Sometimes I feel incomplete on holidays. Not because I’m lonely but I can’t help but question and wonder, “where is our holiday? Where is our celebration?” Now this may be cringy to read for those who aren’t African American. I sincerely mean no harm by this and it’s simply my curiosity rumbling. Don’t you think our way of life and being is worth celebrating as well? What is our way of life though?
Most ethnic groups have their traditions and practices rooted in them. This is the connectedness to ancestors and things being passed down from generation to generation. How beautiful is that! Now to all my African Americans, what traditions and practices have been passed down to you? Most of us can point to holidays and ceremonies rooted in the church. Which is not what I’m asking. What does it mean to be African American? Is there a day you celebrate being African American? What are your practices, what do you do and how often?
It’s safe to say a lot of us don’t know who we are, and have been actively going about life disconnected from our roots. Being faced with this reality, what do future generations have to look forward to culturally? It’s time to shift as a ethnic group, as a consciousness in this society. It’s time for us to heal and come together, unite! The day of me writing this article is a very special day. So I’ll ask, do you know what today is?
Today is the first day of Kwanzaa,Umoja! Umoja means unity and Kwanzaa is a 7 day celebration made by Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga in 1966. This celebration is not limited to just African Americans, but open to people of African descents from all walks of life! If you are reading this during the time frame of the celebration please do your personal research on each day: Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani. This is one celebration that should be normalized in African American homes just like Christmas and Easter. In order to see change in society we must change as people. Kwanzaa is the embodiment of bringing us together culturally and spiritually regardless of your faith.
Comments