Additional information
by Steven C. Thedford (Author), Khosi Pholosa (Illustrator)
Kwanzaa, an African-American holiday, is a first fruits harvest festival based largely on Umkhosi Wokweshwama, a celebration among the Zulus in South Africa. It is also known as the Calabash Festival or Umkhosi Woselwa. Moreover, Kwanzaa derived its
name from the Kiswahili phrase matunda ya kwanza ("first fruits"). The Zulu Festival is held in December or
January. However, the Zulu king determines the exact Umkhosi Wokweshwama date each year, usually around the December solstice. It takes place at the Enyokeni Royal Palace, Nogoma, Zululand. The purpose of the first fruits festival of Kwanzaa and Umkhosi Wokweshwana is to honor the harvest of the past year and seek prosperity for the future. At the ceremony, men and women participate in rituals, royal tasting, and praise-singing to receive blessings from their ancestors and provide good fortune for the year. Similar activities are performed at Kwanzaa celebrations in the United States, including pouring libations for ancestors who
have passed away during the last year. In the South African celebration, the Zulu king speaks on issues that affect the community, such as AIDS. In addition, during Kwanzaa, speakers often talk about the great accomplishments of Africans while performers perform praise dances. There are differences between Kwanzaa and Umkhosi Wokweshwama. For example, Umkhosi Wokweshwama is a five-day lunar ritual that often occurs during the last full moon of the year, whereas Kwanzaa is a seven-day African-American holiday that is celebrated after Christmas.
The African American holiday of Kwanzaa is a first fruits festival, inspired by the Zulu celebration Umkhosi Wokweshwama, also known asUmkhosi Woselwa. The story of The First Fruits Festival of Kwanzaa is about a boy named Shaka. He wants to attend the Umkhosi Wokweshwama to sing the ngoma for his ancestors. However, he does not know if he is strong enough to make the trip from America to South Africa because he suffers from sickle cell anemia. As Shaka navigates the festival and his ailment, readers will be introduced to the Zulu culture and experience the Umkohsi Wokweshwama.
