The Barometer Online

Issue date: 11/15/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Burton Michelle Young, along with Joakina Modé (not pictured) performed an authentic dance at the Kwanzaa event on Tuesday.

Media Credit: Andrew Burton Mary Dyton scoops herself a serving of gumbo during the Kwanzaa dinner. The meal included gumbo and vegetarian gumbo, white rice and dessert cake.

Earlean Wilson-Huey has spent the past five years celebrating Kwanzaa with her family.

Wilson-Huey, who presented the history of Kwanzaa to last night's Pre-Kwanzaa celebration audience, spoke of the importance of the festivity in addition to the struggles African Americans face today.

"To hold such a celebration and awareness at OSU is important for people to recognize why Kwanzaa is significant," Wilson-Huey said. "It's a large part of African American history."

The celebration is celebrated from Dec. 26 to

Jan. 1 each year, when the campus is on winter break.

The event in the MU Ballroom focused on explaining the seven principles of Kwanzaa, as well as different ways to appreciate them. Seven cultural groups including the African Student Association, Omega Psi Phi, Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, Black Student Union, Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi presented the principles to the audience of more than 130.

"We light a candle each day of Kwanzaa," said Wilson-Huey, who has worked as a coordinator in OSU's Ujima Education Office for the past four years. "Then my family and I discuss how to relate it to our lives. My kids and I make crafts related to Kwanzaa and, on the last day, we have a big family feast and trade homemade gifts."

"I've learned a lot by coming to these events," said Chayong Mayner, who attended the festivity last year. "I didn't grow up celebrating Kwanzaa, but I definitely know much more about it because of nights like these."

Jamilah Cash, activities coordinator for the Black Cultural Center, told of a new color scheme implemented and the importance of the event.

"We changed the traditional colors from red, black and green to red, green, gold and purple for the evening," Cash said. "We took a step outside of the box and tried new things. It looks really great."

This color change has been compared to changing the colors of Christmas.

The main goal of the event is to inform and educate those not familiar with Kwanzaa, as well as appreciate the current heritage.

Brandon Gundy, member of Kappa Alpha Psi, performed a step exhibition with fellow members as part as their interpretation of the last principle, faith - called imani.

The other principles include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose and creativity.

"People interpret cultural diversity in many ways," said Gundy, a junior majoring in Exercise and Sports Science and Pre-Nursing. "The Pre-Kwanzaa celebration is a way to acknowledge different cultural backgrounds. It's an appreciation of the African American principles."

Hawaiian students Rea-Ann Pagatpatan and Rochelle Kekoa attended the celebration together, stressing that it's important for different cultures to support each other. Both said they heard about the event through the newspaper and an e-mail list.

"OSU offers different cultures you can't usually find in one place," said Kekoa, a senior in exercise and sports science. I try to take advantage of many activities that I won't typically find in Hawaii. I bring friends and try to support all the cultural centers."

Growing up in Cuba, graduate student DG Gonzalez said Kwanzaa "just wasn't around." Gonzalez attended the celebration for the first time last year and hopes to keep attending it in the future.

"It teaches the values behind a belief and culture and what makes them unique," Gonzalez said. "I like the atmosphere - they always have good food and the performances are fun. I plan on going next year too."

Around 20 students worked on the planning of the evening, as well as many volunteers assisted with setup and various odd jobs.

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