This site I had originally began as a discussion pad for my website, "The Truth About Kwanzaa." But as I started writing, I realized that there is much more to write about -- so many various different topics!
I am writer, a divorcee, a mother of five kids, a college educated computer techy who loves her high tech toys, a ridiculously crazy San Diego Charger's fan, a black conservative independent, and evangelical Christian. Plenty of things to write about in this city, the state, the nation and the world!
Okay, I'm getting all excited about this blogging business and I if I get too crazy with it, I'll trust those of you out there to drop a line and let me know!
Meanwhile, this is the Kwanzaa season and for now, my writings will mostly be about it. After Kwanzaa, I will be moving on!
Carlotta M.
12/28/2006
About Me
Taking a little break on this heavy, heavy writing about Kwanzaa. I have to remember sometimes not to be SO serious, always. And all the time I’ve spent talking about Kwanzaa, I haven’t let the readers know anything about me. Every now and then I'll take breaks such as this one and share a little more about myself each time.
So a little bit for today.
I’ve been divorced since 1993, mother of five children. I’m a fifty-somthing right now with my eldest being 27 and my youngest 16. Three boys and two girls.
I had to take a break from my writing on this blog to do my “mommy thang” as I shared with one of the posters. My 16 year old starts on his varsity basketball team and I went to watch him play. I enjoy watching my children in their activities – but especially basketball. I played basketball as a young woman at Los Angeles Trade and Technical school. I won’t say when but let’s just say – it was a long time ago! I ended up quitting school when I found I was pregnant with the first of a string of babies by my then husband.
I was ecstatic because motherhood was far more important to me than anything else in the world! Ironically, I lost that baby through a miscarriage. I was too devastated to return to school and stayed out and went to work at my first "real" job – customer service at the Los Angeles Times.
I had a troubled marriage from the very beginning. I was young and dumb and married my husband because he was “fine.” Sometimes we young ladies can’t get beyond the looks and nice bodies to really see the substance of a fella’. We both had major faults and although I tried, the marriage failed for reasons too intimate to discuss in this public forum.
But life goes on. Here it is today, December 27, 2006 and I’m reflecting on my kids after seeing my son’s team win their game, and with him scoring a bunch of points. I’ll read about him in tomorrow’s newspaper and websites.
About my pride and joys:
My 27 year old is a student at a bible college. I’m proud of his 3.5 GPA he’s carrying in school.
My 25 year old is a professional basketball player in Europe. He’s a huge young man, 6’9” and he say’s he’s almost 250 now.
My 22 year old daughter just returned from Paris, France on a partial scholarship to study abroad. She’s completing her senior year at a famous HBCU and I’m very proud of her. Especially her ability to speak French!
My 19 year old daughter is a hip hop dancer (NOT the video-vixen kind) and is with a famous dance agency. I love to watch her dance! She’s on a team here in San Diego and I have to say so myself, she’s a great dancer!
And my 16 year old son is the baby, bringing up he rear. A single mom and a 16 year old son – well, you can imagine our struggles! But he’s a good boy and so far he’s staying out of trouble!!!
To keep from embarrassing them, I leave my children’s names out until they give me consent to write about them publicly. This will probably already be embarrassing enough to them.
Oh well!
Guess I’ll get back to Kwanzaa now!
So a little bit for today.
I’ve been divorced since 1993, mother of five children. I’m a fifty-somthing right now with my eldest being 27 and my youngest 16. Three boys and two girls.
I had to take a break from my writing on this blog to do my “mommy thang” as I shared with one of the posters. My 16 year old starts on his varsity basketball team and I went to watch him play. I enjoy watching my children in their activities – but especially basketball. I played basketball as a young woman at Los Angeles Trade and Technical school. I won’t say when but let’s just say – it was a long time ago! I ended up quitting school when I found I was pregnant with the first of a string of babies by my then husband.
I was ecstatic because motherhood was far more important to me than anything else in the world! Ironically, I lost that baby through a miscarriage. I was too devastated to return to school and stayed out and went to work at my first "real" job – customer service at the Los Angeles Times.
