Nov. 14, 2008 — A two day celebration focusing on the roots of Kwanzaa in the African-American community kicked off Friday at the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus with the presentation of the film "The Black Candle: A Kwanzaa Celebration."
The documentary film, which had two showings Friday and more showings at UVI's St. Croix campus Saturday, is narrated by world-renowned poet Maya Angelou. It looks at the seven principles of Kwanzaa as central to the lives of African Americans, many of whom celebrate the tradition with a harvest festival from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
Following the screenings Friday, M.K. Asante Jr., who directed and produced the film, took questions from the audience, and joined other spoken word performers in reciting poetry. In addition, local farmers displayed their food, crafts people displayed their wares and participants, who included UVI students and students from local public schools, enjoyed a colorful fashion show.
"I liked the documentary and the message that it had," said Denzel Browne, a junior at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. "I learned a lot about Kwanzaa through it."
Asante, a professor in the Department of English and Language at Morgan State University, was dubbed "a rare remarkable talent" by the Philadelphia Inquirer and has won awards for his reflective and informative documentaries and publications.
"When you make an observation you have an obligation," Asante told the audience, describing how he came to make the film.
He said that as a young person, he wasn't taught about his African roots. That observation lead to what he said was his obligation to investigate those roots, and in accordance with Kwanzaa's principal of creativity, he made this film.
"I had never seen a film about Kwanzaa … that's because I hadn't made one yet," he said, joking with the audience.
Dara Cooper, coordinator of the two-day celebration, was delighted by the film's message.
"Hopefully the film will help educate the community about the principals of Kwanzaa and remind us to get back to the village mentality," Cooper said.
Cooper said the event was held in conjunction with UVI's English Department, Per Ankh Inc. and The African Diaspora Youth Development Foundation, and was funded by Asante Filmworx, the VI Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Department of Education, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, The Family Connection, the Humanities Council of the Virgin Islands, the Cultural Heritage Institute and the Enid M. Baa Public Library.
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