‘Matunda ya kwanza’
1/4/2024, 6 p.m.
Cheick Hamala Diabate (above) performs with the Elegba Folklore Drummers on Saturday, Dec. 30, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center where thousands attended the 33rd Annual Capital City Kwanzaa Festival presented by The Elegba Folklore Society.
Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates history, values, family, community and culture. The ideas and concepts of Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili language, one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. The seven principles that form its core were drawn from communitarian values found throughout the African continent. These principles are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).
Kwanzaa gets its name from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza” and is rooted in first fruit celebrations that are found in cultures throughout Africa both in ancient and modern times.
Throughout the daylong event in Richmond, the festival featured music, dance, discussions and wares of the African diaspora under the theme of “Legacy of Balance.”
An African market provided food, books and handcrafted or imported items. The pouring of Ancestral Libation and a Kwanzaa Candle Lighting Ceremony also was part of the ceremonies and festivities.
