Amid the rich sounds of traditional drum beats, the colorful sights of African fabrics and the fragrant smells of ethnic foods, members of the Penn community gathered to celebrate Kwanzaa yesterday in Houston Hall.
The holiday, which officially runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, is a non-heroic, non-religious celebration created in 1966 by a professor at California State University as a means of affirming the African Diaspora, or community.
Members of the Penn community celebrated early this year because the holiday takes place during the semester break.
Although Kwanzaa, which literally means "The First Fruit of the Harvest," is traditionally reserved for members of the African-American community, representatives from all sectors of Penn shared in yesterday's festivities.
The event -- which marked the finale of a week long celebration at Penn -- included traditional Kwanzaa rituals, such as setting a festive table, lighting a candelabra and singing the Black National Anthem.
Yesterday's event -- which was organized by UMOJA, along with several other groups on campus -- focused on the principle of unity.
Those in attendance participated in traditions important to the African culture, such as respect for one's elders. A ceremonial table setting including ears of corn, a unity cup, candles and other items was on display to represent aspects of the African tradition.
The candelabra used yesterday held seven candles, each standing for one of the holiday's seven principles. In last night's ceremony, representatives from black student groups lit each of the candles and spoke briefly about the candles' symbolism.
Venante Alcida, from the Dessaline Haitian Student Association, lit the candle that represented Nia, or purpose.
"My purpose is to be seen, my purpose is to be heard, my purpose is to be part of the whole without losing my individuality... my purpose is to make a ripple without losing the serenity of the moment," the College junior said.
The students, who came to share in the festivities and the feast, also came to celebrate the coming together of the African-American community.
Kwanzaa "is important because it unifies black people from across the Diaspora in a celebration of unity," said Andaiye Taylor, a College freshman who also participated in the ceremonies.
Some attendees were new to the celebration and came to learn about its traditions.
"I came because I'd never celebrated Kwanzaa before," College freshman Kimberley Aparisio said. "I came to celebrate the solidarity and the bettering of ourselves as part of the Penn community."
Patricia Williams, Dubois College House Dean and the evening's MC, stressed the importance of African Americans, recognizing their African roots together.
"We are not blessed, as many Americans are, to know from whence we came, but we know we came from a proud people, a people who worked hard and built civilizations," she said.
