Kwanzaa begins in downtown Detroit with kinara candle lighting

Detroit — A few hundred people braved a cold and gray Friday afternoon in downtown Detroit to warm their hearts in preparation for 2026 as the Kwanzaa season got underway with the lighting of the first kinara candle.

Now in its fourth year, the annual event in Campus Martius marks the first of the seven days of Kwanzaa with traditional African drumming and dance performances, as well as speakers discussing Kwanzaa’s significance. It culminates with the lighting of the world’s largest kinara.

“As the Sankofa symbol of West Africa tells us, ‘Return to the source,’ Kwanzaa has returned many to being mindful of their African heritage while strengthening community connections through culture and celebration,” said Nubia Morenike Wardford Polk, from the Detroit-based Nubian Archaeological Project.

Kwanzaa continues through Jan. 1. The celebration was established in 1966 to honor Black communities, culture and heritage.

The event incorporates seven principles — unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith — which are collectively called the Nguzo Saba and are each represented by the seven candles on the Kinara.

An additional candle is lit each day until all seven are lit on Jan. 1, representing activation of the principles for the new year.

“This is a favorite time for family and community to come together,” said Njia Kai, programming and special events producer for the Downtown Detroit Partnership, one of many local groups that help coordinate the annual event. “We discuss the principles, we re-establish our bonds, we have our children engaged … it’s just a wonderful seven days of fellowship.”

Kai was encouraged by Friday’s strong turnout despite the cold weather.

“Folks come. We expect the space to be packed out,” she said as people began filing into the seating area in front of the stage, where drummers were already banging out a hypnotic rhythm. “Like any other holiday that has a community associated with it, that community loves to come out and celebrate it.”

Event organizers say Detroit’s Kinara, officially dubbed the Motor City Kwanzaa Kinara, is the largest in the world.

City Council Member Scott Benson said Detroit is an appropriate home for the 30-plus-foot-tall structure, which was built by a team of Black architects, engineers and carpenters from the Detroit area.

“At a time when institutions around the U.S. are backing away from celebrating diversity, we warmly embrace it in Detroit,” the District 3 councilman said.

Friday’s celebration was hosted by John Mason, the longtime 105.9 KISS-FM morning radio host and Detroit Pistons public address announcer.

Mason said he studied under Maulana Karenga, the activist and author credited with establishing Kwanzaa, when he was a student and Karenga a visiting professor at Kent State University. At the time, Karenga went by the first name Ron.

“To the honorable Ron Karenga, we say thank you, and enjoy Kwanzaa,” Mason said.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

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