Kwanzaa 2010, Kwanza Turns 44 - The holiday Ron Karenga created

Kwanzaa was manufactured, just like all other Amercan Holidays and celebrations, and there is nothing wrong with any of it. However as an American black, I don't think we need to go back to Africa to find traditions to celebrate, after 400 years on this continent we have developed unique cultural celebrations for all seasons and holidays, although they may have some Native American and European admixtures, it is what makes us uniquely American black people, instead of just African. I also find it ironic that he chose the lingua franca of the slave traders. Swahili itself is a patois or pigeon language made up of Arabic and other east african languages. I think maybe Prof. Karenga could have looked to the west coast of Africa to find  some "legitimate" African harvest festivals to use as his model. However his intentions were good, and no harm done, since the principles are admirable.  However Kwanzaa is like the red-black-and-green flag, it is not something you find in the households of ordinary everyday people, but rather only among the super blacks, who would not last a week in revolutionary basket-case Zimbabwe, before crying to come HOME to the USA.

Sudha Krishna, this is to set the record straight about Kwanzaa and Dr. Maulana Karenga:

1. Kwanzaa is always spelled with two “A’s” not one.
2. Dr. Maulana Karenga’s name is not “Ron”. His real and legal name is Maulana Karenga. To call him “Ron” is like calling Muihammad Ali “Cassius Clay” which some people, who want to deny him is real and chosen name, did for some time.  (see www.MaulanaKarenga.org).
3. Kwanzaa is not an alternative to Christmas, but a holiday in its own right, self-determined, ancient and modern. See the www.OfficalKwanzaaWebsite.org.
4. Why use Wikipedia which has its own ideological axe to grind and has incorrect information instead of using the authentic and authoritative source for Kwanzaa—www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org.
5. There is nothing on the official Kwanzaa website declaring Kwanzaa an alternative to Christmas or calling Christmas a White holiday. So why state such information and refer to the official Kwanzaa website, pretending it’s on there? This is misleading, deceptive and dishonest.
6. If you’re going to mention Dr. Karenga’s political imprisonment, at least mention that he has always maintained his innocence and was framed by the FBI Cointelpro as other leaders during the 60’s.
7. Calling Kwanzaa “manufactured” is meant to discredit it, but reveals your ideological bias and resentment of its status and success. Kwanzaa is an intellectual creation, created like Christmas, Hannukah, Cinco de Mayo, and all holidays. Someone conceived and constructed them, introduced them and cultivated their reception. Do you know of any holiday not created?
8. As the OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org states, Swahili was chosen because it’s a pan-African language, the most widely spoken African language. Dr. Karenga does not choose any part of Africa, but the whole of Africa as his heritage. In a word, he’s a pan-Africanist and sees African Americans as pan-Africanist in origins and interests.
9. If you look at the OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org, you will see South, Northeast, East and West African models which Dr. Karenga studied to create Kwanzaa. From ancient Egypt, “Pert-en-Min” to South African “Umkhosi” to “Afahye and Odu Ijesu in West Africa. Again, he is pan-Africanist in orientation and interests.
10. Kwanzaa is celebrated by over 40 million Africans throughout the world African community. Not all Jews celebrate Hannukah and not all Christians celebrate Christmas, does this merit discussion and conversations of indictment of the holidays or those who created them?  What have you done that we can discuss or deserves attention?
11. I strongly recommend you refer to the original and authentic resource for Kwanzaa written by its creator, Dr. Maulana Karenga: Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture, available at www.sankorepress.com.  For frequently asked questions, visit the www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org/faq.shtml.    
 

My applause to TBambara. I get Google News Alerts on Maulana Karenga, so every year I get to see how many anti-Karenga, anti-Kwanzaa trolls come out of the woodwork. You've rebutted the points in Krishna's transparent polemic (masquerading as news or cultural commentarty) magnificently. The attacks on Kwanzaa parallel the right-wing attacks on Obama (as opposed to principled left criticism of Obama's policies): they're a proxy attack on African self-determination, whether here or elsewhere; self-determination takes many forms, beginning with self-description and including cultural production. As more than one person has pointed out, all "holidays" are "manufactured"--how else would they come into existence? Photosynthesis? Mitosis? Atomic fission? Perhaps Sudha Krishna should research the meaning of his own surname, and the next time he chooses to attack a cultural celebration, he should examine the origins of Hinduism's caste system, a rigid system of stratification that for thousands of years has condemned scores of millions to humiliation and exploitation.

