Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one, and is therefore celebrated primarily by people of African descent who wish to honor their heritage, rather than by a specific faith community.
During the week of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture.
Communities: Because of its cultural and non-religious nature, people from virtually all faith backgrounds—including Christians, Muslims, Jews, and others—may choose to celebrate Kwanzaa.
Common practices:
- Lighting a candle each day to highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods.