Festival of Unity

Stressing unity and cooperative economics, African Americans around Los Angeles on Friday celebrated the first day of Kwanzaa, a holiday that has gained worldwide popularity in the last three decades.

Banging drums and shouting “Harambee!” (Let’s come together!), dancers in Leimert Park ushered in the seven-day holiday at a community festival.

Up the street, a local children’s choir sang a celebratory Kwanzaa song at a Crenshaw candle-lighting ceremony.

“Kwanzaa has great depth and meaning as one of the first initiation experiences for many of us back into our culture,” said R. W. Akile, chairman of Kwanzaa People of Color, which helped put on the Leimert Park fair.

“One of the things you can see happening during Kwanzaa is the telling of our story.”

While many shoppers braved post-Christmas mall crowds, dozens of other families strolled through the park, buying traditional candleholders and jewelry.

“I brought my grandchildren out here to teach them the importance of Kwanzaa,” said Janice Jones, 43, of Bellflower. “I want them to know about their heritage and culture.”

The young children watched in awe as a dancer, dressed in palm leaves and a headdress to represent a gazelle, stomped and shook to the sound of the drums.

The dance reflects the cleansing spirit of New Year, organizers said.

The scent of incense floated over the park as people bought holiday T-shirts and exchanged greetings of “Umoja!”--the Kwanzaa principle of faith.

“This is a day about pride in ourselves,” said Angela Briggs, 53. “It’s about coming together with an understanding of our history.”

Although her family members still celebrate Christmas, Briggs said they focus on Kwanzaa by giving gifts such as traditional masks and dolls that help reflect the seven principles of the holiday.

As Kwanzaa has grown in popularity, some African American groups have complained that it is getting increasingly commercialized and exploited by mainstream companies that market Kwanzaa products such as greeting cards.

“That is not what Kwanzaa is about,” Akile said. “It is about self-determination and doing things yourself--not Hallmark. That goes against the spirit of cooperative economics.”

But others said efforts to bring the holiday into the mainstream do not erode its spiritual meaning.

“As long as the African American community continues to support vendors at fairs like these and the holiday stays in our hands, it cannot be commercialized,” said Tulivu Jadi, assistant director of the African American Cultural Center.

The Kwanzaa Festival will be held at Leimert Park through Monday. Today at 9 a.m. there will be a parade from Adams and Crenshaw boulevards to the park.

* KWANZAA IN CHURCHES

The celebration has become part of worship services for many African American congregations. B10