To: TBambara, Thank you for responding to Sudha's misinformation about Kwanzaa and its Creator, Dr. Maulana Karenga. I wonder if Sudha knows how much controversy there was when Christmas was created. Then, several years later after Christmas was created, controversy arised again when the  celebration of Christmas was changed from July to December for more ambiance ie. snow, sleigh rides, etc. and  to reve up the financial market gains. We are so fortunate to have Kwanzaa and the Nguzo Saba. It speaks to us as a people with our own values we can practice twenty four seven  and it does not change to meet the needs of the almighty dollar and money changers. I have been celebrating Kwanzaa for about 15 years now and I find a sense of specialness  and inner peace now rather than being hurrid, anxious or sad this time of the year. Thank you Dr. Karenga for creating Kwanzaa and the Nguzo Saba. My family and I are so much better for it. Heri za Kwanzaa everyone.

I celebrated Kwanzaa for the first time last year with a lot of joy and peace. It has brought to my life a lot of knowledge and conciousness about our cultural background as well as our current culture. I say current as we do tend to celebrate, read and look at things that do not necessarily represent our point of views and how we choose to face the world as it is today. I believe that ''Kwanzaa'' hatters are just that ''hatters''. Disliking the principles of Kwanzaa is simply rejecting what comes out of our true nature. Christmas and all these other celebrations were created as Kwanzaa, they have become a symbol (Santa Claus) recognized world wide and no one ever mentions that there's no proof of Jesus-Christ birth on that day. A day was chosen and we all followed as sheaps. Come on... any of the holidays celebrated in our days have hidden backgrounds (Valentine's day - where collective rapes occured, Halloween - where spirits and murderers were set free to roam the street and calm angry or hungry (for souls) spirits with lifless bodies. These are all celebrations people take part of and no questions asked. I personnaly do not believe in Holy-Days as everyday to me is as Holy as the other, and I believe that if we only take the time to cherish and practice what will bring our true selves, our true nature and values back, then we are better off celebrating it rather then spending as much money as possible to prove we love eachother. I love the idea of celebrating Kwanzaa and wish that we all do together, as it is unity that will hold us together. If christmas, or any other celebration is part of your tradition, so be it, but we should take the time to really understand what Kwanzaa means before rejecting! Thanks Imara, Minister Faust and TBambara. To you too, Dugal & DAO, you would not have been on this page if you weren't looking for information :) Even if we are born here on the American continent, we must not reject the fact that our Ancestors are from Africa, mother land. I'm in Montreal Canada and I believe, just like all the other ethnic groups in this country, that I am from the Mother Land, whether I can or cannot survive over there. Who cares anyway, as you may think your surviving over there where you are but your, just living a lie. Slavery's not over yet, there's just much, much more ethnic groups in there now, with some of their own for camouflage. But that's a whole other subject. As Imara said Heri za Kwanzaa everyone. Much Love

Sorry I missed this, Sudha. Thanks for posting.

Bunch of sheep celebrating a holiday made up by a criminal.  Comical. 

Bunch of sheep celebrating a holiday made up by a criminal.  Comical. 

Guess what every holiday was "made up" by some one or some people who cared enough about their religion, a hero or event to commemorate it. As an African American who has celebrated Kwanzaa since its inception, I suggest you Google Kwanzaa events and find out the number of things happening. In LA the festival had a kick off last night at the African American Museum, there is a 2 day festival with scores of vendors and hunreds of visitors annually. Several A.M.E and United Methodist Churches that I am aware of in different cities have or host celebrations. (Check Grant AME in Toronto). The holiday focuses attention on some valuable principles that - if one followed instead of viewd skeptically - could help resolve many of the socio-economic challenges we still face as a people. These principles are key values that could help bring about a better world for everyone. Last year I attended three Kwanzaa celebrations - one of which was 90% people of other cultures- it was a beautiful cultural exchange. Blessings dear one and Umoja always. Charlotte Sista C Ferrell

I agree with everyone above who said that all the holidays were made up by someone at some point in time, and very likely most of them were controversial originally.  Only time makes traditions.

Talk about MADE UP, let's see: Fat while men in red suit who fit down chimney's; bunnies who defy science by laying eggs and what should have been a memorial was promoted as a celebration and given the name Thanksgiving .  Out of embarrassment, those who speak ill of Kwanzaa, probably prefer not to remember their own 'truly fabricated' holidays & symbols.

The problem is, that right from the start, Ron Karenga (I use this name not out of disrespect but because it was the name he gave himself...and used at the time that he made these statements: "Christianity is a white man's religion..and that Jesus was a psycho."Now, this is enough to make anyone suspicious of another's motives. The fact that all holidays are made up is a moot point. The point is that HE himself called Kwanzaa an alternative to Christianity. Has he since had a change of heart? I will believe that when the days of celebration are changed from the mid-Christmas season to mid-summer.Then we can all celebrate these beautiful family and character building traits together without controversy. Amen! Until then, I remain suspicious.