ANN ARBOR—Kwanzaa, the increasingly popular African-American holiday, continues to be a favored University of Michigan campus tradition. Recognition of this holiday has grown steadily in the past years.

The celebration was originated by Maularia Karenga in 1966 as a non-religious cultural holiday. This seven-day festival focuses on seven values that can be applied to everyday life. For instance, one principle promotes the importance of community unification. Another describes how collective work and responsibility is effective in achieving group goals.

Robbie Townsel-Dye, coordinator of U-M Project Awareness (a division of U-M’s Housing Special Programs), says that it is important to continue this 15-year U-M tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa in the residence halls and in family housing.

“Students are encouraged to open their minds and to understand why there is a need for this cultural holiday,” she says. The best part about this holiday festivity is that it can be celebrated by everyone.

The celebration begins on Dec 26 and ends the first day of January. During this seven-day festival, each of the principles is given reverence by lighting one candle each day as part of a ceremony. The U-M pre-Kwanzaa celebration began with the principle, “Umoja” or unity, in West Quadrangle residence hall.

“Kwanzaa is about people being together to promote unity and togetherness,” Dye remarks. She adds that this celebration is significant in that it allows students to involve themselves in a series of enjoyable events while increasing multicultural unification on campus.

The seven principles of Kwanzaa are also guidelines that can assist anyone in everyday life. According to Bobby Moore, minority peer adviser in Baits residence hall, the seven principles of Kwanzaa can be used by groups of every ethnicity for personal upliftment.

As U-M students prepare for the holiday, other people will be decorating their home with objects which represent Kwanzaa’s seven principles. For example, the straw mat, known as Mkeka, symbolizes the foundation of African-American beliefs and values. It is on this mat that all other symbols lay, such as an ear of corn. The Kinara holds the seven candles which represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

According to Elizabeth James, head librarian of U-M’s Center for Afroamerican and African Studies, “the symbols are the African-American connectors to Africa. They are a continuance of the Harvest Festival in Africa and a continuance of the harvest of African-American heritage.” On the last day of Kwanzaa, everyone exchanges Zawandi gifts, which should be handmade.

“People are curious about this very healing and reviving holiday and people recognize those traits. That is the beauty of it, which is why it still grows and is not seen as exclusionary,” says James. Moore believes that U-M Kwanzaa events give African Americans the opportunity to demonstrate community interaction. “It is a chance for students to share and to demonstrate interdependence which,” Moore adds, “is the key to promoting campus diversity.”

Center for Afroamerican and African StudiesU-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan