Winter is upon us! Along with the cold snowless season also comes Christmas, but it is important to also recognize that there are other equally important and valid religious and non-religious holidays celebrated around this time. Though you may surround yourself with those who practice the same religion, not everyone does and it is considerate to be aware of and respect the holidays that others celebrate.
Kwanzaa was founded by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University located in Long Beach in response to the Watts protests in Los Angeles, 1965. The Watts protests were in response to a series of brutality incitements founded in racial discrimination by local police officers. Dr. Karenga sought to create a day in which African-Americans could be brought together as a community following the divisiveness of the protests. “Kwanzaa”, which means “first fruits” in Swahili typically celebrates African culture through song, dance, storytelling, and a large meal with family. The holiday spans 7 nights (Dec 26 – Jan 1), each of which are used to talk about one of the 7 principles or values of African culture that contribute to building and sustaining community. Each evening a candle is lit and the following principles are discussed:
1st night topic: Unity; in family, community, nation, and race.
2nd night topic: Self-determination.
3rd night topic: Collective work and responsibility; to make our brother’s and sister’s problems our own and to solve them together.
4th night topic: Cooperative Economics; to profit from our businesses together.
5th night topic: Purpose; to let our focus be on building and developing the community.
6th night topic: Creativity; to do as much as can be done to leave the community more beautiful and beneficiary as than when it was inherited.
7th night topic: Faith; to believe in our parents, teachers, leaders, and in the victory of our struggle.
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated over the course of 8 days. The holiday commemorates the Maccabean Revolt and the story of Judas defeating the oppressive Greek Emperor, Antiochus. While rededicating the second temple in Jerusalem, Judas and some other Jews participating in the rededication witnessed a miracle. The menorah’s candles stayed burning for eight days even though they only had enough oil to keep it burning for a single day. This story has inspired current day candle lighting as is tradition. The seven outer candles symbolize the branches of human knowledge. The light of God is represented in the middle candle. The menorah also symbolizes the seven days of creation with the center candle being the Sabbath.