Celebrate Kwanzaa in Middle Georgia with seven key events

Nestled peacefully among Christmas, New Year’s and, this year, Hanukkah, is the celebration of Kwanzaa.

The celebration’s full name is Matunda Ya Kwanzaa, which means Festival of the First Fruit. It’s a time to honor African heritage in current black culture and was created in the United States by Maulana Karenga in 1966.

Kwanzaa has been celebrated in Macon since 1992.

“Similar celebrations had taken place in Macon prior, but it was a November 1992 workshop (about Kwanzaa) at Ruth Hartley Mosley Memorial Women’s Center by Atlanta storyteller/puppeteer/author and cultural activist Akbar Imhotep that sparked an official community observance,” said Kwanzaa spokesman George Muhammad. “That observance was then held at the Tubman Museum and drew approximately 500 people that the building could hardly contain.”

Out of that event grew the Kwanzaa Cultural Access Center Inc., which went on to host a spring-summer event, the Juneteenth Freedom Festival. Through partnership with Torchlight Academy Inc., the pair of organizations now have had 25 years of presenting various Kwanzaa and Juneteenth related activities to the Middle Georgia community, according to a news release.

Kwanzaa is observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and culminates in a feast and gift-giving.

“Many people celebrate Kwanzaa and other religious holidays as well,” Muhammad said. “This time of year there is a wealth of religious holidays that people celebrate. Kwanzaa is about celebrating African-American cultural heritage and building community. It is not intended to replace people’s religious beliefs.”

Kwanzaa has seven core principles, and each is celebrated with a specific event.

Umoja, the first event, will take place at 7 p.m. Monday and the Douglass Theatre and will feature live music, drumming and various performing arts, along with a community Kwanzaa ceremony.

Kujichagulia will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Douglass Theatre. Described as a “youth night of self-determination,” it will include youth talent and youth-led discussions about the meaning of Kwanzaa.

Ujima will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ruth Hartley Mosley Memorial Women’s Center and will feature a tribute to Ruth Hartley Mosley and other historic Middle Georgia luminaries.

Ujamaa, which is celebrated from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Back To Edenz vegetarian restaurant, will focus on black businesses, entrepreneurs and solutions for personal economic development with special features about Afrocentric hairstyles, fashion, creative products and more.

Nia will be celebrated Dec. 30 with the theme, “The Glory of Africa: Restoring Ourselves to Traditional Greatness.” It will be a “program of enlightening activities and interactions designed to increase our consciousness and appreciation of our African and Afro-Asiatic heritage,” according to the release. The program’s time and location have yet to be announced.

Kuumba will take place from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Tubman Museum, and will feature the annual Karamu, or Kwanzaa Feast. “This is a family friendly event,” Mohammad said. “It will have fun and creative activities, as well as delicious and nutritious food dishes to share.”

Imani will take place at 11 a.m. Jan. 1 at Steward Chapel AME Church. “It will feature an interfaith service in the spirit of love, unity and faith,” Mohammad said.

For more information about the Kwanzaa happenings, including updates about specific event times, visit the Kwanzaa Cultural Access Center’s Face Book page, or call 478-718-8067. All events are free and open to the public.

This story was originally published December 20, 2016 at 12:32 PM with the headline "Celebrate Kwanzaa in Middle Georgia with seven key events."