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Kwanzaa: African Americans
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Kwanzaa is a cultural festival, founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, during which African-Americans celebrate and reflect upon their rich heritage. It begins December 26 and lasts for seven days. Kwanzaa is a Kiswahili word meaning "the first fruits of the harvest."
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Kwanzaa is a time for children as well as their families to exchange the Zawadi (za-waa-dee) or gifts given on the last night, which can be purchased economically during this period. Becoming aware of, and critically using the untapped spending power of the African-American community, is part of the empowerment process within Kwanzaa.
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Kwanzaa is a 7 day festival celebrating the African American people, their culture and their history. It is a time of celebration, community gathering, and reflection. A time of endings and beginnings. Kwanzaa begins on December 26th and continues until New Years Day, January 1st.
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Kwanzaa usually includes a harvest feast called karamu held on the sixth or seventh day of the celebration. The feast begins when someone spills a few drops of the drink from the kibombe cha umoja, or the unity cup. These few drops represent the struggles of their African ancestors.
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Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by a black activist, Ron Karenga, as a Dec. 26-Jan. 1 celebration of African American heritage. Timed to serve as an alternative to the commercialism of Christmas, Kwanzaa was based on various elements of the first harvest celebrations widely observed in Africa. Kwanzaa is celebrated by 1.6 percent of consumers, according to a 2004 survey conducted by the National Retail Foundation.
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Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an important participant in the civil rights movement. Kwanzaa means first fruits in Swahili, a language spoken in much of Africa. Dr. Karenga chose Swahili words for Kwanzaa so that African Americans would remember that all of Africa is their ancestral land, not just one country.
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