As for our household observance of ujima (collective work and responsibility), we actually kinda combined these lessons with those for tomorrow (cooperative economics). I'll post a more personal entry tomorrow, then, covering both days.
Together, these two principles are interesting as they are the most frequent targets of accusations that Kwanzaa is (gasp!) a communist celebration. Another criticism (and one we should take more seriously, I think) is that it is just not that relevant to many (most) African Americans. Leave it to the quick wit of Aaron McGruder to take this issue head on. I'll let him speak/draw for himself on this by linking to the first two of what may be more "The Boondocks" comic strips this week on Kwanzaa. (I'm enough of a goody two-shoes to not lift the whole strip to post here, so just follow the link and check back over the next several days for more...) So, yesterday's strip and today's.
Meanwhile...
For a wonderful real-world lesson in many of the principles of Kwanzaa, you don't need to look any further than 89.9 on your FM dial (if you're in the Twin Cities, anyway): KMOJ (a near phonetic of "umoja"). See this City Pages article about the Minneapolis radio station.
Posted by perry032 at December 28, 2004 10:07 PM | TrackBackHey Yvette,
Thanks for the play-by-play on Kwanzaa. I never really knew much about it before. About a year ago I went to some function where I was seated next to an African American woman. We were small-talking about various things and got around to talking about holidays. I mentioned something about Kwanzaa and she laughed that "white people never forget to mention Kwanzaa." I thought that was funny how she caught me right away trying to appear more diversity-minded and culturally-sophisticated than I really am.
Anyway, I find it interesting that Kwanzaa doesn't really have a long historical tradition of its own - it's more of an amalgum of various African beliefs/traditions/ceremonies that was invented in the 1960s by a professor (correct me if I'm wrong). I think an interesting topic for discussion might revolve around other holidays/traditions that arise simply because people aren't altogether satisfied with what is traditionally celebrated. Halloween is an example of a holiday that entered the public consciousness relatively recently. And I read plenty about various "Festivus" parties that went on last week. Personally, I don't have much use for Christmas and other religious holidays. But the idea of a Festivus, for the airing of grievances and feats of strength, now that's something that appeals to me. I wouldn't be surprised if a secular holiday, like Festivus, comes to be commonly recognized as an alternative or supplement to the older religious holidays.
Any thoughts?
Jim,
Interesting thoughts about celebrations. I have avoided calling Kwanzaa a "holiday" because it is not supposed to be any sort of "holy day," but many people aren't so strict about the word.
Of course, there are many many scholars (e.g., sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, etc) who study celebrations and rituals, and I find this work fascinating. Some discussions about Kwanzaa on another blog centered around Kwanzaa being "invented" or "made up." Well, aren't all holidays made up by someone at some time? People are searching for something, some structure, some regulation, some sense of connection that the observance of holidays provides. When a holiday no longer provides what we humans need, why not "invent" something more meaningful?
I'd be interested in reading more about Festivus if anyone has any info, links, etc.
Posted by: Yvette at December 29, 2004 09:36 AMHere ya go.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5148630.html
Kwanzaa..What a crock.
Posted by: LeeAnn at February 19, 2005 05:33 PM