Kwanzaa, established by California professor Maulana Karenga in 1966, was founded as an expression of black pride and had its roots in the force of the black power movement that swept through the 1960s, organizers say.
But over the decades, the race-conscious rhetoric toned down and became global - and some say inclusive - with an emphasis on promoting self-improvement, global assistance, and cultural love.
Boston held its first Kwanzaa celebration 35 years ago with just a handful of people bent on keeping alive the spirit of the holiday, Kambon said. But now hundreds fill schools, churches, mosques, and community halls to hear the spoken word, watch dance and singing performances, or simply share in the broader message of self-fulfillment.
“Everyone thinks Kwanzaa is a black Christmas. But it’s not,’’ Musau Dibinga, whose group OrigiNation Inc. helped to plan yesterday’s Kwanzaa kickoff at the Roxbury Boys and Girls Club on Warren Street.
She added: “It’s more of a spiritual celebration. The goal is to live the seven principles of Kwanzaa throughout the year and not just these seven days.’’
The Black Committee Information Center, which champions human and civil rights, organized Boston’s Kwanzaa holiday. This year, 21 community organizations participated in the planning of the holiday, with a theme titled: “Re-Unifying the Afrikan family.’’
Each group planned a program that focused on one of Kwanzaa’s seven principles: unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa), purpose (Nia), creativity (Kuumba), and faith (Imani).
Performances feature song, dance, and poetry as well as the traditional symbols of Kwanzaa, which include seven candles, a unity cup, a flag, and crops, representing African harvest and the rewards of a productive year. Sophia Haynes-Cardwell, who owns Stajez Dance Company in Randolph, said she has been celebrating the holiday for the past five years and her studio has been a sponsor for the past two. This year Stajez troupes will perform at Muhammad’s Mosque #11 in Dorchester to mark the principle Nia, or purpose.
While many people cannot afford to spend much during the holiday season, Kwanzaa offers people a way back to the true spirit of giving, she said.
“This is about coming together and sharing what you do have,’’ Haynes-Cardwell said. “It means celebrating life, health, and good spirits. That is what Kwanzaa means to me.’’
