Kwanzaa -- thoughts?

[Unclebananahead]

Just wondering what people on here think about Kwanzaa. Is it any better or worse than any other holiday? Will any of you be celebrating it? Why or why not?

[Property Is Robbery]

No because I am not tracably of African origin. I think if someone wants to celebrate it there's nothing wrong with it but I find it especially sad that it has to be a univeral holiday of combined traditions. It's shitty black americans can't trace their origins or culture, and it seems this holiday is a U.S. justification of that.

[Unclebananahead]

No because I am not tracably of African origin. I think if someone wants to celebrate it there's nothing wrong with it but I find it especially sad that it has to be a univeral holiday of combined traditions. It's shitty black americans can't trace their origins or culture, and it seems this holiday is a U.S. justification of that.

How is this holiday a justification of this?

[Kléber]

I find it especially sad that it has to be a univeral holiday of combined traditions.
Christmas is a holiday of combined traditions as well. As Kwanzaa was established by Us Organization, Christmas was set up by the Church of Rome. Christian symbology about the birth of Jesus (which is an outgrowth of the Jewish messianic tradition) was syncretized with a pagan festival on which multiple gods were once worshiped.

Kwanzaa isn't better or worse than any other ridiculous holiday.

[thriller]

No because I am not tracably of African origin. I think if someone wants to celebrate it there's nothing wrong with it but I find it especially sad that it has to be a univeral holiday of combined traditions. It's shitty black americans can't trace their origins or culture, and it seems this holiday is a U.S. justification of that.

It is sad. Black Americans can not trace their roots back because the US uprooted them. This is why Nation of Islam members use X for a last name, to signify the lost traditions and heritage because of slavery. Prolly already knew that tho :P

No I won't be celebrating Kwanzaa since I have no real knowledge or connection to it.

[Unclebananahead]

Here in San Diego, there's a public Kwanzaa celebration held during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days of Kwanzaa (Dec. 27th-29th) in Balboa Park (in the World Beat Center) every year, and I've been attending them since 2007. I take it more as a cultural/community event more than anything else. There might be some black nationalist, and as well as occasional pre-scientific, obscurantist rastafarian overtones, but it's mostly positive and enjoyable, and it became a bit of a traditional end of year activity for me.

[blackstone]

Been celebrating it all 26 years of my life. Regrettably, i haven't been keeping up with the public Kwanzaa celebration in my city, maybe next year.