HERI NJEMA ZA MWAKA MPYA

Murphy Browne © January 2-2020


HERI NJEMA ZA MWAKA MPYA

“Heri njema za mwaka mpya!” is a Kiswahili greeting for the New Year. The New Year, 2020, the third decade of the 21st century was celebrated on January 1 at various times internationally. The New Year was first celebrated in the South Pacific island states of Samoa and Christmas Island/Kiribati. Samoa moved to New Year's Eve pole position in 2011 when it decided to redraw the international dateline. This made the islands’ inhabitants the first to greet 2020. Australians and New Zealanders were next in welcoming 2020. They were followed by several Asian countries, including Thailand, Japan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Then 2020 was welcomed in the Middle East and Europe before moving on to countries on the African continent including Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Somalia. The Americas (Central America, North America, South America) and the Caribbean islands were next. American Samoa was the last country to ring in the New Year 2020.

 The New Year is a time to observe traditions for many people. In New York City, more than a million people gathered in Times Square to ring in 2020 while watching the traditional “ball drop.” The tradition of gathering at Times Square in New York City to watch the popular "ball drop," began on December 31-1907, to welcome the year 1908. On December 31-2019 the revelers gathered in Times Square were following a 112-year tradition as they celebrated the 5,443-kilogram (12,000 pound) ball descend at the stroke of midnight to welcome 2020.

My New Year’s tradition is more than 112 years old. My ancestors traditionally welcomed the New Year with a pot of cook-up rice. I continue that tradition that began at least 212 years ago when the British abolished the slave trade on March 25-1807. In what was then British Guiana, (now the Co-operative Republic of Guyana,) my enslaved African ancestors knew that eventual freedom from chattel slavery was possible. Although complete freedom was not a reality until August 1-1838, the enslaved Africans lived in hope and celebrated the New Year by making a pot of blackeye-peas cook-up rice to welcome a new year of life.

Guyanese cook-up rice is not rice-and-peas, peas-and-rice or jollof rice. I have had some folks try to describe cook-up rice in those terms. Guyanese cook-up rice is a one-pot rice dish that traditionally incorporates various meats (like our pepperpot,) blackeye-peas and is traditionally simmered in coconut milk. Some Guyanese include callaloo (spinach) in their pot of cook-up rice. I prefer using channa (chickpeas) instead of black-eye peas but one of my grandchildren is allergic to channa. Shocking that a grandchild of Guyanese grandparents could be allergic to channa! I had to revert to blackeye-peas cook-up so that she could enjoy the traditional Old Year/New Year dish.

My grandchildren and I had an interesting New Year conversation about the history of celebrating the New Year on January 1st. Several traditions that are taken for granted as the norm today are only a few hundred years old and the celebration of the New Year on January 1st is one of those traditions. When communities in Western Europe used the Julian calendar (inspired by Julius Caesar) during the Middle Ages, New Year's Day was moved several times. In 1582, the use of the Gregorian calendar (inspired by Pope Gregory XIII,) meant that a fixed date for New Year's Day was established as January 1. However, there are other people who celebrate New Year’s Day on different dates, including some Asian countries where the Lunar New Year is observed between January 20 and February 20. Some countries/cultures observe their traditional or religious New Year’s Day according to their customs. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, Enkutatash (New Year’s Day) is September 11, on Meskerem 1, the first day of the Ethiopian calendar. The Sotho people of Lesotho and South Africa celebrate Selemo sa Basotho (based on the Sotho calendar,) at the beginning of August during the end of the winter season.

The influence of Western European culture on the world has made January 1 the international New Year’s Day. Happy New Year to all those celebrating the New Year in January 2020. Heri njema za mwaka mpya!


Murphy Browne © January 2-2020

CHRISTMAS AND KWANZAA 2019/2020

Murphy Browne © December 19-2019
Someday at Christmas men won't be boys
Playing with bombs like kids play with toys
One warm December our hearts will see
A world where men are free
Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars
When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life's really worth
There'll be peace on earth
Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmas we'll see
No hungry children, no empty hand
One happy morning people will share
Our world where people care
Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
All men are equal and no men have fears
Excerpt from “Someday at Christmas” by Stevie Wonder

Many people will be celebrating Christmas and Kwanzaa in the next few weeks. While the celebration of Christmas has evolved over many centuries, the celebration of Kwanzaa is relatively new at 53 years old. The celebration of Christmas has been adapted and shaped by various communities and cultures. The Christmas tree (originally German) which is now an established part of Christmas celebrations was introduced and became popular in the former British Empire during the reign of Victoria. Early Germanic people decorated trees with fruit and candles in honour of the god, Odin as they celebrated the winter solstice. In 1846 an illustration of the British royal family, Victoria, her German husband Albert and their children appeared in the “Illustrated London News,” standing around a decorated Christmas tree. The fashion caught on not only in Britain and the British Empire but also in the United States of America. In many homes today, a decorated tree is an essential part of the Christmas celebration.

