LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The season of Kwanza has begun. The holiday celebrates African heritage and Black American culture.
The River City Drum Corps is finding their rhythm for their performance to kick off the holiday.
Jerome Baker is preparing to ring in the week-long celebration as he organizes dashikis — vibrant, loose shirts with roots from West Africa.
“We get to have some sort of connection to while we may not know exactly where our tribe or our people, our village is, we have an overall sense of connection that there are people and customs that are around long before we hear that we still have the honor to carry and pass on to new generations,” Baker, the River City Drum Corps CEO explained.
The non-religious holiday Kwanza focuses on honoring African Heritage and Black American history, values, community and culture.
Baker says the drum corps allows the members to feel connected to their ancestors.
“Knowing that you come from a from a people that built civilizations can give a kid a sense of pride and a sense of knowing where you come from,” he shared.
Kristen Williams is the Executive Director of Play Cousins Collective, an organization working to help Black children for the world and helping to make the world a better place for Black children.
She says Kwanza is available for all to observe.
“Anybody can celebrate Kwanzaa. Everybody is indigenous somewhere, and all people come from Africa. And so it’s important for us to learn those ways and to celebrate our earth and coming together as a people,” she shared.
Those who celebrate observe seven principles — one for each day of Kwanza.
Play Cousins Collective will be hosting events for each principle.
The first day focuses on Umoja, the Swahili word for unity.
“We practice unity in a number of ways, especially on days like today. Our families come together and we serve the community,” Baker said. “This Kwanzaa celebration behind the scenes, we have parents that are helping serve and prepare a meal or a traditional feast that usually occurs on the last day.”
The roughly 30 members have been practicing for many weeks to help show others the meaning of Kwanza.
On Wednesday, Play Cousins Collective is hosting a Book Fair for ‘Kujichagulia’ which means self determination and on Sunday is hosting a fundraiser to observe the principle ‘Kuumba’ meaning creativity.