Friday, Dec. 26, 2008

First Fruits

Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday. It is a cultural holiday based on African harvest festivals; the word Kwanzaa is based on the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza ("first fruits"). It's most popular among African Americans but has also been embraced by black Caribbeans and other subsets of the African diaspora as a way to celebrate pan-African history and encourage pride in the black community.