Kwanzaa is a unique, family-centered holiday celebrating African culture, heritage, and community. Celebrated from December 26 to January 1, Kwanzaa focuses on values that bring families and communities together. For parents, it’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce children to cultural values through hands-on activities, storytelling, and family traditions. Here’s a guide to help you teach kids about Kwanzaa, including local ways to join in the celebration.
Join Charlottesville’s 2024 Kwanzaa Celebration at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
For families in Charlottesville, a great way to learn about Kwanzaa is by participating in the community celebration. This year, the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center (JSAAC) will host a special Kwanzaa event on December 14, 2024, at 4 p.m., featuring the pouring of libation, discussions on the holiday’s principles, music, a Capoeira demonstration, crafts, and concluding with a holiday music sing-along with a live band. It’s a wonderful opportunity to immerse your family in Kwanzaa traditions alongside others in the community.
What is Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga to honor African heritage and values. Each of the seven days highlights a different principle, called the Nguzo Saba (“en-GOO-zoh SAH-bah”), focusing on themes like unity, self-determination, creativity, and purpose. These Swahili (swah-HEE-lee) principles help guide families in celebrating and reflecting on their values.
Leslie M. Scott-Jones, Curator of Learning and Engagement at JSAAC explains, “Kwanzaa gives us a different way to enter the trend at the end of the year to make resolutions. This practice focuses us in African ideals and concepts as we think about what we want to build, not just for a year but a lifetime and how those things will serve our community. African people are by instinct communal, and the considerations Kwanzaa asks of us are all community-minded and community-centered. Additionally, it centers us in a practice that is African in nature. The more you learn and know about your culture, and your ancestral history, the more you know yourself and the more confident you become when entering the world. It particularly matters because Black children are entering a world that was not and increasingly is not made for them to succeed. They have to have a foundation in who they are.”
Each day includes lighting a candle on the kinara (kee-NAH-rah), discussing a principle, and often sharing a special meal or activity. Kwanzaa is non-religious, so it’s a celebration that welcomes families of all backgrounds who want to learn about and celebrate African culture and values.
Scott-Jones shares that the importance of Kwanzaa for her is, “the opportunity to celebrate in a way that connects to my ancestry.”
Introducing Kids to Kwanzaa’s Seven Principles
Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles of Nguzo Saba. Here’s how to share each principle with children:
1. Umoja (oo-MO-jah) – Unity
Talk about the importance of family and community togetherness. A fun activity is having everyone share something they love about each family member.
2. Kujichagulia (koo-jee-cha-goo-LEE-ah) – Self-Determination
This principle is about defining oneself. Encourage kids to set a small, personal goal and talk about how they can work to achieve it.
3. Ujima (oo-JEE-mah) – Collective Work and Responsibility
Ujima focuses on helping one another. Pick a family project, like tidying up the house together, and discuss teamwork’s importance.
4. Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) – Cooperative Economics
Discuss supporting local businesses and sharing resources. Visit a local market or shop to teach kids about the value of supporting the community.
5. Nia (NEE-ah) – Purpose
This principle focuses on setting family and personal goals. Have a conversation about what each family member would like to achieve in the coming year.
6. Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) – Creativity
Kuumba encourages everyone to make something new. Spend time making art, crafts, or writing stories as a family.
7. Imani (ee-MAH-nee) – Faith
Faith is about believing in ourselves and our community. Discuss the importance of trust, hope, and positivity in your family.
Hands-On Activities for Celebrating Kwanzaa with Kids
– Create a Kwanzaa Display: Set up a table with a kinara (candle holder), mkeka (mat), corn, a unity cup, and fruits. Let kids help arrange the display and explain each item’s meaning.
– Daily Candle Lighting: Each evening, light the candle representing that day’s principle and reflect as a family. Give kids a turn to light the candles (with adult supervision) to feel involved.
– Cook a Traditional Meal Together: Many Kwanzaa meals feature foods with African roots, such as collard greens, sweet potatoes, and black-eyed peas. Cooking together is a fun way to introduce kids to new flavors and cultures.
– Make Art or Crafts Inspired by Kwanzaa: Create mkeka mats using colorful paper, make homemade candles, or craft African-style jewelry. Kids love hands-on projects, and these activities bring creativity and cultural appreciation together.
Making Kwanzaa Your Own
Celebrating Kwanzaa as a family is a meaningful way to introduce children to new cultural perspectives and create lasting memories. Whether you’re learning about Kwanzaa for the first time or carrying on family traditions, there are countless ways to make this holiday special.
When asked why learning about Kwanzaa is valuable, Scott-Jones advised that the holiday should have, “The same importance that anyone would get from learning about Christmas or Hanukkah or Eid. This is a cultural expression of diasporic people who have determined it for themselves and it deserves the same emphasis as any other such cultural expression.”
Enjoy exploring these traditions together, and Happy Kwanzaa from CharlottesvilleFamily and the JAASC!
Learn More about Kwanzaa
Whether you celebrate Kwanzaa or simply want to deepen your understanding of its values and symbols, the books highlighted here offer excellent resources for learning and sharing. However you choose to honor Kwanzaa from December 26 to January 1, books are a wonderful way to enhance the experience. Wishing you a joyous Kwanzaa!
Discover some library books curated by Megan Smead, Children’s Librarian at Jefferson Madison Regional Library and member of our CharlottesvilleFamily Advisory Panel. These book are all available for check-out from the Library.
Kwanzaa by Betsy Rathburn – an introduction for beginning readers to Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa Gets an A by Steven Thedford – tells the story of how the name of the holiday came into existence, using a call-and-response format (Black author)
Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna Washington – L’il Rabbit searches for a gift for his grandmother when she is sick during Kwanzaa, and surprises her with the best gift of all. (Black author)
The People Remember by Ibi Zoboi – recounts the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Black author)
Located in the historic Jefferson School City Center, the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center is dedicated to honoring and preserving the rich heritage of Charlottesville and Albemarle’s African American community. The Center believes that exploring the nuances of African American history and culture fosters a deeper understanding of American history as a whole.
Serving as a vibrant convening space, the Center invites visitors to reflect on the intersections of local and global social practices, encouraging a greater understanding of both ourselves and others. Through its programs and exhibits, the Heritage Center offers an opportunity to engage with history in a way that connects the past to the present, sparking meaningful dialogue and reflection.
Our CharlottesvilleFamily Editors are locals who care deeply about family and community. We are almost all parents who serve alongside our readers in the PTO and band boosters, coaching sports teams, helping with the school fun fair and more. Our insider perspective, combined with great research and expert input from our wonderful CharlottesvilleFamily Advisory Panel helps us to provide you with trustworthy advice as you raise the next generation of brilliant and compassionate kids.
