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[Herb.]

I miss having that balance, we used to celebrate it all the time through church celebrations

I actually still remember the song
http://vocaroo.com/i/s12Kw0M0D4MS

A lot of times many of us may see this as an "African thing". But the message of Kwanzaa could not be ANY MORE relevant in 2015 to African Americans. Certainly more valuable to us than any Americanized holiday that we salivate over every year.

Let me make this clear, before I am accused of saying this all in the spirit of contrarianism: Christmas is great, I was raised with it in the house and still believe in its magic; I love what it does to people's spirits. And it brings families together.

But let's take a look of the CRUCIAL messages embedded within Kwanzaa, which go far beyond and way deeper giving each other presents and hugs.

Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, 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.

As you can see, this is not an African thing. This is truly and wholly relevant to BLACK AMERICANS of all ages. So let's think twice before dismissing it this year. I know I am.

[AIDS!]

I never knew why people made fun of it

[Herb.]

I never knew why people made fun of it

Same reason we make fun of our own skin.

Not even our fault. Americanization and brainwashing at its finest. But then again when is it ever not at its finest in our community.

[RAY7]

Who makes fun of Kwanzaa?

[Herb.]

Who makes fun of Kwanzaa?

Many black people make light of it, and do not take it seriously.

Please don't act like you're oblivious to how many African Americans kii about anything African. It's all a joke to us for the most part. Even to the extent of mocking their accents, when its the continent and countries we were shipped from

We'd be speaking the same way if we were left there in peace. 

[RAY7]

Who makes fun of Kwanzaa?

Many black people make light of it, and do not take it seriously.

Please don't act like you're oblivious to how many African Americans kii about anything African. It's all a joke to us for the most part. Even to the extent of mocking their accents, when its the continent and countries we were shipped from

We'd be speaking the same way if we were left there in peace. 

I really don't see an abundance of Black ppl laughing at African culture but if you have then you have

[Herb.]

Who makes fun of Kwanzaa?

Many black people make light of it, and do not take it seriously.

Please don't act like you're oblivious to how many African Americans kii about anything African. It's all a joke to us for the most part. Even to the extent of mocking their accents, when its the continent and countries we were shipped from

We'd be speaking the same way if we were left there in peace. 

I really don't see an abundance of Black ppl laughing at African culture but if you have then you have

Yeah, terms like African booty scratcher are clearly under the radar, unheard of to the masses, bubbling under, even.

It's not about making fun of the culture. You're missing the target a bit. It's about distancing ourselves from our roots. Even to the point where we use our ancestral origins to insult one another.

[Sinpool]

I thought Kwanzaa was an American tradition?

One nobody celebrates but an American tradition none the less

[Herb.]

I thought Kwanzaa was an American tradition?

One nobody celebrates but an American tradition none the less

Right.

it is not a part of "African culture".
but it does honor and is based on African heritage.

which brings me back to what I was trying to tell Ray.

[death]

i been cel'bratin kwanzaa

welc' to tha club

[AIDS!]

Ggg
Afro
>><<
As an African I think I know when something is being made fun of or ridiculed

[RAY7]

Ggg
Afro
>><<
As an African

hjhhjhgvcgc

[Herb.]

sdssd

the fact that he thought Kwanzaa was a part of african culture kinda just proves what ive been saying in here

[tigernathan]

I miss having that balance, we used to celebrate it all the time through church celebrations

I actually still remember the song
http://vocaroo.com/i/s12Kw0M0D4MS

A lot of times many of us may see this as an "African thing". But the message of Kwanzaa could not be ANY MORE relevant in 2015 to African Americans. Certainly more valuable to us than any Americanized holiday that we salivate over every year.

Let me make this clear, before I am accused of saying this all in the spirit of contrarianism: Christmas is great, I was raised with it in the house and still believe in its magic; I love what it does to people's spirits. And it brings families together.

But let's take a look of the CRUCIAL messages embedded within Kwanzaa, which go far beyond and way deeper giving each other presents and hugs.

Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, 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.

As you can see, this is not an African thing. This is truly and wholly relevant to BLACK AMERICANS of all ages. So let's think twice before dismissing it this year. I know I am.

n

[Herb.]

./