Nyumburu hosts its annual Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration and Dinner
The Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration and Dinner setup within the Nyumburu Cultural Center’s multipurpose room. (Aaron Wright/ The Black Explosion)
The Nyumburu Cultural Center hosted its Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration and Dinner on Tuesday in the Nyumburu multipurpose room.
The event kicked off with 44th Miss Unity winner Kendall Turner leading the audience in singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is often referred to as the Black national anthem.
Turner, a junior architecture major, hosted the event throughout the night, which featured a variety of music, awards and spoken word.
“[Kwanzaa] is supposed to empower African Americans to think about family, making things on [their] own instead of buying gifts and spending time together,” Turner said.
The Pre-Kwanzaa celebration was then followed by a jazz performance from the Nyumburu Jazz Club, spoken word from University of Maryland junior criminal justice major Vivian Ebisike, African drum performances and the lighting of the seven candles.
The seven candles - known as Mishumaa Saba - are placed on the Kinara, a candle holder. Each candle represents a principle of Kwanzaa – unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
“The seven principles of Kwanzaa are something great to live by,” said organizer Anne Carswell. “It’s uplifting for the people of the African diaspora.”
Kwanzaa is an African American holiday created in 1966 by California State University, Long Beach professor Maulena Karenga. It was made to celebrate African American culture and serves as an alternative to other holiday celebrations.
The Nyumburu Jazz Club performs during the annual Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration and Dinner. (Aaron Wright/ The Black Explosion)
While Kwanzaa is celebrated between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, Carswell discussed why Nyumburu decided to celebrate the holiday earlier.
“Students are not here when Kwanzaa takes place on Dec. 26,” said Carswell. “Students can get a chance to learn about Kwanzaa from Nyumburu, they can go home and they can share [Kwanzaa] with their family.”
Kwanzaa is distinct from other holidays as much of its design and traditions are inspired by African celebrations.
According to the official Kwanzaa website, the name originates from a Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits.” The first fruits is when a village works together to produce a bountiful harvest and their collective effort is cause for celebration.
The Kwanzaa Kinara on display, holding the seven candles. Each candle represents a principle of Kwanzaa – unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. (Aaron Wright/ The Black Explosion)
The night ended with a dinner buffet, including macaroni and cheese, collard greens, baked chicken breast and candied yams. Towards the end of the celebration, people were encouraged to celebrate and share Kwanzaa with their family.
“This event has really inspired me to go through the process [of Kwanzaa] on my own,” said Turner. “[Kwanzaa] is a way for African Americans to embrace their heritage and … the melange of history that we have as African Americans.”