Kwanzaa is looking a bit like Christmas, and not everyone is happy about that.
Although the seven-day holiday, which starts today, focuses on African culture, not on a specific religion, it has grown in stature to attract the attention of retailers much like the Santa season.
There are now Kwanzaa greeting cards, Kwanzaa candles, Kwanzaa books and even Kwanzaa gift baskets, including one from grocery giant Albertsons.
And then there are those Kwanzaa items that don't necessarily espouse the values of the holiday.
There's a Kwanzaa family teddy bears collection, which costs $49.95 and includes mom, dad, KT and Aisha. There are Kwanzaa jigsaw puzzles, mouse pads, paper plates and chocolates.
Although these items do increase the visibility of Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits" in Swahili, the commercialism often goes against the core tenets founder Maulana Karenga set forth in 1966. The Cal State Long Beach professor started the holiday, in part, to reaffirm the vision and values of African culture and to strengthen communities.
"Some of the principles are predicated against this type of crass commercialization," said Percy Hintzen, a UC Berkeley professor of African-American studies. "I think the power of marketing is such that it can convince anyone to do things that are counter to the spirit of what they're trying to do."
| Continue Randy Myers' Contra Costa Times article "Marketing of Kwanzaa irks some observers"
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