In the Caribbean islands that were colonized by the British and in Guyana, South America, the Christmas celebrations were at first patterned after the colonizer. Later, the celebration became uniquely Caribbean, with decorations, food and music. This includes steel pan music as accompaniment to traditional Christmas carols, calypso, reggae and soca versions of the carols and even Caribbean composed songs to celebrate Christmas including the spirited and popular https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKnlQ6HCXKA  “Drink a rum” by Lord Kitchener,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C_Ah-W_weE  “Listen mama I want you to tell Santa Claus” by Nat Hepburn and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ztSuUb3aLg  RAPAPAM Ruff & Reddy Band (Little Drummer Boy) Old Christmas Soca Parang. A Guyanese Christmas is not complete without a pepperpot (made with casareep) breakfast.

While there are Christians who attend church on Christmas day, many others view the day as one in which to indulge in merry making. Christmas, many centuries old has moved from its supposed roots of the celebration of the birth of Christ, (many pagan rituals were included over the centuries.) The inclusion of mistletoe, the yule log, were all part of the winter solstice observances that were incorporated into celebrating Christmas. Even gift-giving has its roots in pagan rituals which were held during the winter solstice celebrations. Santa Claus is an established figure in the celebration of Christmas, with no connection to Christ. The jolly, white haired, bearded figure with the hearty laugh is mostly an American invention which was popularised by Coca-Cola in the 1930s to boost sales of their product.

Kwanzaa at 53 years old is still true to its roots as a Pan-African seven-day celebration from December-26 to January-1. The creation of Kwanzaa served to reconnect African Americans to African culture and to celebrate family, community, history and culture. Kwanzaa is a celebration for all Africans regardless of their religion or country of birth. It is a time to celebrate our culture, learn about our history, recognize and honour African ancestors and traditions, spend time with family and friends and look to our future as a people.

The Kwanzaa celebration inspired racial pride in African Americans who, like other Africans in the Diaspora had been brainwashed into thinking that European culture was superior. The values articulated in the seven Kwanzaa principles “Nguzo saba” resonate with Africans and the celebration which began with a few people in the USA in 1966 is now an international celebration.

Kiswahili, the most widely spoken African language is used during the celebration of Kwanzaa which comes from "matunda ya kwanza" meaning "first fruits of the harvest.” The seven symbols on a Kwanzaa table are: the mkeka (mat,) the foundation on which the other symbols are placed, the kinara (candle holder) holds the mishumaa saba (seven candles,) the kikombe cha umoja (unity cup,) mazao (fruits and vegetables,) muhindi/vibunzi (corn) and zawadi (gifts.) To the greeting/question, “Habari gani?” the answer is the principle of the day.

The Nguzo Saba (seven principles) are Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination,) Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility,) Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith.) Each principle is represented by a candle (mshumaa). The colours used during Kwanzaa (red, black and green) are the Pan-African colours chosen by the Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. This includes the red, black and green bendera (flag.) Black represents the African people; red represents the blood that was shed in our struggle for freedom and green is the symbol of our future and the richness of the African continent. The first day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 26 when the first candle (the black candle) is lit to recognize Umoja/Unity. The second day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 27 when the first red candle nearest/next to the black is lit to recognize Kujichagulia/Self-Determination. The third day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 28 when the first green candle nearest/next to the black is lit to recognize Ujima/Collective Work & Responsibility. The fourth day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 29 when the second red candle is lit to recognize Ujamaa/Co-operative Economics. The fifth day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 30 when the second green candle is lit to recognize Nia/Purpose. The sixth day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 31 when the third/end/last red candle is lit to recognize Kuumba/Creativity. The seventh/final day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on January 1 when the third/end/last green candle is lit to recognize Imani/Faith. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri!! Happy Kwanzaa!!

Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa or both, Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri! May your Kwanzaa be happy! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Murphy Browne © December 19-2019