Matunda ya Kwanza! This Swahili phrase, meaning "first fruits," is the origin of the name of the widely-celebrated, secular holiday known as Kwanzaa. A relatively young holiday, Kwanzaa is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, celebrating the history of African-American people and the people themselves. Kwanzaa’s roots lie in the black nationalist movement. The 1960’s were marked by the emergence of Black Power, and this newly founded attitude brought about many changes among the black population. As racial pride swept over African-Americans, separatist thought became increasingly prevalent. It was from this movement that Kwanzaa was born. Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa was designed as a specifically African-American holiday. Its original purpose was to provide African-Americans an alternative holiday to Christmas so that they could celebrate their own original holiday instead of conforming to the white standard – Christmas. Karenga declared Christmas a holiday that African-Americans should shun due to its being a symbol of white dominance. Those that celebrated Kwanzaa were encouraged to reconnect with their African roots through traditional African practices and meditation. However, as Kwanzaa became more widely celebrated, Karenga changed his stance to avoid alienating Christians, claiming that "Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday." Today, Kwanzaa and Christmas are observed together. A typical Kwanzaa ceremony may also include drumming and music, discussion of a chapter of African history, an artistic performance, and a recitation of the "African Pledge:" "We will remember the humanity, glory and sufferings of our ancestors, and honor the struggle of our elders; we will strive to bring new values, and new life to our people; we will have peace and harmony among us…" A typical Kwanzaa-celebrating household will be adorned with colorful African cloth, fruits symbolizing African idealisms, and objects of art. In addition to physically celebrating the African heritage, Kwanzaa places emphasis Nguzo Saba, or the "Seven Principles of Kwanzaa." Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa celebrates and reflects upon one of these principles: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. These seven principles collectively form Kawaida, a Swahili term for tradition and reason. Each day of Kwanzaa is marked by the lighting of the candles, each one representing a unique principle of Kwanzaa. On the first day of Kwanzaa, a the middle black candle on the kinara, a special candle-holder, is lit. Traditionally, the person who lights the candle discusses that day’s principle and gives any insight or personal experience tied to the principle. The Umoja, or Unity Cup, is filled with a drink (fruit juice, for example) and shared with those gathered, each person taking a sip and passing it on to the next. After sharing the Unity Cup, the candles are extinguished until the next day. This process is repeated for each of the seven days. The sixth day is a special day, as it occurs on New Year’s Eve. This is the day of the feast, during which those gathered dress in traditional African clothing and enjoy African music, cooking, plays and poetry, and stories. Closing the celebration, an elder reads the Tamshi La Tutaonana, a farewell statement written by Karenga to end the feast and the year. On the seventh day of Kwanzaa, the candles are lit, the Unity Cup shared, and the seventh principle is discussed. The seven candles are extinguished, bringing Kwanzaa to an end.