Sparkler Snapshots

XXXVIII | The Seven Days of Kwanzaa

"We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color." – Maya Angelou

Date: December 26th, 2017 to January 1st, 2018

Occasion: Kwanzaa

Observed By: Those with African heritage

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XXXVIII | The Seven Days of Kwanzaa

D A Y O N E

Seven white wicks stood straight, sticking out from their respective candles. Three candles on the left were cranberry red, the three on the right pine green.

Upon seeing them, Amber Coleman was reminded of Christmas. Her attention was drawn, however, towards the black candle in the center, which looked like solidified squid ink. She noticed the candle was wonky and reached out a hand to adjust it.

Leo watched her eyes hover over each candle and smiled. He raised his hand to light the first, but fumbled the matchstick. He was intending to use a lighter, but Amber suggested using matchsticks for authenticity. Not that it mattered much, but the matchboxes were neglected during most days, so he may as well make use of them.

Amber was somewhat new to Kwanzaa, despite being African-American. Soon after she was born, her parents became far too preoccupied with work and raising a child, so Kwanzaa celebrations in their household quickly dwindled into nonexistence.

She was, however, staying with Leo and his family during Kwanzaa, and as her cousin, Leo was obliged to guide her through the week. The latter had gone through these rituals for as long as he could remember, which was perfect for Amber, who was fascinated by the festivities, despite not celebrating Kwanzaa in recent memory.

The cousins exchanged a nod, before Leo deftly struck the match and lit the black candle in the center. It flared, and a few minutes later, black wax was slowly dripping down the side.

"Cool," Amber commented, glancing up at him. "So, what do we do now?"

"We talk about the principles of Kwanzaa," Leo replied, walking to the sink and turning the tap on. He ran the charred matchstick underwater, before throwing it in the bin. When he slid back into his chair, he was met with her quizzical stare. "The first principle is unity," he explained.

"Unity across what?" she asked curiously.

"Family, community, nation, and race," he answered without missing a beat. "Come on, cuz, it's an African celebration. We need to show solidarity and stick together."

"Well, we haven't seen each other for a decade, so we need to work on that part," Amber said, a rueful smile tugging at her lips.

Leo shrugged. "Better late than never."

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D A Y T W O

Amber fiddled with the woven mat on the table before her. She made sure to keep it away from the candlestick since the straw was definitely flammable. She and Leo had spent the morning digging up old family photos from a decade ago, but they headed downstairs to eat some delicious groundnut stew, which was a Kwanzaa favorite.

Leo had run back upstairs to unplug his phone from the charger. Amber heard his footsteps pound towards her as he emerged from the stairwell. She glanced up and took the opportunity to ask, "Leo, what does this mat represent? I vaguely remember my mom telling me it was one of the symbols of Kwanzaa."