Kwanzaa is just around the corner

Although they may be overlooked, many Blazers will be celebrating Kwanzaa from Sunday, Dec. 26 through New Year's. This week of non-religious ceremony celebrates family, community and culture and pays tribute to African traditions, according to the History Channel.

Kwanzaa (which means "first fruits" in Swahili) was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga of California State University, Long Beach, as a combination of many traditional African harvest festivals. It is a family holiday, and celebrations are centered around singing, dancing, storytelling, poetry reading and a traditional meal.

Each night, a child lights one more candle for a total of seven on the Kinara (a candelabrum), and the family discusses the significance of the newly lit candle. The seven principles based around the Kwanzaa celebration are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, collective economics, purpose, creativity and faith. On Friday, Dec. 31, an African feast called a Karamu is held, marking the climax of the holiday.

Silver Chips Online wishes you all a very happy Kwanzaa.