I had a troubled marriage from the very beginning. I was young and dumb and married my husband because he was “fine.” Sometimes we young ladies can’t get beyond the looks and nice bodies to really see the substance of a fella’. We both had major faults and although I tried, the marriage failed for reasons too intimate to discuss in this public forum.
But life goes on. Here it is today, December 27, 2006 and I’m reflecting on my kids after seeing my son’s team win their game, and with him scoring a bunch of points. I’ll read about him in tomorrow’s newspaper and websites.
About my pride and joys:
My 27 year old is a student at a bible college. I’m proud of his 3.5 GPA he’s carrying in school.
My 25 year old is a professional basketball player in Europe. He’s a huge young man, 6’9” and he say’s he’s almost 250 now.
My 22 year old daughter just returned from Paris, France on a partial scholarship to study abroad. She’s completing her senior year at a famous HBCU and I’m very proud of her. Especially her ability to speak French!
My 19 year old daughter is a hip hop dancer (NOT the video-vixen kind) and is with a famous dance agency. I love to watch her dance! She’s on a team here in San Diego and I have to say so myself, she’s a great dancer!
And my 16 year old son is the baby, bringing up he rear. A single mom and a 16 year old son – well, you can imagine our struggles! But he’s a good boy and so far he’s staying out of trouble!!!
To keep from embarrassing them, I leave my children’s names out until they give me consent to write about them publicly. This will probably already be embarrassing enough to them.
Oh well!
Guess I’ll get back to Kwanzaa now!
Kujichagulia - Second Principle of Kwanzaa
In his 1988 book on Kwanzaa, The African American Holiday of Kwanzaa he says the following about self-determination:
"It demands that African people define, defend and develop ourselves instead of allowing or encouraging others to do this. …And it is a call torecover and speak our own special truth to the world and raise images above the earth that reflect our capacity for human greatness and progress."
How do others understand Kujichagulia? From the Tolerance.org website there are a few examples of what this second principle means to people.
"The principle of Kujichagulia reaffirms our need to always know ourselves in our uniqueness and specialness as persons and as a people. Itteaches us to always honor the divine in us by defining ourselves, speaking our own special cultural truth in the world and making our own unique contribution to the forward flow of human history, Karenga says.
Kujichagulia emphasizes the importance of the individual in shapinghis/her own destiny."
"Many African American families elect to choose African names for themselves as a way of paying homage to their ancestors who were stripped of their own names years ago. As William Wells Brown reminds us: "A new master might often change a slave's name and this indicated that the slave had absolutely no rights."
More thoughts on Kujichagulia later. I was going to do some major writing on this principle, but the week is catching up to me.
Feel free to comment on this even if it’s not completed.
12/27/2006
Commentary on Kwanzaa
I am dissecting the Nguzo Saba, one day at a time as it’s being celebrated by Kwanzaa enthusiasts world-wide. How do I know it’s being celebrated all over the world? I was interviewed yesterday by a reporter from a Canadian newspaper after spotting my website entry from Kwanzaa’s section in Wikepidia (which I've learned has been since removed because you can't make self entries) and my daughter spending a year abroad for her collegiate studies in French, called me from Paris to tell me about French blacks asking her if she was going to celebrate Kwanzaa. Just a couple of examples but enough to convince me that it is indeed recognized around the world.
Again, I am of the belief that Kwanzaa is a holiday that shouldn’t be touched, especially by those who call themselves Christians. Why? The holiday’s roots are anti-American, anti-Christian, racist towards whites and Jewish people. On my website (www.christocentric.com/Kwanzaa), I use Karenga’s own writings to show his true intentions of creating Kwanzaa. He admits in his first book on Kwanzaa that he created it as a substitute to not only our Christmas holiday, but the Christian religion, or any religion where one prayed to what he called “spooks!”
