Kwanzaa is an African-American cultural holiday that is celebrated from December 26 until January 1st, since1966.

It was originally conceived as an antithesis to the commercialization of Christmas, and a way to unite African-Americans after the Watts riots in Los Angeles. Kwanzaa, however, did not stay an American creation. It has been adopted around the world, spending to Canada by 1993 and celebrating African community, family and culture.

Derived by the Swahili word, matunda ya kwanza, meaning “first fruits,” Kwanzaa draws upon diverse cultures and traditions from all over Africa that celebrate their own harvest festivals. The number seven plays a prominent role in the festival: there are seven days, seven principles and an extra “a” was added to Kwanza in order to make the name seven letters as well.

The African Descent Society celebrates Kwanzaa to honour African heritage, African-American culture, family and community in the form of a Live Music Week. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa reflect the seven principles, and as such, we design our performances after the themes:

umoja – unity
kujichaguli – self-determination
ujima – collective work and responsibility
imani – faith
ujamaa – cooperative economics
nia – purpose
kuumba – creativity

Each event is commenced by a candle lighting ceremony, where we bring the mat down, known as the mkeka, and we serve a drink, kikombe kimoja kawaida, as a symbol of unity for all. During breaks, we invite special guests to engage with the audience on the event’s theme.

The closing event, Nguzo Saba Kawaida, is a large celebration, and in 2019, the celebration took place at the Cabana lounge in downtown Vancouver.

We were not able to hold an event in 2020 due to the pandemic, but we hope to celebrate again, even if it’s virtual in 2021!