Food at Kwanzaa: How a Dietitian Celebrates

The United States is a rich blend of many cultural and religious traditions and holiday celebrations. Kwanzaa is one of them.

If you haven’t celebrated Kwanzaa or know anyone who does — estimates vary, but have shown that as many as 12 million Americans participate in this holiday, according to Public Policy Polling (PDF) — you may not be familiar with some of the traditions associated with it.

It was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a professor of African studies at California State University in Long Beach, according to Britannica. A secular holiday, it is seen as a way for African American families to unify, empower, and reconnect to the roots of their community, and is observed annually from December 26 to January 1. The name “Kwanzaa” comes from a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits,” a reference to the beginning of the African harvest season. First fruits festivals are common in South Africa. Kwanzaa culminates with a communal feast called Karamu.

Kwanzaa was created to be an alternate holiday celebration, rather than to replace religious holidays. Although I grew up celebrating Christmas and still do today, I also participate in Kwanzaa with family, friends, and even some guests who become like family before the end of the evening.

As someone of African American descent, and a Southerner through and through, with roots in the traditional South and Cajun country, I find that the food at these celebrations is deeply intertwined with family, legacy, and…