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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2019 47 This is Kwanzaa: "It is out of the common values and practices of Continental African First Fruit celebrations that I began to develop Kwanzaa. But it was through the context of African-American life and struggle that I completed its creation." - Dr. Maulana Karenga. Kwanzaa is a Swahili word that means "first fruits." It was begun in 1966 by its creator, Dr. Maulana Karenga, Chairman of Black Studies at Cal State Long Beach. His motivation was derived from the Watts riots that broke out one year into his doctoral studies. Karenga's purpose was to encourage black people in the United States to celebrate and honor their heritage by reconnecting them with their African culture. The African-American holiday of Kwanzaa lasts seven days from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. Families celebrate Kwanzaa with songs, dancing, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, a traditional meal, and gift giving. There are Seven Principles of Kwanzaa and a day is dedicated where a candle is lit for every one of the following principles which are represented by a Swahili word. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves. Ujima (Collective work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Excerpted from www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org These seven principles are applicable to all mankind. Upcoming Events: Martin Luther King Holiday – Jan. 21 AACC Film Festival - Feb. 1 "A Taste of Soul" -Feb. 16 We meet the first Monday of the month in The Lodge Card Room at 6 pm. For more information, contact Joyce Allen at (951) 769-4354 or Roxie Elliott at (951) 769-2517. ~ Regina Thomas African American Cultural Club Kiwanis Club of Beaumont I hope everyone had a great Christmas season and a Happy New Year. Last month we had our Christmas meeting with a gift exchange between members. It was a fun evening. Club members are selling placemat ads and breakfast tickets for our Annual Pancake Breakfast, which will be held on Feb. 2 at city hall. Placemat ads can be purchased for $40 dollars which includes six tickets to the breakfast. Otherwise, tickets are $6 each, and you get pancakes, eggs, sausage, orange juice and coffee. Many of our members helped with the Winter Wish Project over the last three months. My wife oversaw the program this year. Over 600 volunteer hours were given by club members to this project. Our club adopted a family of four kids and purchased gifts and food for the family. Club members delivered the gifts and groceries prior to Christmas. The club also donated money to the Winter Wish Program to help purchase gifts and food for other families. Several trips were made to The Lodge picking up food and gifts donated by our community. The donations provided a great number of gifts and food to help deserving families in the Beaumont area. There were also members of Four Seasons who volunteered securing and wrapping gifts. We and the Kiwanis Family would like to thank all who donated their time this year. Have a safe and Happy New Year. We are always looking for new members. The more members we have, the more service we can do in the community. Our focus is, helping the children of the world and the community of Beaumont. The Beaumont Kiwanis Club meets in The Lodge Conference Room, the second and fourth Thursday of the month. The meeting starts at 6:30 pm. Many of the members come early and order at the Bistro and eat prior to the meeting. You do not need to be a resident of Four Seasons to be a Kiwanis member. For further information, call Buzz Dopf at (909)208-0880. Hope to see you there! ~ Buzz Dopf

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