Commentary: Perceptions of Kwanzaa
Piece by O.C. Wami. Comments by A.R.P.
Y'all aren't gonna like this one but... Kwanzaa is bullshit. Yup, I said it.
"Shocking title I'm sure -but it's how I feel. If you know me well this is NO surprise to you.
This so called holiday was created by Mulanga Karenga a "militant black revolutionary". Just a few year after creating this "holi"day he was convicted of torturing two BLACK women who were apart of his cul.. I mean group the United Slaves. He Burned them with hot irons, hit them with electric cords, made them drink detergent, etc., also United Slaves low-key beefed with Black Panthers... two of them killed Black Panthers on the campus of UCLA sometime in the 60's.
According to karenga its created to give Black people a holiday to celebrate instead of celebrating the "white man's holiday" of Christmas. So as a Christian, I feel like I shouldn't celebrate any Christmas alternative. While each day in Kwanzaa has a nice name that sounds commendable, the guiding principle behind Kwanzaa is based on race, not on faith in the one true living God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Some say , well Jesus wasn't even born in December, but I mean he was born so if there is a time to set aside and acknowledge it, Imma do that. No really knows when he was born though.
Karenga based this holiday on "AFRICAN" harvest or first fruit (bullshit cause not one African I know celebrates it, and Im sure many never even heard of it). Though if you really look at a Kwanzaa set up your quickly reminded of a Jewish Hannakah Minora (sp).... well, I am.
So before you dust off your "agbada" or your tiger/leopard/zebra kin "African clothing" or your dyshiki (sp) to rock it once a year please "do your research"... i love that phrase. I did and this is what I found. My friends have always seen me squirm at the mention of Kwanzaa, I never explained why, if you don't know... now ya know. Theres a lot more to say but I know many wont read.
White friends ... if you ever say happy kwanzaa to me our friendship may be in question...lol"
Comment:
I read this piece (a note) on Facebook, and honestly, I didn't have a problem with it. This is some young woman's opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, I looked at the comments to her note (not posted here) and saw that she was receiving a lot of accolades for her research into the subject, as well as being lauded for breaking down this issue and providing information for those who didn't know... This is where the problem comes in... Her post is rife with factual errors... :-/ I tried posting responses to clarify some of these issues, but everything I wrote was wholely ignored... so, I will post them myself, because I can.
My reponse(s):
Thank you for highlighting the Kwanzaa tradition as the holidays approach! Kwanzaa is in fact an invented secular holiday, as you stated. It was in no means meant to replace Christmas, but to create a non-western themed tradition for persons descended from the African Diaspora. Kwanzaa emerged from a time of Cultural pride, exploration and contestation, and the fact that the tradition remains salient today speaks volumes about its ingenuity, and the continued desire of Black persons in America to appropriate their own socio-cultural space. The appellation "United Slaves" was a pejorative name appropriated by enemies of Karenga and his organization, which later came to enjoy popular use and recognition, however, Karenga intended the name "Us" as a rhetorical tool to invoke an "Us vs. Them" dichotomy.
I personally think that Kwanzaa is a revolutionary idea, and though it may be misused or misrepresented, and though the founder is HIGHLY controversial, it is a unique tradition (no more generic than most other cultural forms) that can be used by black families to reject the commercialization of Christmas and focus on family, community and our Africanness.
The principles behind Kwanzaa: "One of its central tenets is that culture is the fundamental source of a people's identity, purpose and direction. Thus, Kawaida is, in fact, a continuous dialog with African culture, asking questions and seeking answers to central and enduring concerns of the African and human community. At the heart of this project is the continuing quest to define and become the best of what it means to be both African and human in the fullest sense. This involves an ongoing search for models of excellence and paradigms of possibilities in every area of human life" http://www.us-organization.org/
And in response to several posts (including above article) that suggest that First Fruits is not an African holiday or tradition: "In Swaziland, the Ncwala Festival (first fruits) is the most important and colourful occasion of the year, held in December. The Swazi people have a strong allegiance to their king who forms the central focal point of this festival. It is a chance to honour the royal family as a source of fertility for the country."http://www.gov.sz/home.asp?pid=1254
For an academic take.
An interesting book on Karenga, US, black nationalism, Kwanzaa... Fighting for Us: Maulana Karenga, the US Organization, and Black Cultural Nationalism: by Scot Brown, Clayborne Carson
Y'all aren't gonna like this one but... Kwanzaa is bullshit. Yup, I said it.
