Sunday, December 17th
2:00 - 4:00 PM
Program starts at 2:30 PM
FREE; Donations Appreciated
2:00 - 4:00 PM
Program starts at 2:30 PM
FREE; Donations Appreciated
The Rockford Reader’s Theatre will present “It’s Kwanzaa Time!” on Sunday, December 17th at 2:30 PM in the Lockwood Gallery at the Ethnic Heritage Museum. Written, directed, and coordinated by Dorothy Paige-Turner, the performers will share music, stories and spoken-word accounts of the history and origins of family celebrations of the non-religious holiday.
The very talented performers include: George Davis, Jacquelyn Rogers, Coleen Martin Williams, Wendell Thompson, Carl Towns and Janet Wright.
The very talented performers include: George Davis, Jacquelyn Rogers, Coleen Martin Williams, Wendell Thompson, Carl Towns and Janet Wright.
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West and Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966.
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba – the seven principles of African Heritage). They were developed in 1965, a year before Kwanzaa itself. These seven principles are all Swahili words, and together comprise the Kawaida or "common" philosophy, a synthesis of nationalist, pan-Africanist, and socialist values.
Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows:
We can't wait to celebrate with you!
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba – the seven principles of African Heritage). They were developed in 1965, a year before Kwanzaa itself. These seven principles are all Swahili words, and together comprise the Kawaida or "common" philosophy, a synthesis of nationalist, pan-Africanist, and socialist values.
Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows:
- Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
- Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
- Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
We can't wait to celebrate with you!