Kwanzaa, christmas, and christianity

Today marks the 2nd day of Christmas. Remember, Christmas isn't a day... it is 12 days, running from December 25th to January 6 (Epiphany). Kwanzaa, is somewhat similar, in that it begins on December 26th and runs until January 1st. So the 2nd day of Christmas is the 1st day of Kwanzaa!

Now, you may be like me and wonder, what in the world is Kwanzaa?! I saw it on my iPhone calendar and decided to do a little investigating.

KWANZAA - WHAT IT IS
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chair of African Studies at Cal. State University, Long Beach. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture and includes a feast and gift-giving. Whether it is intended to be an alternative to Christmas, or to go along with it, is up for debate.

What I find most interesting about Kwanzaa are the 'seven principles,' or Nguzo Saba. These seven principles are what Karenga call "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles:

• Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
• Kujichaguilia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
• Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

KWANZAA AND CHRISTIANITY
At first glance, the 'seven principles' of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith, seem quite honorable and good. I am all for community and cooperation. It almost had a 'sermon on the mount' ring to it. Shoot, I almost broke into a rousing rendition of Kum-ba-yah!

It wasn't until I looked a little deeper and started noticing the more blatant language of nationalism and race, and the "us against them" motif that I started to question things. I used to think I understood "Black Power" as a response to racism (which it is/was), but... maybe with the resurgence lately of all the white supremacist talk in our country, I've somewhat soured on nationalism and/or racism of any stripe. I simply don't see Christ supporting either 'side.' I see him beyond.

CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTIANITY
Of course, if we're honest, it's not like Christmas is exactly a "Christian" tradition either. Certainly it is made out to be exactly what the Christian faith is supposed to be about in many circles. Yet it's a historical fact that Christ was not born on December 25th. And what did Santa have to do with Jesus? A pagan holiday was celebrated long before the manger scene ever came to be. Even with our best spin there are some glaring holes in any arguments to be made about Christmas and Christianity.

WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS
 In the end, as a Christian, I can't say I really know what to make of it all. I don't know that it's wrong for a person of African descent to take great pride in their heritage. I also find it hard to find fault with someone who finds great joy in a festive holiday spirit.

Perhaps Paul was onto something when he wrote the book of Galatians, and specifically chapter 3, verses 26-29:

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So, maybe, whether you're celebrating black power, or a white Christmas... maybe it's all good, as long as we're united in Christ. For deep under our traditions, and skin, and biases and thoughts, there is something more. Something we are born with... An image... in Who's likeness we were created.

Hmm... fa-la-la-la-la... la-la-la-la

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)