Table Of ContentFor Greyson and Allison
Crafts for Kwanzaa
Electronic book published by ipicturebooks.com
24 W. 25th St.
New York, NY 10010
For more ebooks, visit us at:
http://www.ipicturebooks.com
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Kathy Ross
Illustrations © 1994 by Sharon Lane Holm
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
e-ISBN 1-59019-609-0
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ross, Kathy (Katharine Reynolds), 1948-
Crafts for Kwanzaa/by Kathy Ross; illustrated
by Sharon Lane Holm.
p. cm.—(Holiday crafts for kids)
Presents 20 simple craft projects, from games
and jewelry to giftwrap, that young children
can make from everyday materials.
ISBN 1-56294-412-6 (lib. bdg.) ISBN 1-56294-740-0 (pbk.)
1.Kwanzaa decorations—Juvenile literature.
2.Handicraft—Juvenile literature. I. Holm,
Sharon Lane. II. Title. III. Series.
TT900.K92R67 1994
745.594’1—dc20 93-36690
Contents
Celebrating Kwanzaa 7
Paper Mat 8
Foil Cup 10
Harvest Banner 12
Pumpkin Trivet 14
Corn Necklace 16
Tissue Paper Corn 18
Kwanzaa Candles Card 20
Kwanzaa Candle Favors 22
Kwanzaa Candles Game 24
Corn Print Wrapping Paper 26
Dyed Wrapping Paper 28
Candle Gift Tag 30
Kwanzaa Memory Book 32
Paper Flag 34
Flag Favors 36
Flag Pin 38
Harvest Frame 40
Kwanzaa Hug Card 42
Paper Hat 44
Sand Beads 46
by Kathy Ross
illustrated by Sharon Lane Holm
Celebrating Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a holiday celebrating the African roots of black
Americans. It begins on December 26 and lasts for seven days.
It celebrates the shared life and history of black people, both
past and present. The colors of Kwanzaa are red, black, and
green—the colors of the flag created by the African-American
leader Marcus Garvey at the beginning of the twentieth
century. Red represents the struggle of black people for
freedom. Black is for black people united. And green symbolizes
the future of black people.
The African language of Swahili is used to name the sym-
bols and words used at Kwanzaa time. The name “Kwanzaa”
itself comes from a Swahili word for the first fruits of the
harvest. The values expressed through this holiday are re-
flected in the nguzo saba (or seven principles) of Kwanzaa
written by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a teacher who created this
celebration in 1966.
Nguzo Saba
The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa
Umoja (Unity)
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
Nia (Purpose)
Kuumba (Creativity)
Imani (Faith)
7
Paper Mat
The mkeka is a mat on which the symbols of Kwanzaa
are placed. It represents the importance of history and
tradition within the black American family. Make a mat
for your Kwanzaa celebration.
Here is what you need: Here is what you do:
Fold the black construction
paper in half lengthwise
and cut strips about 1 inch (2.5
centimeters) apart across the
paper from the fold to about 1
inch from the edge. Do not cut
the paper apart.
black, red, and green
construction paper
scissors
white glue
8
Cut inch-wide strips from red and
green paper and weave them in
alternating colors through the black
paper. Glue the ends of the strips
to hold them in place.
If you would like your mat to
last a long time, cover it on both
sides with clear contact paper.
9
Foil Cup
Everyone drinks from the kikombe cha umoja, or big cup,
at Kwanzaa time. The cup represents the value of the black
family and community living and working together.
Here is what you need: Here is what you do:
Cut a 2-inch (5-centimeter)
piece from the cardboard
tube to use as the stem of your
cup.
cardboard tube
aluminum foil
egg-shaped
plastic container
tape
10
Tape the tube to the top of the
small part of the plastic egg to
form the base of your cup. Tape
the large part of the egg to the
top of the tube to form a cup.
Cover the entire cup
with foil so that it looks
like it’s made of metal.
11
Harvest Banner
Mazao, the fruits and vegetables, represent the fruit of all
work. Make a harvest banner of fruits and vegetables.
Here is what you need: Here is what you do:
light-colored Most fruits and
paper or vegetables will need
fabric
to be cut in half so that you
can use the flat inside part
stick to hang
to print a picture of the fruit
the banner on
on your fabric or paper.
Apples, oranges, pears,
carrots, and green peppers
all print especially well, but
yarn
you will need to ask an
adult to help you cut them.
different
fruits and Corn prints well from the
vegetables outside.
to print
white glue
with
poster paint in the
colors of the
produce
you have
chosen
paintbrush
12
