December 22, 2011

7 nights to reflect, celebrate Kwanzaa

Evansville Courier & Press - Printer-friendly story

7 nights to reflect, celebrate Kwanzaa

Museum in Evansville will kick off events

By Amy Abbott Special to The Courier & Press
Originally published 03:00 a.m., December 21, 2011
Updated 04:04 p.m., December 21, 2011
—Museum in Evansville will kick off events
By Amy Abbott
Special to The Courier & Press
Kwanzaa — which this year is celebrated Monday through Jan. 1 — was founded by Cal State Long Beach professor Maulana Karenga at the height of the civil rights movement in 1966.
Karenga, who is still alive, describes Kwanzaa as "a cultural message which speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense."
Kacheyta McClellan of Evansville and his family always celebrate the seven principles and seven elements of Kwanzaa in their home, and this year will be no exception. For seven evenings beginning Monday, McClellan and his family will engage in discussion about the meaning of the Kwanzaa principles in their lives.
"Kwanzaa, which is a Swahili word meaning 'first,' signifying the first fruits of the harvest, is celebrated differently by different people," he said. "Our family will celebrate the seven principles over seven nights, and remember the culture that our ancestors had and everything they went through."
The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: umoja, or unity; kujichagulia, or self-determination; ujima, or collective work and responsibility; ujamaa, or cooperative economics; nia, or purpose; kuumba, or creativity; and imani, or faith.
With his two sons, Kameron, 12, and Cheymon, 9, and his fiancee, La Toya Smith, McClellan will again this year share this special family time in addition to their Christmas celebrations. McClellan also is a member of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
"While Kwanzaa was originally designed apart from Christmas, it has evolved so that many families celebrate other religious holidays, such as Christmas or Hanukkah," the lifelong resident of Evansville added.
"Our family will begin our celebration by participating at the (Evansville African American) museum," McClellan said. "We enjoy it, and it is a great way to kick off Kwanzaa. Every night for the following seven nights we will talk as a family about the principles. I will share with my sons what it meant to me as a child, what Kwanzaa means to me now, and how to live each day keeping a particular principle in mind. We'll also talk about how the principles apply to our lives."
Children are traditionally given a gift, and McClellan and his fiancee will select books that offer the richness of their African heritage.
"Often the history books our children study in school are written from the perspective of the people who made up the majority in society," he said. "Schools teach that the history of African-Americans begins with slavery, and disregard thousands of years of history before that.
"When I was in high school, we studied the history of Egypt, and it wasn't mentioned that the Egyptians were black," McClennan said. "Later, I took my kids to the King Tut exhibit in Indianapolis because I wanted them to see the mummified Egyptian kings with jaw structures and noses similar to Africans."
McClellan particularly finds the principle of "nia," or purpose, to be very meaningful in his life.
"Before my kids go to sleep every night, we talk about purpose. This has become a ritual in our family as well, purpose helps keep us focused. I also really believe in saying encouraging and positive things to my children before they go to sleep each night."
The African American museum again will host a celebration, according to Lu Porter, executive director. "The event is at 6 p.m. (Monday) and different people will take part in the actual ritual itself."
Porter said the museum has been hosting the sacred event for the community for at least 10 years. The museum celebration will feature a table with the traditional "kinara," or candle, and Kwanzaa symbols, such a fruit. Some individuals may wear the traditional, colorful African garb.
Working in conjunction with the African-American Museum, the Koch Family Children's Museum of Evansville is featuring a craft theme for children's activities Wednesday, according to Director Stephanie Terry.
If You Go
---- What: Kwanzaa celebration
---- When: 6 p.m. Monday
---- Where: Evansville African American Museum, 579 S. Garvin St., Evansville
---- Call: 812-423-5188