiana, including Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Westfield, Fortville, and Geist. Call today to set up your cleaning service at (317) 572-8515 or visit our website at www.planbcleaning.com.