The 47th edition of what organizers say is the world's oldest Kwanzaa parade will be held Tuesday in South Los Angeles to mark the start of the seven-day African-American festival.
The Kwanzaa Gwaride is set to begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Adams and Crenshaw boulevards, then head south on Crenshaw Boulevard for two miles to Leimert Park, where a festival will be held.
In his annual founder's message titled "Kwanzaa, Freedom, Justice and Peace: Principles and Practices for a New World," Maulana Karenga wrote, "Among all the goods that are granted, given and gained through ceaseless striving and righteous and relentless struggle, we wish, especially for our people and all other oppressed and struggling peoples of the world, the shared and indivisible goods of freedom, justice and peace, deservedly achieved and enjoyed and passed on to future generations."
Karenga, chair of Africana Studies at Cal State Long Beach, which created Kwanzaa in 1966 in what he called "an audacious act of self- determination."
"Kwanzaa was conceived and born in the womb, work and transformative struggles of the Black Freedom Movement. And thus, its essential message and meaning was shaped and shared not only in sankofa initiatives of cultural retrieval, of the best of our views, values and practices as African peoples," Karenga wrote in the founder's message.
"It was also shaped by that defining decade of fierce strivings and struggles for freedom, justice and associated goods waged by Africans and other peoples of color all over the world in the 1960s. Kwanzaa thus came into being, grounded itself and grew as an act of freedom, an instrument of freedom, a celebration of freedom and a practice of freedom."
Kwanzaa's focus is the "Nguzo Saba," the Seven Principles, all of which are Swahili words derive from. Each night is dedicated to one of the principles, beginning with Umoja - unity, expressing the goal of striving for and maintaining unity in the family and community.
The principle for the second night is Kujichagulia, self- determination, "to define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves."
The principle for the third night is Ujima.
The other principles are Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).
During the week, a candelabrum called a Kinara is lit, and ears of corn representing each child in the family are placed on a traditional straw mat.
African foods such as millet, spiced pepper balls and rice are often served. Some people fast during the holiday and a feast is often held on its final night.
A flag with three bars -- red for the struggle for freedom, black for unity and green for the future -- are sometimes displayed during the holiday.
Kwanzaa is based on the theory of Kawaida, which espouses that social revolutionary change for Black America can be achieved by exposing Blacks to their cultural heritage.
Pasadena's 35th annual Kwanzaa celebration will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Jefferson Branch Library and include music, storytelling and youth presentations.
A Kwanzaa celebration will also be held at the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. Admission is $10.
A free Kwanzaa celebration will be held at Ovation Hollywood from 1-4 p.m. Saturday. The celebration in the Center Courtyard of the shopping complex formerly known as Hollywood & Highland will include a performance by a dance and drum troupe and cookie decorating.
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