Director M.K. Asante, Jr. Explains Kwanzaa in The Black Candle

Kwanzaa is a week long celebration of the African-American and Pan-African heritage and culture. The Black Candle is an award-winning documentary film directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. During a phone interview, I spoke with the 27-year-old director about the film and the meaning of Kwanzaa. The film explains the meaning and principles behind the celebration with narration by poet and "Renaissance woman" Dr. Maya Angelou and interviews with rappers Dead Presidents and Chuck D.

When I first stumbled upon the DVD The Black Candle I was unsure of the meaning of Kwanzaa. What invited me to watch was the possibility of learning something about African-American heritage, as I come from the opposite side of the world. Living in New Zealand, I felt I knew nothing of this different side of life. After watching M.K Asante, Jr.'s informative and relatable film, I found myself not only having learned about something completely new but I also felt really inspired to find out more about my cultural roots. The film not only informs about the African American celebration but also opens up its ideals for use around the world.

The film itself delves into the meaning behind a fairly new holiday created by Dr. Maulana Karenga. In 1966, Mr Karenga conceived of a week-long celebration between December 26 and January 1 that touched upon seven important principles and he named this celebration "Kwanzaa." In the film, we learn the reasoning behind this festive time straight from the creator himself, Dr. Karenga, who explains why he created this African American holiday.

Dr. Maya Angelou reads her inspirational words alongside interviews with rappers, activists, and people straight off the street, all of whom talk about the holiday. When I asked Asante how he felt about Dr. Angelou agreeing to work on his film, not only did he admit "I was giddy, I was like a little kid," he also said, "It was a testament to doing projects that you believe in and that have a purpose greater than just monetary. When you have that higher purpose, when you're making a project and you think it's important socially to people all over the world, then other people can identify with that and want to be a part of it." He also added that it was "a testament to the strength of the project. It was also one of the best days of my life. She's one of the greatest voices that we have and for her to be involved is just remarkable."

Article Author: Hayley MacDonald

Hayley MacDonald is currently studying journalism & communication media. She enjoys interviewing both film and music personalities about their latest projects.

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