Pronounced “kwahn-zuh”, the term Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya Kwanza”, meaning “first fruits of the harvest” or “first fruits”. First fruits festivals are ...

Inspired by traditional harvest festivals, Kwanzaa takes its name from a Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits.” Over 2,000 languages are spoken in Africa ...

The name Kwanzaa derives from “mutanda ya kwanza”, a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits” or “first harvest.” The final “a” was added to the name to accommodate the seven children ...