GALVESTON — The 21st annual Kwanzaa Celebration sponsored by the Nia Cultural Center begins today at the Old Central Cultural Center, 2627 Ave. M. “Kwanzaa, A Celebration of Life, Love, Unity and Hope,” will be the theme.
The marketplace opens at 3 p.m., and the celebration starts at 4 p.m. Performers include the Kuumba House African Dancers and Drummers, the L.A. Morgan Scarlett Drill Team, spoken word by Apotheosis Epidemic and Imani Jackson, a praise dance by Gwendolyn Butler and the annual Kwanzaa Village Keeper Awards.
The awards recognize African-Americans who’ve contributed to the community. The recipients of this year’s awards will be Jocelyn Goins, Dr. Jason Glenn, Keelan Muse, Cornelia Harris-Banks, Vincent Richardson, Veronica Branch, Andrea Hypolite and Lillian McGrew.
The celebration also will have a tribute to Ann Simmons, Alfred “Fats” Gary and Matt Stanford, who emphasized kuumba (creativity) and nia (purpose) in the African-American community.
Sue Johnson, executive director of Nia, brought the celebration to Galveston County in 1988, realizing that it could be a collective boost in esteem for the community.
“There was so little in place that celebrated African-American heritage or preserved and respected our history,” Johnson said. “I felt that an observance of the Kwanzaa principles could provide a jump-start to apply self-help to ongoing issues faced by our community.”
Kwanzaa, which was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of Africana studies at California State University, Long Beach, is an African-American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.
Organizers say the celebration is neither political nor religious and doesn’t take the place of Christmas, which is observed around the world.
“Kwanzaa isn’t a religious observance,” Johnson said. “It is celebrated by Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths — it is a time to celebrate our cultural heritage.”
In honor of the celebration, local playwright Bryan-Keyth Wilson wrote the play “More Than a Holiday.”
“I want people to see the richness of our culture,” Wilson said. “Our culture should come to realize and understand that Kwanzaa is more than a holiday, and the seven principles should be practiced daily — not just during the ‘recognized’ Kwanzaa season.”
Wilson, along with Latoya Mills-Thomas, will give theatrical performances, and there also will be a day of praise and promise by local soloists and “holy hip-hoppers” starting at 4 p.m. Sunday at Old Central.
The festivities will conclude with a presentation of “The Black Candle,” a powerful landmark documentary that uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience.
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At A Glance
WHAT: 21st annual Kwanzaa Celebration
WHEN: 3 p.m. Dec. today and Sunday; Marketplace starts at 3 p.m. and the celebration starts at 4 p.m.)
WHERE: Old Central Cultural Center, 2627 Ave. M, in Galveston
INFORMATION: 409-765-7086 or e-mail suejohnson54(at)hotmail.com.
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Kwanzaa Principles
The seven principles are:
Dec. 26 — Umoja (unity)
Dec. 27 — Kujichagulia (self-determination)
Dec. 28 — Ujima (collective work and responsibility)
Dec. 29 — Ujamaa (cooperative economics)
Dec. 30 — Nia (purpose)
Dec. 31 — Kuumba (creativity)
Jan. 1 — Imani (faith)
(source: www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org)
