Wanda Dorn: December 2016

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KWANAZZ - Interview with Dr. Karenga

KWANZAA

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HOLIDAY

See It - Hear It From the Creator Himself

DR. MAULANA KARENGA

As he appeared on Wanda's Cafe
television talk show

Dr. Maulana Karenga, Creator of Kwanzaa, appeared on my award-winning "Wanda’s Café' television talk show, teaching how to celebrate Kwanzaa, the African American holiday. At the taping of the show, Dr. Karenga was accompanied by his wife, Professor Tiamoyo Karenga.

"Wanda’s Café" is one of three cable television shows that I created, produced, and hosted. The first in San Jose "Community Issues"; the second in Pasadena "Not For Black Women Only", and "Wanda’s Café" in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Karenga is a Professor of African Studies, an activist, author, and in 1966, he created the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa - the first pan-African holiday. He said his goal was to “give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday, and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves, their history and family, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society”. Inspired by the African “first fruit” traditions, he derived the name Kwanzaa from the name for the Swahili first fruit celebration called “matunda ya kwanza”, (matunda means “fruits”), and (ya kwanza means “first”). The rituals of the holiday promote African traditions and Nguzo Saba: “The seven principles of the African Heritage” Dr. Karenga described as “a communitarian African philosophy”:

The 7 seven principles

1. Umoja (unity)—To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

2. Kujichagulia (self-determination)—To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

3. Ujima (collective work and responsibility)—To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together.

4. Ujamaa (cooperative economics)—To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

5. Nia (purpose)—To make our collective vocation the building and development of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

6. Kuumba (creativity)—To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

7. Imani (faith)—To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Photo right - Myself with two students from the Black
Students Association at the high school where I was the
BSA's club faculty advisor. The celebrity Kwanzaa presenters
(2nd from left and far right) were official assistants sent to me
by Dr. Karenga to teach the students about Kwanzaa.

In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Maulana Karenga on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.

Films:

Dr. Karenga starred in “Motherland”, a sequel to 500 Years Later.
He is featured in the 2008 Kwanzaa documentary “The Black Candle”.
In 2005, Dr. Karenga appeared with other African and African Diaspora academics featured in the multi-award-winning film “500 Years Later”, directed by Owen 'Alik Shahadah.
USA the Movie – “Voice Only”.

https://youtu.be/0KqR_4rIDqw

https://youtu.be/h6qxK5KCTD0
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