Members of the Black Student Union gathered on Saturday for a pre-Kwanzaa celebration to reinforce the positive principles of Kwanzaa in their lives, celebrate their African culture and strengthen the bonds of the black community at UB.
The celebration included story-telling, pillow-making, bead-making and a buffet-style dinner in honor of Kwanzaa, the annual celebration of the culture, heritage and bonds of people of African decent.
"Kwanzaa, to me, is a time to look back, a time to be prosperous, a time for unity, a time for peace and a time to remember," said Cristo Benedit, activities coordinator for BSU. "Principles are the most important thing."
The celebration takes place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 each year and highlights seven principles during the weeklong celebration, focusing on a single quality each day.
According to Benedit, the principles are "Umoja," meaning unity; "Kujichagulia," meaning self-determination; "Ujima," which means collective work and responsibility; "Ujamaa," or cooperative economics; "Nia," meaning purpose; "Kuumba," or creativity; and "Imani," which means faith.
"It's important to remember these seven principles in order to find a basis where we do connect, and understanding that it is important to look within your black community for help and support," said Winston.
The principles mean many different things to different people, and each person celebrates the principle in a different way, said Benedit.
"For me personally, I try to live out that day with that principle," Benedit said. "If it's Kuumba - creativity - I try to think of a creative way to express myself that day."
According to BSU Vice President Gary Winston, people often try to realize Kuumba through creating special gifts for one another such as the pillow-making or beadwork offered at the celebration.
Winston said purchasing gifts for Kwanzaa is not allowed; everything must be handmade.
"It's important for Kwanzaa that the gifts being given are made by yourself," Winston said. "You're not supposed to buy Kwanzaa gifts."
For Benedit, principles such as Nia, or purpose, have much broader implications, requiring a person to closely analyze his or her life.
"I see what I want to do and what I want to accomplish, and I'm going to go out and do it, and the best way I can do that is through family and expressing myself the best way I can," said Benedit.
According Benedit, Kwanzaa was started by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor at California State University at Long Beach, following the aftermath of the Watts Riots in 1965, which left many African Americans desiring a stronger sense of community.
"He decided that he would go about making a holiday where it was a time for you to celebrate, a time for you to reflect on your culture, where you've been, and therefore he came up with the idea of Kwanzaa," said Benedit.
Winston said the celebration extends not only to African-Americans, but all of the "Black Diaspora," which includes Haitians, Africans, African-Americans and those from the Caribbean.
Both Winston and Benedit did not celebrate Kwanzaa until they became involved in the BSU. Now that they are involved at UB, they take the spirit of Kwanzaa to their families and friends during the whole year.
"I didn't really know about it, like what it's all about, but BSU puts on this event, and I started to learn about what Kwanzaa was really about, like spirit and unity and to be here, enjoying other people's company in a relaxed atmosphere," said Benedit.
Much attention to detail went into turning the 145 rooms in the Student Union into a traditional Kwanzaa gathering place. The tables were draped in cloths of green, red and black to represent the colors of the African American flag.
"I believe the red means blood, black equals the people and the green is land," said Winston.
A table in the front of the room held traditional Kwanzaa symbols.
"There's a whole table set-up that's used at Kwanzaa, there's usually a basket of fruits, which represents the harvesting of food and the labor of the African people," said BSU Activities Coordinator Adia Jordan.
According to BSU Publicity Officer Kelly Carmon, approximately 50 students planned to attend to celebration, which is a jump from the turnout of about 35 BSU has seen in previous years.
Of course, Winston said, no Kwanzaa celebration would be complete without food. He said Kwanzaa is actually one of the only holidays that African American food is served.
"That is food stemming from the years of slavery, or 'soul food,' as you call it," said Winston.
"Food has always represented a lot to African people as being the one thing that we had enough of that would give life to other generations," said Jordan.
According to Jordan, another symbol of Kwanzaa is arts and crafts, which describes the nurturing traits that African people have.
"It helps brings people together through making something from little of what they have, to beautify their homes and their spirit," said Jordan.
Additional reporting by Jenna Lenhardt
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
