Kwanzaa celebrations face challenges in N.B. with limited access to decorations and supplies
CBC
Kwanzaa decorations in New Brunswick have to make a long journey to get to the province.
They're usually flown in from Ottawa or Halifax, where there are more African stores.
"Community members travelling can be able to bring those things … we know the importance because of how hard it is to actually purchase these things or to even find them," said Yusuf Shire, president of the New Brunswick African Association.
The celebration of Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday. It's a time for people of African heritage to celebrate their culture and its history.
The celebration began in 1966 in the United States, while Canada began to celebrate it in 1993. The word Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili language and means "first fruits."
Kwanzaa lasts seven days, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
People often decorate their homes with candles or in the colours of the Pan-African flag: red, green and black.
The New Brunswick African Association never throws any decorations away. The oldest piece in their inventory is a mask that a family brought from Kenya that's been passed down five generations.
Whether it's candles, flags or masks, Shire keeps it all.
"We keep them not only because we have to. But also to pass our culture down to our younger generations."
He also hopes to pass along the meaning of Kwanzaa, through a discussion at the multicultural centre on Dec. 28.
"This is usually the time for reflection. We want to be able to, actually as a community, look deeper. What can the elders in the community pass down to the next generation to prepare the young generation for?"
When it comes to celebrating, however, new decorations and supplies are hard to come by in New Brunswick, Shire said.
"There's no place really where you can be able to find it. When I want to be able to decorate for Halloween or Christmas, I can just go to Walmart. For Kwanzaa, it's not that simple."
A Nova Scotia bird rescue has had to stop accepting new surrenders, as animal rescues in the province deal with increasing demand for their services.
Kwanzaa decorations in New Brunswick have to make a long journey to get to the province.
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