The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History was transformed into an eloquent ballroom last night to celebrate Kwanzaa and kick off the holiday season.

The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the Zeta Phi Beta sorority joined forces to host the sixth Kwanzaa Ball. Food, fun and tradition were the themes of the night.

Lamarr Nash, Alpha Phi Alpha member and chairman of the Kwanzaa committee, said Kwanzaa is an African-American tradition that began in 1966. He said the holiday is based on seven principles including unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Belema Adoki, microbiology junior, said the seven principles represent positive things in the African-American community.

"Self-determination is my favorite principle because it is hard for you to make it without self-determination," Adoki said.

Nash said his favorite principle is unity because the entire community must work together.

"Kwanzaa is important because it brings the African-American community together," he said.

Guests dressed in formal attire were picked up by limousines from the dorms and driven to the museum, where they were entertained by a live jazz band.

Walter Lewis, electrical engineering senior, said the success of the Kwanzaa Ball has been a semester-long project. Lewis said significant changes have been made since last year.

The different location this year played a big part in the ambiance, he said. Last year the ball was held in Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in Oklahoma Memorial Union. The museum is more extravagant and better represents the spirit of the holidays, Lewis said.

This year, the organizations also provided a powerful speaker, Damario Solomon-Simmons, a professor of African and African-American Studies, Lewis said. Solomon-Simmons spoke about the meaning of Kwanzaa and its spiritual and historical significance.

Solomon-Simmons said his goal was also to motivate students to practice the seven principles throughout the year. He said he wanted people to know that one person can make a difference.

"All the principles of Kwanzaa are old practices of African people but organized by Dr. [Maulana] Karenga." Solomon-Simmons said. "Now Kwanzaa is practiced by over 22 million people."

Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday that takes place over seven days, Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. A common misconception is that Kwanzaa is an ancient African tradition that replaces Christmas.

"It is important to know that Kwanzaa does not replace Christmas," Nash said. "It is an addition to Christmas to uphold unity."

While it draws on ancient African values, it is an African-American contemporary holiday created in 1966 by Karenga, Solomon-Simmons said.

The word Kwanzaa is a word from the Swahili language that means "first fruits." Kwanzaa reflects both ancient and modern harvest celebrations that occurred across Africa. Karenga added an extra "a" to the end of Kwanzaa to distinguish the meaning between the African-American celebration and the native African spelling, Kwanza, according to an L.A. Times Pick Web site.

A new 37-cent first-class Kwanzaa stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service in October. The seven days and seven principles of Kwanzaa are represented by seven figures in colorful robes on the stamp. The first Kwanzaa stamp was issued in 1997.
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