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All About Kwanzaa By: Grade 5B
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Kwanzaa was a new topic to us and we had a few questions, so we searched the web for answers.
| When was Kwanzaa started? | It was started in 1966. |
| Who started Kwanzaa? | It was started by Dr. Maulana Karenga. |
| When is Kwanzaa celebrated? | Kwanzaa lasts 7 days. From Dec. 6 to Jan 1 |
| Where is Kwanzaa celebrated? | Kwanzaa is mostly celebrated in America. |
| Is it a religious holiday? | No, it is a cultural holiday. |
| What are the colors of Kwanzaa? | Red, Green and Black |
| What does Kwanzaa mean? | It means 'first fruit'. |
| What are some symbols of Kwanzaa? | Mats, Candles in a Kinara, Corn, special colors |
We found a lot more information than the answers to the questions we had.
We learned that special things are needed to celebrate Kwanzaa:
A candle holder called a Kinara and 7 candles to go in it (three green candles, one black candle and three red candles).
A placemat preferable made of straw called a Mkeka.
A unity cup called a Kikombe cha umoja
Fruits and vegetables to represent the crops (called Mazao) and an ear of corn to represent each child in the family (the corn is called Vibunzi ).
Most of all you need Zawadi, which are gifts.
| Learn more about the symbols of Kwanzaa at this site. | http://www.afroam.org/children/fun/kwanzaa/symbols.html |
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We made heritage shields using the 7 principals as a guide. |
| The Kwanzaa feast is also called Karamu. It is held on December 31st. During this time special food is eaten. |
| We made Mkeka mats. Take a look at a few! |
| We made a hotlist site to learn about Kwanzaa. | http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listkwanzaaan.html |
| Take our quiz to see what you remember about Kwanzaa. |
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