20070101 KwanzaaFest, Durham, NC

On the first day of 2007, I attended the last day of the 21st annual KwanzaaFest in Durham, presented by the African American Dance Ensemble (AADE) in celebration of Kwanzaa. The 2-5p event included AADE founder and artistic director "Baba" Chuck Davis (who had just celebrated turning 70 years young), as well as The Healing Force, Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble and Drums of Fire, Djembe Fire!, and a performance by AADE. Kwanzaa is a seven-day cultural holiday celebrated each year December 26-January 1 for unity and Pan-Africanism and established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor, Department of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach, California. It emphasizes the seven values of Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).