A Kwanzaa celebration, teaching participants how to use the symbols and principles of the African ceremony, was held at Sts. Peter and Paul parish, Decatur, in December, sponsored by the archdiocesan Secretariat for Black Catholic Ministry.

An afternoon program included storytelling and puppets for children, sampling of African foods, the awarding of prizes to students who entered a Kwanzaa poster and essay contest, the Gafiel African drummers and a presentation on Kwanzaa and its seven principles. The celebration ended with a Christkwanzaa ceremony, a prayer service led by Catholic teenagers involved in the Orita Project.

In photo top right, Bettina Vernon, Joan Vernon and Deine Horm sample African food catered by the Red Rooster. Orita Project participants from Sts. Peter and Paul lead prayer in the photo above, left to right, Susan Riggins, Michael Coleman, Courtney Maddix and Agegnihu Tsega. The principles of Kwanzaa and the preparation of a Kwanzaa table are explained by Etta Hawkins in photo at right.

Kwanzaa is celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1 with a daily principle promoting unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. The archdiocesan celebration added scriptural correlations.

Among the first-place winners of the poster and essay contest were Shetia Mays, a tenth-grade student at St. Pius X High School, Aminah Phelps, a second-grade student who is a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament Church, Atlanta, and Emily Roberson, a kindergarten pupil at St. John the Evangelist in Hapeville.