This content is sponsored by the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach.
No, Kwanzaa is not a Black Christmas. And even though there are candles involved, it’s not a Black Chanukah either.
Kwanzaa is a week-long, annual celebration held in the United States and other nations of the African diaspora to honor African heritage and its influence upon African-American culture. It is observed every year from December 26 to January 1, culminating in gift-giving and a feast.
In South Florida, Kwanzaa will be celebrated at several programs and events held across Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, including a fun community gathering at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach.
Singing, swinging and getting merry like Kwanzaa
The Spady Museum is celebrating Kwanzaa on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, as part of its annual Kuumba Village, which welcomes families to celebrate the holidays by making their own gifts, enjoying live music, art activities, storytelling for children, and food. The Kuumba Village will be held at 1 p.m. outside on the museum grounds, 170 NW 5th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444.
A Kwanzaa celebration led by local, cultural figureheads, will be part of the festivities. During the celebration, leaders will pay homage to African ancestors, light the Mishumaa Saba (candles) and explain the Nguzo Saba, the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which are observed each day.
For example, on December 26, the principle of Umoja, which means unity, is observed. Umoja recognizes the importance of striving for and maintaining unity in the family, community, nation, and race in the African-American culture. On December 27, the principle of Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) is studied, celebrated, and practiced.
With each lighting of a candle, the seven principles are honored and a resounding “Ase!” from the audience closes the ceremony.
You can learn more about Kwanzaa and its guiding values by clicking right here.
Reconnecting the past to the present to the future
In the eyes of Spady Museum Director Charlene Farrington, the festivities offer an opportunity for reflection and renewal ahead of 2022. “Our Kuumba Village and Kwanzaa Celebration are a chance to usher in the new year with a focus on recommitting to strengthening community, friendships and family among the African-American culture. It is a return to roots that were dug up and scattered during the slave trade that took Africans all over the world, which we refer to as the diaspora,” she said. “The customs and rituals of African cultures were lost to enslaved people, and Kwanzaa is an attempt to tie our modern lives back to ancestral lands. The celebration connects our past to our present to our future.”
Collaborators for this year’s event include the Spady Museum, Delray Beach Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Pyramid Books and Kwanzaa 365 Live.
About the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum
Opened in 2001, the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum is the only cultural center of its kind in Palm Beach County. Located at 170 NW Fifth Avenue in Delray Beach, it is dedicated to showcasing the contributions of African-, Caribbean- and Bahamian-Americans to Florida and the U.S. Programs include exhibitions, museum tours, and community events. Hours: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday; Mondays by appointment. Closed Sundays. Admission: $10; Members are free. For more information, call 561-279-8883 or visit www.spadymuseum.com