SEATTLE — The celebration of Kwanzaa begins the day after Christmas through New Year’s Day, seven days during which African Americans celebrate their history and culture.
“It comes from Ghana,” said Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, running her hand along the red, black and green cloth. “And so, this is kind of the foundation for Kwanzaa here always to be represented by something from Africa.”
For the dean of Evergreen State College Tacoma, Dec. 26 has long been the start of a very special week. Kwanzaa is the only celebration conceived by and for African Americans, based on seven principles that Dr. Tate Arunga knows by heart.
“First thing we talk about is unity, ‘Umoja,’” she said. “And then self-determination. How do you move as a people? And then like collective action. How do we move in unison?”
Indeed, Kwanzaa was born in the wake of collective action: the destructive and deadly uprising in 1965 in a predominately Black neighborhood in Los Angeles, the Watts riots.
The next year, Black social activist Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa. He based the celebration on harvest festival traditions from various parts of west and Southeast Africa.
“Now, this is our Sankofa bird,” said Arunga. “It’s also our emblem here at Evergreen.”
The celebration itself is symbolized by the Kwanzaa table.
“Always on the Kwanzaa table are the fruits,” Arunga explained. “And they represent the children, the idea that the children are our fruits and the potential is big for them to grow.”
At its center is the kinara.
“The kinara now holds seven candles,” Arunga said. “The three red candles are for the blood of the people. The one black candle is for the color, skin color. And the three candles that are in green are for the land. And for the land we have left would be the motherland of Africa, where all civilization originated.”
By at least one measure, Kwanzaa has been slow to catch on. According to the 2020 census, African Americans comprise more than 13% of the U.S. population. Yet, in 2019, the National Retail Federation estimated just 2.6% of Americans planned to celebrate Kwanzaa.
Still, there have long been evangelists.
“So, I brought Kwanzaa with me,” said Pam Bridges, a native of Baltimore, MD. “And introduced it actually in the school districts here in University Place.”
Bridges is one evangelist. The Evergreen alum and former professor raised her four children, including acclaimed mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, celebrating the holiday each year.
“I think just the colors and just the whole idea of celebrating family,” said Bridges, “and being proud of where you’re from and your African roots.”
If you’ve had trouble finding Kwanzaa celebrations, you’re likely not alone. COVID-19 forced a lot of cancellations. But the holiday is being revived at places like the Life Enrichment Bookstore in Columbia City, Seattle’s only Black-owned bookstore.
“That’s a time for us, a whole seven days, to claim the richness of our culture,” said Bridges.
Kwanzaa continues through New Year’s Day.
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