The weeklong holiday originated in the 1960s to celebrate the African diaspora in America, but has evolved from its origins as different Black communities embrace it.
, which means “first,” was initially celebrated in 1966. The holiday is rooted in a recognition of the beginning of West and Southeast Africa’s harvest season, when the first group of crops are gathered. The holiday was also created during the aftermath of the Watts riots in Los Angeles, one of many uprisings aimed at speaking out against racial injustice during the Civil Rights Movement.
To this day, the seven-day holiday, which honors the seven principles of Kwanzaa—Umoja ; Kujichagulia ; Ujima ; Ujamaa ; Nia ; Kuumba ; and Imani —takes on many forms, many of which become apparent through food. For Navies, childhood memories included enjoying traditional foods like collard greens, a staple dish in Black American foodways. They also gave Navies a chance to engage with West African food traditions. The first time she tried jollof rice and fufu was during a Kwanzaa celebration. “This was the first time I was ever exposed to those particular dishes,” Navies recalled. “That was significant for me.
“In the 90s, when I was teaching, I, for a decade or more, was the officiant at the Kwanzaa that was held for faculty at my school. I was very much involved in an annual Kwanzaa celebration with the community that was not only the African American community, but the faculty and staff at large of Queens College CUNY in New York.”
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