Photo By: Duane C. Fernandez Sr.
Hardnotts Photography L.L.C.
ANDREAS BUTLER
DEEP FOCUS NEWS
This year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Executive Producer Duane C. Fernandez Sr. owner of A Hardnotts Video Production, along with the DeLand African-American Museum came up with an innovative way to celebrate Kwanzaa.
Instead of a live in person celebration, the museum did a video online with instructions on how to celebrate Kwanzaa including covering the principles and symbols of Kwanzaa. The video can be accessed online at www.Vimeo.com/deepfocusnews. “We went with a virtual talk about Kwanzaa. The museum is closed due to COVID-19. We have been doing our celebration for 16 years and this is the first year we didn’t have it. We decided to teach the public about the holiday,” said Mary Allen, Executive Director, DeLand Museum of Arts & Sciences. Kwanzaa runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. The holiday focuses on African-American culture and burrows from many African cultures and tribes. It is based in seven principles known as Nguzo Saba in umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determinations), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (collective economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), imani (faith). Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 as a way of cultural restructuring. The Pan-African holiday is celebrated by millions around the world including those of the African Diaspora. Kwanzaa brings a cultural message that speaks to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest. With over 2,000 languages, Kwanzaa adopted Swahili language. Kwanzaa is rooted in African culture but celebrated by all races, ethnic backgrounds and religions.
The video can be accessed by pressing the link below.