For some Black individuals and families, Kwanzaa is a way to connect to our African ancestry. This process, in my opinion, need not be "authentic"--Like many celebrations participated in by modern day folks in developed nations, Kwanzaa is more about symbolism than about "truth."
But for those interested in making more concrete connections to the Motherland, there are some alternatives and additions to the lighting of red, black and green candles.
First, we can visit what may have been our ancestors' last glimpse of home--absolutely on my "wish list" for future travel:
For centuries, Africans walked through the infamous "door of no return" at Cape Coast castle directly into slave ships, never to set foot in their homelands again. These days, the portal of this massive fort so central to one of history's greatest crimes has a new name, hung on a sign leading back in from the roaring Atlantic Ocean: "The door of return."
..."We want Africans everywhere, no matter where they live or how they got there, to see Ghana as their gateway home," J. Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, the tourism minister, said on a recent day. "We hope we can help bring the African family back together again." (More)
Additionally, we can keep pressure on our government to provide aid for African nations, such as this call by Senator Obama (More here):
Although the killing abated somewhat this year, Darfurians continue to be displaced -- more than 20,000 in the past few weeks alone. In addition, several million civilians are trapped in camps that are becoming more, not less, vulnerable. Women living in camps for internally displaced persons have to walk ever farther to obtain the firewood they need to cook the food donated by the United States. This has increased the incidence of rape, a tool in the onslaught of the militias known as the janjaweed. Mounting banditry has caused the closure of vital road corridors and the evacuation of some international aid workers. As a result, humanitarian access is more limited than it has been at any point since April 2004, causing a spike in the number of Darfurians who are not receiving lifesaving aid.
Or, for a more personal and elemental connection, we can explore our genetic ties to Africa such as through this project:
Did you ever wonder about your most ancient ancestors? The Genographic Project will introduce you to them, and explain the genetic journeys that bond your personal lineage over tens of thousands of years...
(Also see discussions of such genetic testing efforts here.)
Of course I realize that connecting to an African past is not everybody's cup of tea. Some would rather focus on the future. They resent that they are seen as Black and want to "just" be from the Human Race. They see "Black" and "African" as limiting labels, and wish to transcend such artificial boundaries. Well, for these forward thinking folks, this opportunity to get as far away as possible from Blacks and Africans--and everyone else confined on our little blue orb.
Happy Kwanzaa!