Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 to be the first pan-African holiday. Karenga said his goal was to “give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.”Click to see full answer. Likewise, why was Kwanzaa created?Maulana Karenga, a black nationalist who later became a college professor, created Kwanzaa as a way of uniting and empowering the African-African community in the aftermath of the deadly Watts riots.Additionally, what gifts are given during Kwanzaa? Zawadi: Gifts – Gifts given to children during Kwanzaa are normally educational, such as a book, dvd or game. There’s also a gift reminding them of their African heritage. Considering this, what is Kwanzaa and why is it celebrated? Kwanzaa is an African-Americans celebration of life from 26 December to 1 January. Dr. Maulana Karenga introduced the festival in 1966 to the United States as a ritual to welcome the first harvests to the home. Karenga created this festival for Afro-Americans as a response to the commercialism of Christmas.Why is Kwanzaa important?Each day of Kwanzaa is devoted to celebrating the seven basic values of African culture or the “Nguzo Saba” which in Swahili means the seven principles. Translated these are: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics (building black businesses), purpose, creativity and faith.
