among the central rituals of Kwanzaa is
the lighting of a candle for each of the
seven days of the celebration at a
cultural festival at the California
african-american Museum
babe Evans explains the principles
behind the upcoming holiday to a group
of children the first principle she says
is unity it means a time of repose it
means a time to think about your
ancestors to think about the struggles
that people have been through so that
you can now have a life that is much
more open Kwanzaa is based on African
themes but was started in the United
States in the 1960s its principles are
stated in the Swahili language and the
name Kwanzaa comes from a phrase meaning
first fruits of the harvest the second
day because it's a seven day ceremony
its Kujichagulia and that means
self-determination collective work and
responsibility cooperative economics
purpose creativity and faith these round
out the seven principles of Kwanzaa
gift-giving is a part of the holiday but
actor Jeffrey Anderson günther says the
celebration has not become
commercialized like Christmas with ink
wands that we make our gifts we all the
kids will make something and and give to
each other and then we have an abundance
of food and stuff that's shared many
people celebrate their Christian or
Muslim holidays or the feast days of
other faiths and then celebrate Kwanzaa
as well says writer Marcia Bullock whose
family is Christian we start we do
Christmas and then we do so once it
starts like directly the day after so we
do that too and then of course my
favorite part is the celebration right
you get to eat everything the festival
will end January 1st with a feast with
friends and family Michael Sullivan VOA
news Los Angeles