Marin Celebrates First Day of Kwanzaa

Marin County and the greater Bay Area today is Wednesday marking the start of the seven-day celebration of Kwanzaa, an African-American tradition dating back to the 1960s that honors family, community and culture.

A free festival is planned at the Bay Area Discovery Museum at Fort Baker near Sausalito today to kick off the holiday, which continues through Jan. 1, museum spokeswoman Jennifer Caleshu said.

Each day of the holiday has a principle of Kwanzaa associated with it, and today's is "umoja," the Swahili word for "unity," Caleshu said.

Caleshu said the non-religious and non-political holiday is a great opportunity for "celebrating family and community."

As many as 1,500 visitors are expected to attend the kickoff today, which began at 9 a.m. and continues until 4 p.m.

There will be two performances by African Roots of Jazz, featuring jazz drummer E.W. Wainwright. The songs will trace the roots of African music from spirituals, gospel, and jazz to today's pop music, Caleshu said. The shows were scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Also at the museum, participants can work on an art project using the thematic colors of Kwanzaa: red, black and green.

Caleshu said the Kwanzaa colors are influenced by African culture.

In San Francisco, Kwanzaa will be celebrated by the Village Project, a nonprofit youth resource group, and the Bayview-Hunters Point YMCA.

A slew of events will be held to mark each day of Kwanzaa, kicking off today at noon at City Hall with the Rev. Dr. Amos Brown, president of the
San Francisco chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People.

Tonight at 7 p.m. at the West Bay Conference Center at 1290 Fillmore St., a performance will be held by rhythm and blues band Bernard Anderson & the Old School Band.

All San Francisco events are free and open to the community.

According to organizers, each separate celebration through Jan. 1 will begin with a spiritual ceremony, followed by food, entertainment and a lighting of one of the seven candles of the "kinara," or candleholder.

A full calendar of events is available at www.kwanzaasanfrancisco.com.

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