"Shocking title I'm sure -but it's how I feel. If you know me well this is NO surprise to you.
This so called holiday was created by Mulanga Karenga a "militant black revolutionary". Just a few year after creating this "holi"day he was convicted of torturing two BLACK women who were apart of his cul.. I mean group the United Slaves. He Burned them with hot irons, hit them with electric cords, made them drink detergent, etc., also United Slaves low-key beefed with Black Panthers... two of them killed Black Panthers on the campus of UCLA sometime in the 60's.
According to karenga its created to give Black people a holiday to celebrate instead of celebrating the "white man's holiday" of Christmas. So as a Christian, I feel like I shouldn't celebrate any Christmas alternative. While each day in Kwanzaa has a nice name that sounds commendable, the guiding principle behind Kwanzaa is based on race, not on faith in the one true living God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Some say , well Jesus wasn't even born in December, but I mean he was born so if there is a time to set aside and acknowledge it, Imma do that. No really knows when he was born though.
Karenga based this holiday on "AFRICAN" harvest or first fruit (bullshit cause not one African I know celebrates it, and Im sure many never even heard of it). Though if you really look at a Kwanzaa set up your quickly reminded of a Jewish Hannakah Minora (sp).... well, I am.
So before you dust off your "agbada" or your tiger/leopard/zebra kin "African clothing" or your dyshiki (sp) to rock it once a year please "do your research"... i love that phrase. I did and this is what I found. My friends have always seen me squirm at the mention of Kwanzaa, I never explained why, if you don't know... now ya know. Theres a lot more to say but I know many wont read.
White friends ... if you ever say happy kwanzaa to me our friendship may be in question...lol"
Comment:
I read this piece (a note) on Facebook, and honestly, I didn't have a problem with it. This is some young woman's opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, I looked at the comments to her note (not posted here) and saw that she was receiving a lot of accolades for her research into the subject, as well as being lauded for breaking down this issue and providing information for those who didn't know... This is where the problem comes in... Her post is rife with factual errors... :-/ I tried posting responses to clarify some of these issues, but everything I wrote was wholely ignored... so, I will post them myself, because I can.
My reponse(s):
Thank you for highlighting the Kwanzaa tradition as the holidays approach! Kwanzaa is in fact an invented secular holiday, as you stated. It was in no means meant to replace Christmas, but to create a non-western themed tradition for persons descended from the African Diaspora. Kwanzaa emerged from a time of Cultural pride, exploration and contestation, and the fact that the tradition remains salient today speaks volumes about its ingenuity, and the continued desire of Black persons in America to appropriate their own socio-cultural space. The appellation "United Slaves" was a pejorative name appropriated by enemies of Karenga and his organization, which later came to enjoy popular use and recognition, however, Karenga intended the name "Us" as a rhetorical tool to invoke an "Us vs. Them" dichotomy.
I personally think that Kwanzaa is a revolutionary idea, and though it may be misused or misrepresented, and though the founder is HIGHLY controversial, it is a unique tradition (no more generic than most other cultural forms) that can be used by black families to reject the commercialization of Christmas and focus on family, community and our Africanness.
The principles behind Kwanzaa: "One of its central tenets is that culture is the fundamental source of a people's identity, purpose and direction. Thus, Kawaida is, in fact, a continuous dialog with African culture, asking questions and seeking answers to central and enduring concerns of the African and human community. At the heart of this project is the continuing quest to define and become the best of what it means to be both African and human in the fullest sense. This involves an ongoing search for models of excellence and paradigms of possibilities in every area of human life" http://www.us-organization.org/
And in response to several posts (including above article) that suggest that First Fruits is not an African holiday or tradition: "In Swaziland, the Ncwala Festival (first fruits) is the most important and colourful occasion of the year, held in December. The Swazi people have a strong allegiance to their king who forms the central focal point of this festival. It is a chance to honour the royal family as a source of fertility for the country."http://www.gov.sz/home.asp?pid=1254
For an academic take.
An interesting book on Karenga, US, black nationalism, Kwanzaa... Fighting for Us: Maulana Karenga, the US Organization, and Black Cultural Nationalism: by Scot Brown, Clayborne Carson
posted by ARP | 4:29 PM
<< Home