Welcome to Kwanzaa Heights

Welcome to Kwanzaa Heights! Come and take in the vibrancy of Congo Square, where there is always a gathering to celebrate the history and culture of our black community: intellectual debates, board games, drum circles, dancing, stories of our ancestors, and great musical performances. You can also learn the history of Kwanzaa here. Go to the Ancestral Altar and pay your respects. Please join us for the outstanding food at our signature restaurant, Harambee Harvest, specializing in food farmed right here in Kwanzaa Heights! In fact, our farms supply much of the food used at the many restaurants throughout Holidayopolis from Hanukkah Town all the way over to Diwaliwood. With all this excitement, you may want to take a moment to pause. That may be just the time to breathe in the tranquility of our beautiful Umoja River.

This is a vibrant community of people from the African diaspora: African Americans, people from the West Indies, the African continent and beyond. This place has been in existence for thousands of years, though our current name came in the late 60s, after a few of our citizens were quite taken with a visitor, who called himself Baba, came through town and told stories of having attended celebrations of “The Seven Principles”.
“The seven principles?”
“Yes, the Seven Principles,” he said, “which are also known as the Nguzo Saba, also known as Kwanzaa. He set up his seven candles and lit one candle each day as he taught a new principle: Umoja (oo-MOH-jah): Unity, Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-goo-LEE-ah): Self-Determination, Ujima (oo-JEE-mah): Collective work and responsibility, Ujamaa (oo-jah-MAH): Collective economics, Nia (NEE-ah): Purpose, Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah): Creativity, and Imani (ee-MAH-nee): Faith.” On the last day, he gave each household a Zawadi, a handmade gift, and said: “Harambee! Let’s all pull together!”


Taken with the wisdom of these principles, it is all the residents could talk about for weeks as they carried these principles within their hearts. They decided that they wished they could live in the heights of Kwanzaa all year long. And so. . . Kwanzaa Heights was born!

For information on the origins and the founder of Kwanzaa, visit Congo Square, where we honor our lineage and legacy, as well as the contributors and gifts we have today.


HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

UPCOMING EVENTS

PAST EVENTS

Sat Dec 26 2020
12:30 pm

Get ready for Kwanzaa!

Make your own Kinara!

VIRTUAL VENUE | Umoja River

Sat Dec 26 2020
2:00 pm

Official Candle Lighting — Day 1 Unity (Umoja)

Opening Kwanzaa

VIRTUAL VENUE | Umoja River

Sat Dec 26 2020
4:00 pm

What's Cooking for Kwanzaa?

VIRTUAL VENUE | Harambee Harvest

Sat Dec 26 2020
6:00 pm

The ancient African Game of Oware

VIRTUAL VENUE | Congo Square

Sat Dec 26 2020
7:30 pm

African Bedtime Stories for Children

with Jacqueline Wade and Nya Patricia Yvonne Gittens Nyadata Manyansa

VIRTUAL VENUE | Solstice Bonfire

Sun Dec 27 2020
10:00 am

Musical Meditation On Kwanzaa: Self Determination

Live From India - with Paul Poovathingal

VIRTUAL VENUE | Meditation Solarium

Sun Dec 27 2020
2:00 pm

Day 2 Self Determination (Kujichagulia)

VIRTUAL VENUE | Congo Square

Sun Dec 27 2020
5:00 pm

Down home country cookin’ for Kwanzaa

Chief Robert Cain

VIRTUAL VENUE | Harambee Harvest

Thu Dec 31 2020
2:15 pm

Kwanzaa Sharing of Recipes

with Jacqueline Wade

VIRTUAL VENUE | Harambee Harvest

Thu Dec 31 2020
3:00 pm

Day 6 Creativity (Kuumba)

VIRTUAL VENUE | Congo Square

Thu Dec 31 2020
7:00 pm

The Healing Group Performs for Kwanzaa

The Healing Group shares songs, monologues and healing stories.

VIRTUAL VENUE | Umoja River

Fri Jan 1 2021
5:30 pm

Day 7 Faith (Imani)

VIRTUAL VENUE | Ancestral Altar

Fri Jan 1 2021
6:30 pm

Pastor Ruben Nuno and Martha Eddy

VIRTUAL VENUE | Umoja River

Fri Jan 1 2021
7:30 pm

Discussion Interactive about Faith

with Maitefa Angaza

VIRTUAL VENUE | Congo Square

Fri Jan 1 2021
8:30 pm

Ancestor Tribute With Jacqueline Wade and Friends

VIRTUAL VENUE | Ancestral Altar

Fri Jan 1 2021
9:00 pm

Giving of Gifts

Giving of the Gifts followed by an African American Dance Party!

VIRTUAL VENUE | Congo Square

Mon Dec 20 2021
12:00 pm

Cooking for Kwanzaa

Part of our Cooking in Concert Series!

VIRTUAL VENUE | Harambee Harvest

All Times EDT