Chi-Village’s Kwanzaa event draws hundreds to its celebration

On Dec. 26, Chicago’s Conrad Worrill Track and Field Center was awash with vibrant colors and a deep sense of community as Chi-Village launched its second annual Kwanzaa celebration. The celebration centered on Umoja (Unity), the first of Kwanzaa’s seven guiding principles.

The seven principles also known as Nguzo Saba are Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith).

Alaje Thomas of Ile Oro opened the night’s festivities by honoring the ancestors with libation. Rolling out asked Thomas why it is important to honor our ancestors.

“If we don’t know where we’ve been then we don’t know where we are going. We give honor to our ancestors African spirituality because it is the source of life. It’s what helps us connect to what we understand as God. With the blessings of our ancestors we can achieve most things we put our minds to,” said Thomas

The Pan-African red, black and green flag was everywhere, and attendees dressed in bright kente cloth and other traditional garments, showcasing the beauty and diversity of African culture.

The event featured a buzzing marketplace of local vendors selling food, art, clothing and books.

One of the highlights of the evening was a second line rooted in New Orleans tradition that filled the center with an infectious energy. People joined the second line filled with joy providing smiles that radiated through the room.

Kwanzaa is a celebration that lasts for seven days. Each day a candle is lit to give honor to the specific principle of the day. Kwanzaa — created by Maulana Karenga, an African-American scholar, activist and professor of African Studies — has been celebrated since 1966. The name of the holiday gets its name from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning first fruits.

As we head into the new year the time is ripe to pick these first fruits and start the year with an unbridled excitement and hope.

Take a look at a few pictures from the celebration below.