EUGENE, Ore. — Each year, millions of people around the U.S. ring in the new year with Kwanzaa, the annual celebration of the African American family, community, and culture that begins on December 26 and ends on January 1.
The Black Cultural Initiative brings its celebration to Eugene on day four of the holiday emphasizing black owned business with the seven principles of Kwanzaa to guide the way.
The Black Cultural Initiative’s Ujamaa African Market falls on Sunday, December 29, day four of Kwanzaa.
It’s a day which stands on the principle of ujamaa — collective economics.
“It’s wide open to the public. We hope to have family, and friends, the whole community come out and show up to support black owned businesses. We’ll do a storytime with Dr. Johnny Lake who will read stories — his own handwritten story for children and a book giveaway. So it will be a really great time to come, to shop, to get some good food, and to celebrate community together,” said Talicia Brown, executive director of the Black Cultural Initiative
Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 and is rooted in the Civil Rights Movement and the courage that emerged out of the movement to protect the future for the most vulnerable.
“When Kwanzaa was first instituted, there were seven children who were the focus of the ceremony, so the very basis is the institutionalization into the next generation that we are human beings, and that we are going to be treated — in the United States of America, as human beings,” said Kokayi Nosakhere, organic intellectual and Ujamaa African Market ceremony leader.
The holiday celebrates African American roots while emphasizing the importance of nurturing and equipping the next generation with community sustaining principles.
Nosakhere says there’s a generational baton passed through those Kwanzaa principles with each day of the holiday representing a different principal.
Day one’s principal is umoja meaning unity in Swahili, followed by kujichagulia for self-determination, ujima for collective work, ujamaa, nia meaning purpose, kuumba for creativity, and imani for faith.
“Seven principles that hold together individuals, families, businesses, communities together into collective upliftment. It’s really beautiful to celebrate those principles. It’s wonderful to come together, and it’s really wonderful to see those children really inspired by the magic of Kwanzaa,” said Brown.
Embracing the idea of a shared uplifting of the community through ujamaa, Brown says Sunday’s event at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion on 85 E 8th Ave. will bring out the best in all things black owned.
The market kicks off with the African Marketplace where guests can shop black owned vendors — from event planning and real estate to financial management and Kenyan arts and crafts.
Kwanzaa storytime for children is at 4:30 to 5 p.m. along with a book giveaway.
There will also be foods from the African diaspora including Bold Flavor’s Haitian foods.
The Ujamaa African Market runs until 7 p.m.
An estimated three percent of Americans celebrate Kwanzaa each year decorating with African colors of black, red, and green.
The symbol of the holiday is the candle holder with seven candles representing one of the seven principles of the holiday.
The candles are placed in order with three red, one black, and three green.
