Lighting candles in celebration of unity

As students begin planning for Christmas trees and menorahs, the Penn community praised a different winter holiday celebration yesterday.

"Thank you for the future," Rev. Charles Howard, of Penn's Office of the Chaplain, said. "Thank you for Kwanzaa."

Makuu, Penn's Black Cultural Center, hosted its 14th annual Kwanzaa ceremony in the Bodek Lounge, attended by more than 75 students, staff and community members.

Kwanzaa, a holiday started in 1966 by California professor Maulana Karenga, provides members of the African American community a chance to celebrate their cultural values.

Students lit seven candles on the kinara, a candelabra that holds a black candle in the center and three red and three green candles on either side.

Each of the candles on the kinara represent one of the seven values of Kwanzaa: Umoja (unity), Kujichgulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

And Kwanzaa's values should extend past the holidays, Makuu director Karlene Burrell-McRae said.

"I would like people to live by those principles," she said. "If everybody within the Penn community followed these ideals, Penn would be a nicer, safer and healthier place."

The ceremony included remarks and prayers by representatives from cultural groups like the African American Arts Alliance and the Bi-cultural Greek Council.

Kamau McRae, Burrell-McRae's husband, started the ceremony with a libation.

"As within traditional communities in the African American diaspora, we respect our elders first, and we honor our ancestors and ask them to help us celebrate," McRae said.

College sophomore Erica Evans - political co-chairwoman for UMOJA, a student group that encourages political and community participation - said Kwanzaa has an important cultural role.

"It's something that's a part of and is very important to the black community," she said. "I think many students don't know what Kwanzaa is, and attending a ceremony is a good way to find out."

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