There is a myth within the black community that knowing one’s heritage is necessary for their self-worth. That myth alone is what pushes events like Kwanzaa and Black History month, or Black history period. Self-worth does not come through our heritage, but through knowing who we are in God. Culture is turned into a religion by afrocentrics insist that one is not “black” if they don’t prescribe to their “religion.”
Well, on to the breakdown of the Nguzo Saba. Kujichagulia is next, which is Self-Determination in Swahili, principle number two of Kwanzaa.
Again, I am of the belief that Kwanzaa is a holiday that shouldn’t be touched, especially by those who call themselves Christians. Why? The holiday’s roots are anti-American, anti-Christian, racist towards whites and Jewish people. On my website (www.christocentric.com/Kwanzaa), I use Karenga’s own writings to show his true intentions of creating Kwanzaa. He admits in his first book on Kwanzaa that he created it as a substitute to not only our Christmas holiday, but the Christian religion, or any religion where one prayed to what he called “spooks!”
Of course, all that divisive speech has been toned down if you read his latest book on Kwanzaa, but if one views his founder’s message of 2006 on his website (in pdf. form), one will find that his message is still racially inclusive to blacks. His intention is for black people to celebrate this holiday for them only. Karenga feels this is necessary because the principles in Kwanzaa he says,
Kwanzaa is more than just a cultural celebration. Many are using it for “spiritual” wisdom while refusing to call it a religion. As a Christian, I don’t need Kwanzaa because to know how to live good lives is taught to me in what is called the Bible. The principles I need for living are all found in that book. My ancestors don’t provide me the spiritual principles necessary, although there is much wisdom to be gained by them, but to live right, my family has pointed to God and His principles found in the bible.“ . . . represent values and vital teachings of our ancestors about how we are to live good lives, rightfully relate to each other and the world, and teach our children by word and deed what it means to be an African man and woman in the world.”
There is a myth within the black community that knowing one’s heritage is necessary for their self-worth. That myth alone is what pushes events like Kwanzaa and Black History month, or Black history period. Self-worth does not come through our heritage, but through knowing who we are in God. Culture is turned into a religion by afrocentrics insist that one is not “black” if they don’t prescribe to their “religion.”
Well, on to the breakdown of the Nguzo Saba. Kujichagulia is next, which is Self-Determination in Swahili, principle number two of Kwanzaa.
12/26/2006
The First Principle of Kwanzaa: UMOJA (UNITY)
Umoja (Unity)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family,
community, nation and race.
"The ultimate level of unity for African people is Pan-African unity or unity of the world African community. This is also called unity of the race." . . . Pan-Africanism requires and urges that we see ourselves and act in history as an African people, belonging to a world community of African peoples." pg. 48.
I do have a problem when there is emphasis on unity in the name of one's color of their skin. Karenga makes the mistake of assuming world cohesiveness among African and African-American peoples. But diversity is tremendous and true unity would be impossible in this life time. Even as I write this, Ethiopia's military is attacking Somalia. 35,000 Somali people are seeking refuge in Kenya. Not even within Africa is there unity among Africans.
But in addition to utopic unity, there is the disturbing call for unity of all black people. How bothersome if it were a call of unity for white people? Some feel that because we are the minority, we are justified in calling for unity of blacks only. Reverse racism I call it and a move to create even more divisiveness within our great melting pot of a country.
From a Christian perspective, the first step in unity as a people is reconciliation with our God. To strive for unity is in vain unless God is at the helm. In the following passage, Christ prays to the
Father for unity within the body of believers:
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-23
Complete unity Christ speaks about here is for all of those who will believe in Him. He didn't even call for unity of all people, but unity within His body of believers! That's a tremendous challenge in itself! One of my more difficult debates has been with another person who calls himself a Christian! We couldn't come to an agreement on much we were discussing and he didn't even want to share his personal faith. Something that most Christians are all to eager to discuss. Disunity within the body of Christ -- forget the color of one's skin!
Tomorrow: the second principle of Kwanzaa - Kujichagulia - (Koo-jee-cha-goo-lee-a) - Self-Determination
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