Kwanzaa with the Wright! brings 7 days of music, storytelling and celebration
Beginning Sunday, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History begins its annual Kwanzaa celebration with seven days of singing, dancing, storytelling, poetry, readings and more. The event celebrates the seven principles of Kwanzaa, with each evening focused on a different principle and presented with community partners.
“As we celebrate each principle, the idea of Kwanzaa is to have an opportunity for the community to come together to gather and meditate on the value of our communities, the society and the things that make us strong and move forward,” said Yolanda Jack, the museum’s manager of community engagement.
The seven principles are “umoja” (unity), “kujichagulia” (self-determination), “ujima” (collective work and responsibility), “ujamaa” (cooperative economics), “nia” (purpose), “kuumba” (creativity) and “imani” (faith). Corresponding community partners, including the African Liberation Day Committee, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, the Nsoroma Institute, UNIA & ACL, Nanou Diapo, Michigan Underground Railroad Exploratory Collective and Hood Research, will each make a presentation on a specific principle on different days of the week.
Kwanzaa, founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, celebrates unity and gratitude for what is yet to come. The term is derived from a Swahili word that means “first,” and comes from the annual first fruit festivals throughout Africa, a celebration of the future harvest.
Though founded in the United States, Kwanzaa is based in African culture and philosophy and is an opportunity to celebrate the beautiful things about Africa and move forward in unity, Jack said. While largely celebrated by African Americans, Jack said the seven principles are traits of all of people. For African Americans, she said, it is an opportunity to connect with the motherland. For others, she said, it is an opportunity to learn about a continent all people are derived from.
“Kwanzaa is for everyone,” Jack said. “If you are not of obvious or immediate or direct African descent, you might find curiosity and wonder about it. You could find you’re curious and then learn about the continent of Africa and begin to incorporate language or concepts or begin to understand the African philosophies Kwanzaa is built upon and bring them into your community.”
Due to COVID-19, last year’s event was online only. This year’s event will offer limited in-person tickets to accommodate for social distancing and will also be streamed. Tickets are free but guests must register online and show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours to attend.
The Wright will also have vendors selling Kwanzaa items from 4:30-8:30 p.m. during the week. Pre-registration is not required to shop, though proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is required to enter.
Kwanzaa with the Wright
7-9 p.m. Sunday-Jan.1, 2022
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit
www.thewright.org